History MagnificentBastard / FanWorks

** [[ArcherArchetype Jade Boleyn]] grows up as a BlueBlood in a toxic environment, indirectly maims a childhood enemy and is sent to the [[=DAEYD=]. She uses a SherlockScan to deduce that a murder took place and helps Ermine violently avenge her dead friend at least partially to amuse herself. In the arena, she achieves many impressive archery kills, plays the members of her alliance against each other and kills them all singlehandedly. While Jade expresses little remorse for that part of her life, she becomes a rebel, and aids in intricate plans to win District 1's freedom. Jade does an expert job of avoiding suspicion and [[LovableAlphaBitch treats her fellow victors aloofly, but shows occasional warmth and helpfulness even to people who dislike her]], and mourns for dead friends. Jade uses her knowledge of Panem's legal code to take back some control during her KangarooCourt trial after the new regime turns on her, buying time for a CharacterWitness to arrive. Jade sacrifices a chance to kill Coin--who nevertheless tries to Jade--to ensure the safety of a friend, having one vowed not to let anymore people die when she can save them and later takes part in the mission to rescue Katniss.

* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemRadiantDawn'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/QueenOfSorrow''

* ''Fanfic/{{Drakigo}}'' (''Film/BramStokersDracula'' & ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible''): [[FallenHero Once the leader of the Transylvanian knights]], Shego Dracula [[RageAgainstTheHeavens forsakes god]] and willingly becomes a vampire after her beloved Elizabeta kills herself. Years after killing the vampire that turned her, Shego tricks Ronald Stoppable into selling her a house. Turning him over to her brides, Shego journeys to London and runs into Stoppable's fiance, Kimberly. Determined to woo Kimberly, Shego takes her on dates and eventually turns her friend Monique into a vampire after feeding on her. Upon being betrayed and wounded, Shego is prepared to fight to the death. [[DeadpanSnarker Snarky]] and clever, Shego manages to live the rest of her life with her beloved.

** "What if [[Characters/TheDarkKnightTrilogyTheJoker The Joker]] Was in '[[Film/TheDarkKnightRises The Dark Knight Rises]]'?" [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDkiX4tMbG0 two]]-[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vxm_cNCYPAw parter]]: [[Characters/TheDarkKnightTrilogyBane Bane]] and Talia al Ghul, the children of Ra's al Ghul, take over the [[Characters/TheDarkKnightTrilogyLeagueOfShadows League of Shadows]] following his death. Together, they seek to destroy Gotham and [[AvengingTheVillain get revenge]] on [[Characters/TheDarkKnightTrilogyBruceWayne Bruce Wayne]] for their father's death. Bane attacks a stock exchange and costs Bruce his fortune by using his finger prints. Meanwhile Talia takes the identity of Miranda Tate in order to gain access to Bruce's fusion reactor and control of his company. Having [[Characters/CatwomanSelinaKyle Selina Kyle]] lead Bruce into a trap, Bane easily bests him in a fight, breaking his back and imprisoning him in the Pit, before taking over Gotham and cutting it off from the rest of the world. When the Joker is released, Bane engages him in a gang war, managing to keep him contained to the Narrows. Though ultimately defeated, Talia informs the heroes that she flooded the reactor room to prevent them from defusing the bomb. Proving worthy successors to their father, Bane and Talia come with in a hair's breadth of winning.
** "What If [[Characters/BatmanTwoFace Harvey Dent]] Was In 'Film/BatmanReturns'?" & " What If Creator/TimBurton Directed 'Film/BatmanForever'?" [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Glzo9waqn-Y&t=786s two]]-[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sA1WU-9UVxw parter]]: [[PhantomThief Catwoman]], real name [[Characters/CatwomanSelinaKyle Selina Kyle]], once again is the slippery and smooth operator she was in her film appearance. Fulfilling all the same actions she did in the film in her first appearance: such as joining forces with [[Characters/BatmanThePenguin the Penguin]] to frame Batman for the attack on the Ice Princess, whom Catwoman didn't plan on getting killed; undermining Max Shreck and eventually killing him too, Catwoman once again survives and ends triumphant. In her second appearance, while Selina is incognito for the majority of the story and doesn't come back until the very end, she reveals she's kept tabs on Bruce and has recently provided the evidence that officially [[ClearTheirName clears Batman of all wrong-doing]] she set him up for--"to make Gotham's nightlife a little more interesting"--before [[AndTheAdventureContinues once again slipping away into hiding]].

* ''Literature/HarryPotter'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/WishCarefully'': [[Characters/HarryPotterHarryJamesPotter Harry Potter]] himself is the architect behind the Death Eaters' downfall. Concluding he could not face [[Characters/HarryPotterLordVoldemort Lord Voldemort]] in a prolonged war, Harry cut a deal with the Death Eaters where they would be allowed to rule Wizarding Britain, free from those who did not share their beliefs, while requiring the Death Eaters to not interfere with the Muggle world as Harry personally arranged for the departure and relocation of non-Voldemort supporters. Through this deal, Harry doomed Voldemort, the Death Eaters, and their descendants to a slow death as [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor their country collapsed piece-by-piece through their own racist beliefs]], knowing that Voldemort would repulse new blood and showing the world how foolish the concept of pureblooded elitism was. It is believed that Harry is banking on Voldemort being [[BatmanGambit foolish and sadistic enough to attack a Muggle]], whereupon he would lose his power and be arrested or killed due to his body being made by magic.

* ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigi'' fanfic ''[[Fanfic/MarioAndLuigiDarkestTimeline Darkest Timeline]]'' ([[https://archiveofourown.org/works/39835734 link]]):

* ''FanFic/GuardiansWizardsAndKungFuFighters'':

-> ''"I have the Eye of Odin back in my private collection, and the city owes me a favor for donating it. I successfully tested this prototype battle exo-frame. And the most important thing? I was a little worried that I might be getting soft. But I was able to stand up against Goliath, the greatest warrior alive. I'd say I've still got the edge."''
-->-- '''David Xanatos''', ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'', "[[Recap/GargoylesS1TheEdge The Edge]]"

The [[Creator/{{Disney}} Walt Disney]] company has provided many entertaining antagonists over the years that play off their enemies or even outshine them by stealing the spotlight. These are the most [[MagnificentBastard wickedly cunning]] of the lot.

Sections listed by release/air date.

* Examples from other live-action films made with Disney's involvement can be found [[MagnificentBastard/LiveActionFilms here]].
* Examples from the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse can be found [[MagnificentBastard/MarvelCinematicUniverse here]].
* Examples from ''Franchise/StarWars'' can be found [[MagnificentBastard/StarWars here]].

[[AC:[[Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon Animated Canon]]]]
[[folder:Films]]
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'' trilogy:
** ''[[WesternAnimation/AladdinTheReturnOfJafar The Return of Jafar]]'': [[Characters/AladdinJafar Jafar]] manages to evolve into a flawless schemer by the events of this sequel to the [[WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}} original film]]. An EvilSorcerer who acts as [[EvilChancellor grand vizier]] to the Sultan of Agrabah, Jafar schemes to take the throne from the Sultan by retrieving the lamp with the Genie in it that can grant wishes, only to eventually be tricked by Aladdin to become a Djinn and be trapped in the lamp. Jafar returns after getting freed by the thief Abis Mal and goes back to plotting to take over Agrabah and get revenge on Aladdin. He first manipulates Abis Mal into using two of his wishes so as to leverage him with the third. Jafar then forces Iago to participate in the scheme in which he captures all of Aladdin's allies, fakes the Sultan's death and then frames Aladdin for his murder. Posing as Princess Jasmine, Jafar sentences Aladdin to death and doesn't reveal himself until Aladdin is on the verge of being executed. When Aladdin and the others attempt to steal Jafar's lamp, he overwhelms and nearly destroys them all with his powers.
** ''WesternAnimation/AladdinAndTheKingOfThieves'': [[PhantomThief Cassim]] is the benevolent and cunning King of the Forty Thieves and Aladdin's thought-to-be [[LukeIAmYourFather long-lost father]]. Having taken to theft a long time ago to try to provide better for his wife and young son, Cassim set his sights on finding the mystical [[MacGuffin Hand of Midas]] in the elusive Vanishing Isle through the magical Oracle. Using a raid on Aladdin and Jasmine’s wedding to divert attention, Cassim nearly succeeds in stealing the Oracle and then later arranges a fight between Aladdin and his vicious associate Sa'Luk to prevent Aladdin from being killed for finding the men's hideout. He then successfully steals the Oracle on a third attempt and rescues Aladdin again from Razoul before later being helped by Aladdin to achieve the Hand of Midas and then tricking Sa'Luk into turning himself into gold with it. Cassim then abandons the Hand and is then able to see his son's wedding from a distance before he and Iago the parrot then escape for good.
* ''Franchise/LiloAndStitch'': [[TheStoic Cobra Bubbles]] is a stern, unflappable agent of [[TheMenInBlack a mysterious organization that deals in extraterrestrial affairs]], and masks his true colors beneath a public guise of social work. Spending [[WesternAnimation/LiloAndStitch the first film]] concerned for young Lilo's safety and astutely picking out all the ways she's being neglected, Cobra eventually works to keep her family together by using aliens' love for rules to keep Stitch free from capture and reunited with Lilo. Having once convinced an entire invading alien force to spare Earth via lying that insects were an endangered species, Cobra also sets a solid trap for the diabolical Hamsterviel in [[WesternAnimation/LiloAndStitch2StitchHasAGlitch the sequel]], almost destroying the villain even at the cost of endangering Stitch's fellow experiments. Cobra's ruthlessness and ingenuity continues into [[WesternAnimation/LiloAndStitchTheSeries the television series]], where he utilizes the experiments as espionage tools and even schemes to keep the public unaware of an approaching apocalypse so as to preserve peace while he spirits away key people to safety. Always cool and rarely caught off-guard, Cobra stood out in the zany cast as a deadly serious protector of Earth.
* ''WesternAnimation/TreasurePlanet'':
** [[AntiVillain John Silver]] is a [[AffablyEvil jovial]], honorable {{cyborg}} doubling as a pirate captain in his lifelong quest to find the titular "Treasure Planet" housing the legendary treasure of Nathaniel Flint. Tracking down the map to Treasure Planet on the planet Montressor, Silver burns down an inn seeking the map, and later insinuates himself and his pirate crew to join the RLS ''Legacy'' on its own expedition to find Treasure Planet. Casting himself as a lowly grub cook to avoid suspicion, all while growing close to the young man in possession of the map, Jim Hawkins, Silver eventually orchestrates a [[TheMutiny mutiny]], taking over the ''Legacy'' and holding its crew hostage to force Jim to help Silver decipher the map. Successfully finding Flint's treasure, Silver ends up [[HeelFaceTurn sacrificing the unending troves of gold and jewels to save Jim's life]], having grown to [[LikeASonToMe genuinely care for him as a surrogate son]], and slips away at the end of the film with no punishment for his crimes, utterly content and happy with the fact that his quest for riches instead lead him into a friendship with Jim -- even giving Jim the final parting gift of Silver's treasured pet Morph.
** [[PosthumousCharacter Captain Nathaniel Flint]] was the most accomplished and [[TheDreaded most feared]] space pirate in the history of the Etherium. In life, Flint made away with enough ill-gotten loot to fill the core of an entire planet, and in death, Flint's trove became the eye of every treasure hunter in the cosmos. Not even the shrewd and cunning Silver and his band of pirates are ultimately able to make off with his treasure, as Flint was so thorough in rigging Treasure Planet with death traps to ensure [[NoMacGuffinNoWinner the treasure stayed his]], even post-mortem, that only a few doubloons survive. Even as a decaying skeleton, Flint is the only one ever able to truly appreciate his hard-earned treasure, a testament to the pirate whose greed was so vast that he made his name a literal legend.

[[folder:Other works]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TaleSpin'': [[PantheraAwesome Shere Khan]] is the intimidating but charismatic head honcho of [[NGOSuperpower Khan Industries]]. A shrewd and capable business magnate whose company has greatly expanded and prospered under his administration, Khan has made himself one of the most powerful figures in the world, enough to [[ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem make his own rules]]. Ruthless but pragmatic, he has a burning drive to make money and increase his power and authority, and will do so by fair means or foul. He and the main characters have frequently dealt with one another, sometimes as enemies, other times as allies. [[AmbiguouslyEvil Morally ambiguous]] but [[NobleDemon not without honor]], Shere Khan commands respect wherever he goes.
* ''WesternAnimation/AladdinTheSeries'':
** [[GreatGazoo Chaos]], implied to be the AnthropomorphicPersonification of his namesake, is a near-omnipotent trickster whose unpredictability is matched only by his love of fun and affability. Chaos is "tricked" by the evil goddess Mirage into visiting Agrabah, where he proceeds to begin [[RealityWarper screwing with reality]] for his own amusement, creating an evil Aladdin and an evil Genie to challenge the status quo when he's informed "Aladdin always wins." Motivated by nothing but his whims, Chaos is still a fiendishly good planner who [[ObfuscatingStupidity set up Mirage]] from the beginning, and tricks her into falling into his evil Genie's clutches just to place her in so much danger she ends inadvertently saving the day. Not only the most powerful being seen in the series, Chaos is a cunning TricksterMentor who commends Aladdin for what he's done with Agrabah and tells him to keep up the good work--lest he return to make things "interesting" again.
** [[BountyHunter The Mukhtar]] is a [[SnakePeople snake-like]] mercenary and the most [[ScarilyCompetentTracker skilled genie hunter]] in all the land. In his introductory episode, Mukhtar uses Iago and Abu to lead him to Genie and then masterfully fights and defeats Genie with a variety of skills, using both magical tools and pragmatic wit to outdo the powerful RealityWarper as well as his friends. Letting Genie go without issue when his employer calls the hunt off, Mukhtar later returns to take all of Genie's friends hostage in a ploy to lure Genie into Mozenrath's hands, which goes off without a hitch. Mukhtar's honor as mighty as his tracking abilities, the mercenary ends up [[HeelFaceTurn backstabbing Mozenrath]] while saving Genie and his friends due to a feeling of closeness with Genie, parting ways with the heroes peacefully at the end of his story after regarding them all as friends.
** The [[PlantPerson plant elemental]] wizard [[NatureSpirit Arbutus]] once made a bargain to spare the life of the Sultan in return for his "[[ExactWords dearest treasure]]." Concealing that this was his daughter Jasmine, Arbutus returns to kidnap her, easily beating the heroes in the process with intent to hold Jasmine as a possession in his garden. Revealing his deep love for the plants he deems his children and his [[GaiasVengeance rage at humankind for mistreating them]], Arbutus shows he is amenable to Jasmine's attempts to persuade him before the tragic misunderstanding causes him to be slain by Aladdin, with Jasmine and Aladdin [[AlasPoorVillain mourning his fate]] once the latter uncovers the truth.
* ''WesternAnimation/HouseOfMouse'':
** "Mickey Foils the Phantom Blot": [[DarkIsEvil The Phantom Blot]] is a [[EvilIsHammy hammy supervillain]] who seeks to steal a credit card from Ludwig that'll get him access to every source of money in the world. Managing to steal it as Ludwig is conversing with the main trio, he traps them in an ink bowl when they pursue him, using the trap to escape on his blimp with the card. When Ludwig reveals that only he knows the PIN code to it, he quickly kidnaps him and uses him to gain access to the card, using it to rob everything he can while evading the police. Upon the trio managing to destroy the card later, he decides to flee and ejects them out of his blimp using a trap door, getting rid of Donald and Goofy while dealing with Mickey, keeping the mouse on his toes throughout the fight and only being beaten by his blimp suddenly crashing into a mountain.
** ''WesternAnimation/MickeysHouseOfVillains'': [[Characters/AladdinJafar Jafar]] shows he's just as magnificent as he is in the [[WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}} films]], orchestrating a takeover of the House by convincing all the Disney villains to ally into a LegionOfDoom. When the time comes for the takeover, Jafar kicks Mickey and Minnie out amid a grand VillainSong, "It's Our House Now."
* ''WesternAnimation/BigHero6TheSeries'': [[BigBad Obake]], real name Bob Aken, was once the top student of Professor Granville. After an unsupervised lab experiment ended in disaster, Obake was left with a brain tumor that left him incapable of differentiating right from wrong. Fascinated by artist/scientist Lenore Shimamoto’s work, Obake flawlessly manipulates both heroes and villains alike into acquiring Shimamoto’s research as well the secret identities of Big Hero 6, taking close interest in Hiro Hamada. He secretly observes and gauges the boy’s growth from the shadows, even going so far as disguising himself as Hiro’s dead brother. In the season finale, Obake reveals his grand plan to recreate Shimamoto’s failed experiment that caused the Great Catastrophe, and [[InTheirOwnImage rebuild San Fransokyo into something “perfect”]]. He takes control over Baymax and captures Hiro in hopes of swaying him into becoming his [[WeCanRuleTogether protégée once the dust settles]]. Thwarted by the heroes, a heartbroken Obake lets himself [[GoingDownWithTheShip go down with his collapsing lair]], but not without freeing Baymax from his control to go back to Hiro and save the boy who he deemed his equal. A VisionaryVillain whose charming brilliance is rivaled by his ruthlessness, Obake establishes as Big Hero 6’s most diabolical foe to date.
[[/folder]]

[[AC:[[WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts Classic Shorts]]]]

* ''WesternAnimation/ChickenLittle'' (1943): [[CunningLikeAFox Foxy Loxy]] desires to eat all of the birds from a nearby farmhouse. Prevented from getting in by force, he turns to a psychology book to manipulate the foolish Chicken Little into thinking [[MistakenForApocalypse the sky is falling]]. When his plan is foiled by Cocky Locky, the birds' leader, Foxy uses disguises and rumors to make the others think he's unfit to lead, then encourages Chicken Little to declare himself leader. Foxy uses another piece of "sky" to discredit Cocky Locky and tricks Chicken Little into luring the birds to his cave, where [[TheBadGuyWins he successfully eats them all]]. Foxy Loxy stands out as one of the shrewdest Disney villains in this cautionary tale of hysteria.

[[AC:[[Film/DisneyLiveActionRemakes Live-Action Remakes]]]]
[[folder:Examples]]
* ''Film/{{Maleficent}}'': This [[AdaptationalHeroism more sympathetic]] take on [[ByronicHeroine Maleficent]] still retains the charisma and charm of her original counterpart. Charged with protecting the Moors, Maleficent declares herself their "Dark Queen" when her childhood friend Stefan betrays her and becomes the King of the humans. Cursing Stefan's daughter [[WesternAnimation/SleepingBeauty Aurora]] to fall into a death-like sleep, Maleficent seals off the Moors and easily dispatches of any of Stefan's soldiers, all the while growing fond of Aurora from afar after Stefan begs her to lift the curse, with Maleficent eventually breaking it out of her own love for Aurora. Defeating Stefan, Maleficent [[Film/MaleficentMistressOfEvil goes on]] to quash any who attack her or her loved ones, defeating and humiliating a wicked Queen before giving Aurora and her fiance a lavish wedding while going on to rule the Dark Fey unopposed.
* ''Film/Mulan2020'': [[TragicVillain Xian Lang]] is a [[WickedWitch witch]] who, exiled from her home due to her great power, seeks to form a new society where people like her will be viewed as equal. Allying herself with Rouran warlord Bori Khan during his invasion of China, Xian Lang uses both her powers and battle prowess to help topple China's military garrisons, while also using her shape-shifting abilities to infiltrate the Imperial City and manipulate TheEmperor of China into gathering troops to battle the invaders. Meeting Mulan in battle, Xian Lang sees through her disguise and reveals that the attacks were merely a diversion to draw troops away from the Imperial City. Infiltrating the palace in the guise of the Chancellor, Xian Lang tricks the Emperor into leaving the safety of the palace and falling into Bori Khan's trap. Later, upon seeing how Mulan has been accepted by the army despite her gender and realizing that there is a place for people like her, Xian Lang aids Mulan in defeating Bori Khan, sacrificing her life in the process.
* ''Film/{{Cruella}}'': [[FemmeFatale Cruella de Vil]] is reimagined as a capable {{con artist}} and thief with [[ActionFashionista excellent fashion sense]]. Born to the cold-hearted Baroness von Hellman--who wanted her dead--Cruella was at first raised as "Estella", the daughter of maid Catherine Miller, whose murder she witnessed as a child. Growing up orphaned, Estella had ended up pulling schemes with the Badun brothers Horace and Jasper, creating the costumes for each job as they go. Wanting to get into the fashion world, Estella gets hired and works closely under the Baroness, while also trying to steal back her family heirloom from her cruel employer. Becoming Cruella, she also undermines the Baroness' own business while increasing her own and when Cruella learns of her true heritage, she then fakes her own murder as Estella at the Baroness's hands in order to set her up and make it so Cruella gets everything that was always meant to be hers.

[[AC:Creator/{{Pixar}}]]
[[folder:Examples]]
* ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory'':
** ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory2'': [[EvilOverlord Emperor Zurg]] is the ArchEnemy of Buzz Lightyear. When Buzz is called to Zurg's planet to deal with him, Zurg first sets a trap of thousands of robots. When Buzz escapes that he nearly kills him with a [[AdvancingWallOfDoom spike trap]], a levitating bridge, and even fools him with a fake power source. Finally facing Buzz head on, he kills him in battle, and then [[EvilLaugh laughs maniacally]]. The film then cuts to the "real world", where Rex complains about how hard the Zurg boss fight in the game is.
** ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory4'': Gabby Gabby is a 50s-era doll who has languished on the shelves of Second Chance Antiques for years waiting for a child's love. When Gabby Gabby meets Woody and learns he has a functioning voicebox, Gabby Gabby covets it for herself and quickly realizes the folly in attempting to brute-force it out of him. Two thirds of the way into the film, Gabby Gabby uses the knowledge she's gained by befriending her "captive," Forky, and subjects Woody to a [[BreakThemByTalking brutal but heart-wrenchingly sincere speech]] that convinces Woody to stop opposing her and give up his own voicebox so Gabby Gabby can have a chance at happiness. Unlike [[WesternAnimation/ToyStory2 Stinky Pete]] and [[Characters/ToyStoryLotso Lotso]], Gabby Gabby always remains calm and grateful toward the heroes--even offering Woody his voicebox back when her initial chance at happiness earns her rejection--while remaining the one antagonist in the series to have effectively hit Woody at his core.
* ''Franchise/TheIncredibles'' films:
** [[WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles First film]]: [[PunchClockVillain Mirage]] is the mysterious and charming [[TheDragon Dragon]] to [[PsychopathicManchild Syndrome]]. Mirage lures former "Supers" on Syndrome's behalf by shadowing them and contacting them via video, then arranging each one to fight the Omnidroid, killing all except for Mr. Incredible. Each time a Super succeeds though, the Omnidroid is modified to become stronger and stronger, with Syndrome intending to send it after a city so he can "save" it. After Mirage saves Syndrome at one point only for him to callously be willing to let her get killed when she's in danger, she [[MistreatmentInducedBetrayal completely turns against him]] by helping Mr. Incredible escape, telling him his family is alive, and then [[HeelFaceTurn helping the Parr family commandeer a rocket to go after the Omnidroid]].
** ''WesternAnimation/Incredibles2'': [[WellIntentionedExtremist Evelyn Deavor]] is the brilliant technical genius behind [=DevTech=]. [[WeHaveBecomeComplacent Believing that humanity has become too reliant on superheroes]] following her parents' deaths, Evelyn pretends to support Winston's plan to make Supers legal again, while secretly scheming to make sure they remain illegal. She sets up a decoy Screenslaver to commit several crimes, while also helping Helen foil his plans. When Elastigirl deduces that that the Screenslaver she captured was a decoy, Evelyn hypnotizes her along with Mr. Incredible, Frozone and the [=DevTech=] Supers. Her objective is to stage a scene on the Everjust to make it seem that the Supers are tired of being told what to do by the "normal people" and then crash the Everjust into the city, thus turning public opinion against them and making them illegal forever. Even when her plans are thwarted, Evelyn holds her own against Elastigirl and nearly kills her [[CombatPragmatist through quick thinking and efficient use of her environment]].

[[AC:TV series[[note]]Marvel animated series that aired on a Disney channel such as Creator/DisneyXD can be found [[MagnificentBastard/MarvelAnimation here]][[/note]]]]
[[folder:Animated series]]
* ''Franchise/DuckTales'' works:
** [[WesternAnimation/DuckTales1987 1987 series]]:
*** [[NewOldFlame "Glittering" Goldie]] is Scrooge [=McDuck=]'s first love, who proves herself to be more than a match for him in both wits and greed. [[Recap/DuckTalesS1E50BackToTheKlondike Goldie's introduction]] featured her eyeballing a massive gold nugget Scrooge had found, strong-arming him into a rigged game of cards, and ultimately falling for him after he turns the tables on her. Decades after they have a falling out, Scrooge discovers that Goldie had been living on his old claim, defending it with her trusty shotgun and pet bear, and while things start tense, they reconcile after Goldie chooses to save Scrooge from a robbery. [[Recap/DuckTalesDuckyMountainHigh Goldie's finest outing]] shows her orchestrating a complex scheme to obtain Scrooge's land in the Ducky Mountains, knowing that it has a massive gold deposit underneath that Scrooge himself is unaware of. Happily tricking Scrooge into trading his land for hers, Goldie rubs her victory in his face before giving him an affectionate kiss and a complement, [[WorthyOpponent to which Scrooge can do nothing but smile]].
*** "[[Recap/DuckTalesS1E7MuchAdoAboutScrooge Much Ado About Scrooge]]": [[TravelingSalesman Filler Brushbill]] is a charismatic and clever "super-duper" salesman whose persuasive ability knows no bounds, convincing even the penny-pinching Scrooge to purchase several hundred-thousands of dollars worth of random knick-knacks. Discovering that world-famous playwright William Drakespeare had created an unreleased play, Filler follows Scrooge in his quest for profits, saving the lives of both Scrooge and his nephews before pulling his weight in finding the play. When Scrooge and the boys discover that the play is terrible and try to lock it back up, Filler swoops in and steals the script, fully intending to keep all the potential profits for himself. It's only when Louie appeals to his business-sense that Filler relents and returns the play, happily forming a bond with the young boy and scoring a potential business deal with Scrooge in the process.
** [[WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017 2017 series]]: Goldie O'Gilt, [[Characters/DuckTales2017ScroogeMcDuck Scrooge]]'s old flame and "ex-everything," is a beautiful, conniving treasure hunter who rivals Scrooge himself in sheer wit and tenacity. Lacking Scrooge's scruples and possessed of a [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder penchant for betrayal]], Goldie has backstabbed Scrooge countless times to leave him in the wake of danger while she constantly walks off untouched. In her debut episode, Goldie plays both Scrooge and Flintheart in her pursuit of the Golden Lagoon, using Scrooge to locate the Lagoon for her before managing to fake her death with the Eye of Demogorgon and making off with the treasure herself, completely untouched in the end. Even through their constant quarreling and rivalry, Goldie and Scrooge retain a fierce, mutual respect for each other, with Goldie always knowing Scrooge will make it out alive out of whatever conundrum she leaves him in and Scrooge acknowledging her as his greatest WorthyOpponent.
* ''WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck'': [[MadArtist Splatter Phoenix]] is a [[SesquipedalianLoquaciousness comically verbose]], ostentatious artist and self-described "daringly innovative pseudo anti-neo post modern deconstructionist". Using her signature reality-warping paint in conjunction with her creative mind, Phoenix commits her crimes with a painter's flair, often coming up with imaginative ways to go about her schemes. Phoenix's best showing is in [[Recap/DarkwingDuckS2E12ABrushWithOblivion her debut episode]], where she stakes out the St. Canard Museum by hiding inside of the paintings, sneaking out to swipe the art so she can sell them for cash. When confronted by the heroes, Phoenix outmaneuvers them at every turn, nearly killing them by trapping them inside of Gosalyn's painting, and is only defeated because Honker got a paintbrush of his own to level the playing field.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'':
** [[CorruptCorporateExecutive David Xanatos]], the {{Trope Namer|s}} for XanatosGambit and XanatosSpeedChess, is a [[AffablyEvil charming, suave]] man who always thinks ten steps ahead. Having revived the Gargoyles in modern day, Xanatos befriends them while manipulating them into stealing technology for him while pretending to be an innocent party. After being defeated and sent to prison, Xanatos sets up further plans to make himself look like a model citizen while securing an early parole for his lover Fox, while constantly tricking the Gargoyles into handling problems for him. Even his own wedding shows Xanatos's endless capacity for maintaining an advantage: warping himself and all the wedding guests into the past, Xanatos ends the adventure by having a rare coin set aside to be sent to himself a thousand years in the future when it will be worth a fortune, allowing him to kick start his own career. Rarely at a loss for a contingency and never losing his smile, Xanatos is rarely ever one-upped, and often proves his boast that nothing is beyond his capacity to control.
** [[CunningLikeAFox Fox]], born [[DarkActionGirl Janine Renard]], is David Xanatos' [[UnholyMatrimony wife and partner in crime]]. A savvy, cunning mercenary, Fox aids her husband's schemes out of their genuine love and admiration for each other. Introduced as the leader of the Pack, Fox quickly proves herself to be head and shoulders above her teammates, manipulating them on Xanatos' behalf before leaving the group during a jailbreak to ensure her own early parole. Equally capable while operating on her own initiative, Fox orchestrates a near-successful scheme to usurp her noble father's company, despite the fact that he would have simply given it to her if she asked, preferring fun over her father's sense of honor, maintaining a [[FriendlyEnemy positive relationship with him]] despite this. When Oberon attempts to abduct her newborn son, Fox proves willing to [[MamaBear fight tooth and nail to defend him]], even summoning a burst of magical power that temporarily stuns the Lord of Avalon. Pairing her skills with a mischievous cunning and genuine affection for her family, Fox proves herself as every bit her husband's equal.
** [[HistoricalDomainCharacter Macbeth mac Findlaech]] is an immortal Scottish king magically linked to Demona. Losing his kingdom and his family to his former ally's treachery, Macbeth sets out to avenge himself upon her, as well as to use the terms of their immortality--that neither can die unless one kills the other, in which case, both die--to [[WhoWantsToLiveForever end his own painful life as well]]. Considered one of the greatest warriors alive by the modern day, Macbeth combines [[RenaissanceMan tactical acumen, combat skill, and advanced technology]] to stand his ground against far stronger opponents. [[GoodIsNotNice Honorable yet ruthless]], Macbeth proves that he wouldn't attack his enemies while they were helpless, but can easily outfight them in battle. Initially willing to take the gargoyles hostage or allow them to die if it means he can kill Demona, Macbeth gradually rediscovers his will to live, becoming the clan's ally. Later seeking a new purpose, Macbeth tries to usurp King Arthur as the Once and Future King, only to [[GracefulLoser show humility when Arthur bests him]], declining an offer to serve Arthur, but promising his aid when needed. One of the show's most sympathetic, yet capable villains, Macbeth is one of the Manhattan Clan's finest foes, never losing his sense of honor or admirable edge.
** [[FairyTrickster Puck]] is the trickster of [[TheFairFolk Oberon's Children]], a brilliant prankster who assumes the form of Owen Burnett to assist David Xanatos. Puck, when enslaved by Demona, [[JackassGenie constantly misinterprets her commands]], such as turning humans into gargoyles and vice versa to get around her attempts to murder them, leaving Demona to [[ColorMeBlack turn human during the daylight]] as a form of ironic punishment. Later creating a huge vision of a BadFuture to trick Goliath into handing over the Phoenix Gate, Puck even stands firm against King Oberon to protect the Xanatos family before becoming a talented tutor to baby Alexander Xanatos, even if he has to manipulate events to create chaos for teaching opportunities.
** [[SdrawkcabName Thailog]] is [[EvilKnockoff Goliath's evil clone]] who enters the scene luring both Goliath and Xanatos to him to claim a massive amount of money and eliminate his rivals. With his plan going off nearly perfectly, Thailog [[FakingTheDead fakes his death]] and begins to build up a power base in the world. Seducing Demona, Thailog arranges for her to win the heart of Macbeth in her human guise, while planning to have them [[MutualKill kill one another]] so he can take over both their operations. Thailog later arranges for the near elimination of the Manhattan Clan after he's cloned them, while also planning ahead for Demona's betrayal as well. [[GeniusBruiser Combining Xanatos's charm and brilliant mind with Goliath's power]], Thailog shows why he is one of the single most dangerous villains in all of ''Gargoyles''.
* ''WesternAnimation/BuzzLightyearOfStarCommand'':
** Warp Darkmatter is Buzz Lightyear's EvilCounterpart, a suave, [[DeadpanSnarker snarky]] mercenary who functions as the competent [[TheDragon right-hand man]] to Evil Emperor Zurg. Having fooled Buzz and all of Star Command for years undercover as a Space Ranger, Warp uses his position to collect information before ultimately faking his own death and allying with Zurg "full-time." Becoming Agent Z, Warp successfully pulls off the theft of the Unimind, outwits and traps Buzz and his team at various times, and is such a successful freelance BountyHunter that he owns an entire moon paradise all to himself. Capable of honor and comraderie even in villainy, Warp allies with Buzz more than once to combat greater threats and showcases a willingness to put his own neck on the line to save his allies while outsmarting worse villains than himself. Darkly hilarious and far more capable than most other villains in the series, Warp is always proud to boast that he's only evil for "more profit and more fun."
** "Star Crossed": [[BountyHunter Romac]] is a freelance bounty hunter and Mira’s ex-boyfriend who never quits a job until it’s finished. Originally a Grounder who rescued the princess Mira from muggers, the two formed a strong relationship until Mira’s father forbid them from seeing each other. Now a bounty hunter, Romac takes a job from Zurg to retrieve his escaped scientist Brain Pod 57, while getting him to pay more than intended. After capturing 57 and forming an alliance with him, the two easily knock Buzz Lightyear out and bring him back to Zurg. With his job complete, Romac accepts a payment from 57 to rescue him and Buzz, double-crossing Zurg in order to join back with Mira. Romac chooses to sacrifice himself to distract Zurg, informing him that despite the circumstances, he still lost. Easily escaping Zurg’s clutches, Romac makes 57 his new partner, while promising Mira that he’ll never give up in his pursuit to be by her side again.
* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'': These foes faced by [[Characters/KimPossibleTeamPossible the title character and her team]] truly test what impossible challenges they can face.
** [[HypercompetentSidekick Shego]] is the dangerously competent, hilariously snarky [[TheDragon Dragon]] to Dr. Drakken. Having become a villain for sheer thrills, Shego serves alongside Drakken thanks to a genuine care for the man, putting up with and ensuring his ridiculous plans go off with far more success than he alone ever could manage. Dropping hints for her boss hidden in sarcasm, saving his life and plans on the regular, and always keeping pace in physical combat with Kim Possible herself, Shego rarely loses her sternly dark composure no matter what she faces. Able to train the airheaded Senior Jr. to be a master criminal, take advantage of an amnesiac Kim to amass an immense fortune of stolen cash, and even use time travel to take over the world for decades in a scheme of her own when she felt ambitious, Shego is consistently established as Kim's [[ArchEnemy most lethal, competent foe]], who only holds back due to a usual lack of interest and a set of [[EvenEvilHasStandards notable morals]]. Shego ends the series saving Kim's life and the entire world by teaming up with her alongside Drakken to stop the Lorwardian fleet from conquering Earth, resulting in Shego being hailed as a hero and apparently turning over a new life to serve as an ally to the heroes of the planet.
** [[EvilOldFolks Señor Senior Sr.]] is a retired billionaire who wants to become a great supervillain to alleviate his [[RichBoredom boredom]]. [[Recap/KimPossibleS1E3TheNewRon Getting the idea]] from Ron after using up all of Europe’s electricity to power up his private island, Sr. tries numerous times to enact his world domination scheme in order to prove himself a proper villain, at one point even attempting to nuke Middleton to show how bad he can be. Having a genuine affection for his son Señor Senior Jr., Sr. does whatever he can to make him happy, such as effortlessly [[Recap/KimPossibleS2E24OhBoyz kidnapping the Oh Boyz boy band]] as blackmail just so Jr. can have a shot at living out his dream as an international pop sensation. With a friendly attitude and a brilliant mind, while also [[Recap/KimPossibleS2E29TripleS displaying some extreme sports skills for his age]], Sr. shows himself to be one of Kim’s greatest opponents.
** [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Jack Hench]] is the smooth-talking, [[AffablyEvil affable]] founder of [=HenchCo=], a genius businessman who created the term "henchman" itself, and has dedicated himself to building a better community of villainy. Hosting a bevy of weaponry and supervillainy enhancers that [[ArmsDealer he sells at massive prices]] to prospective bad guys, Hench has a great reputation among evil-doers for being a reasonable salesman, one who allows free testings of his products and runs raffles to give out free tanks. Even when a set of his weapons are stolen by Drakken, Hench simply puts Kim Possible onto the case to recover the weapons from Drakken, content with losing the profits so long as he establishes that [=HenchCo=] is not to be trifled with. With a sales pitch and a polite word for his even his enemies always up his sleeve, Hench never once faces any true repercussions for his criminal activity, always just shrugging off whatever losses his incurs and moving on to his next big project.
** "[[Recap/KimPossibleS2E25SickDayTheTruthHurts Sick Day]]" & "[[Recap/KimPossibleS4E11OddsManIn Odds Man In]]": [[AffablyEvil Hank Perkins]] is an upbeat temp who [[HypercompetentSidekick works for villains in need of assistance]]. Assisting Duff Killigan in acquiring Ray-X from a sick Kim and Ron, Perkins easily captures Jim, Tim, and Rufus when they try and retrieve the Ray from him. Returning as a villain consultant, Perkins helps build trust among Drakken's henchmen in time for his plan to launch a new Ice Age, while getting him to go corporate in the process. Buying out a cupcake shop and rebranding it in order to disguise one of Drakken's atmosfreezers, the shop turns into a financial success, becoming a genuine food enterprise in the process, which gives more chances to place atmosfreezers worldwide to launch Drakken's plan.
** "[[Recap/KimPossibleS2E6RufusInShowAdventuresInRufusSitting Rufus in Show]]": [[GentlemanThief Falsetto Jones]] is a master thief with a [[VocalDissonance high-pitched voice]] and a love of dogs. Stealing jewelry knowing that his wealthy connections will prevent him from getting caught, Falsetto's base is so well-guarded that entering his dog show is the only way to bypass security. Upon Ron entering Rufus into Falsetto's dog show and winning, Falsetto, tricking Rufus into giving him his pawprint autograph, deduces that the two of them and Kim are trying to retrieve a stolen diamond from him. Placing Kim and Ron over a DeathTrap, Falsetto, averting BondVillainStupidity, decides to watch them die, feeling that he deserves to witness this event for himself.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Fillmore}}'': When it comes to the "crimes" committed at X Middle School and those the Safety Patrol has faced in the process, these impressive and ingenious perpetrators are "on it!":
** "[[Recap/FillmoreToMarAStall To Mar a Stall]]": [[MadArtist Randall Julian]] was a renowned Art champion until he started placing lower than first in competitions and then decided to become the tagger "Flava Sava" as a result of his disillusionment. Tagging almost every bathroom in X Middle School except the one in the Teachers' Lounge, Julian is caught by Cornelius Fillmore and becomes known instead as "Randall the Vandal". Serving indefinite detention for the rest of middle school, Julian is not allowed writing materials because on one occasion he vandalized the room in an extreme manner. When offered a reduced sentence, Julian [[ConsultingAConvictedKiller gives Fillmore and Ingrid Third info]] on a new tagger named "Stainless" and when he eventually finds out who "Stainless" is, Julian leaves them their photo before he escapes and vandalizes the room yet again. He's only stopped from following through with his original plan when Julian realizes he can't destroy his previous good legacy.
** "[[Recap/FillmoreTestoftheTested Test of the Tested]]": Elliot Funston is the performer of the mascot Lobstee the Lobster who uses the consume to steal the reviled SATTY-9 standardized tests after they’ve been completed. He does so to impress Enid Quintara who’s a very vocal protester of the test and has been secretly leaving her flowers often before that. To avoid suspicion, Elliot stages a scene that makes it look like he was [[MuggedForDisguise mugged for the costume]] and plays up his goofy demeanor in order to divert attention too. When discovered, he impedes, tricks and outruns both Fillmore and Ingrid and nearly escapes in the process. Even after Elliot's caught and is facing huge karma for what he's done though, he's ultimately won Enid's admiration.
** "[[Recap/FillmorePlayONMaestroPlayon Play on Maestro, Play on]]'': Arthur Stanley is an expert gamer who designs special [[RubeGoldbergDevice Rube Goldberg-type devices]] in order to commit thefts and uses the first two to steal a black wig and then a supply of bubble gum from a stand, leaving clues as he goes for the thrill of it. Arthur then sets off a third set of things to shut down the lights at the Ultrabox expo and nearly succeeds in stealing the Ultrabox game console while using his stolen items as a disguise. Caught, but still wanting to game, Arthur breaks out of Detention and sets off another set of devices at the expo and successfully steals the Ultrabox while making it look like a copycat. Arthur is asked to consult on the case and misdirects Fillmore and Ingrid, eventually trapping them in a net with another device when they follow his clues once again. He then willingly surrenders when Fillmore convinces him he's too obsessed.
* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'':
** "[[Recap/PhineasAndFerbNoMoreBunnyBusiness No More Bunny Business]]" & "[[Recap/PhineasAndFerbTheReturnOfTheRogueRabbit The Return of the Rogue Rabbit]]": [[KillerRabbit Dennis the Rabbit]] is a RogueAgent out to take down Perry the Platypus and infiltrate OWCA. In his introductory episode, Dennis skillfully plays himself off as a harmless bunny so as to be taken into the Flynn household by [[Characters/PhineasAndFerbCandaceFlynn Candace]], where Dennis then scours the home looking for access points into OWCA. Fighting off Perry and turning his own tech against him, Dennis successfully [[TheCracker hacks]] into OWCA and nears victory until his affinity for carrots thwarts him. Unfazed, Dennis returns later by [[VillainTeamUp teaming up]] with Dr. Doofenshmirtz and using a high-tech backpack to wage war on Perry and nearly destroy the platypus once and for all.
** "[[Recap/PhineasAndFerbMinorMonogram Minor Monogram]]": [[FauxAffablyEvil Rodrigo]] is the new protege of Doofenschmirtz who [[BastardUnderstudy schemes to surpass his mentor]]. Idly pointing out the various cliche flaws in Doofenshmirtz's plans and capture of Agent P, Rodrigo [[EvilerThanThou proves his superiority]] as a {{mad scientist}} by successfully entrapping Perry in a device even the OWCA agent cannot escape. Rodrigo then betrays and imprisons Doofenshmirtz himself, hijacking the man's scheme to hold the Tri-State Area hostage, planning to instead destroy Danville and [[TakeOverTheWorld take over the entire planet]]. Rodrigo's plan is so impressive that even Doofenshmirtz is speechless at his bravado.
** "Where's Perry?" [[Recap/PhineasAndFerbWheresPerryPartOne two]]-[[Recap/PhineasAndFerbWheresPerryPartTwo parter]]: [[NotSoHarmlessVillain Evil Carl]] is the EvilCounterpart of the normally heroic Carl Karl created by one of [[Characters/PhineasAndFerbHeinzDoofenshmirtz Doofenshmirtz]]'s inators, and proves himself to be one of the most intelligent and competent villains in the series. Carl is quickly able to capture Doof and Monogram and begins his plan to take over the tri-state area using the OWCA mainframe, a plan he nearly succeeds in. Carl lures Perry to the OWCA headquarters and traps him to get him out of the way. When Doof messes up and hits Perry with one of his inators, Carl is able to successfully figure out that it is the go-home inator with little to go off. When Carl finds out Perry isn't there, he calls Perry and manages to [[AwesomenessByAnalysis identify purely through a single flower]] that Perry is in uncharted regions of Africa. In order to lure Perry out, he has [[MechaMooks his robots]] destroy a bridge to put the boys and their friends in danger.
** "[[Recap/PhineasAndFerbTalesFromTheResistance Tales from the 2nd Dimension]]": [[Characters/PhineasAndFerbTheMovieAcrossThe2ndDimension Charlene Doofenshmirtz-2]] serves as a cunning, snarky contrast to her more bumbling husband Heinz. Having faked her divorce from Heinz so as to avoid imprisonment if his dictatorship was ever toppled, Charlene nonetheless [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes holds a love for her husband]] and concocts a brilliant plan to free him from prison when he's beaten. Having already kidnapped dozens of OWCA agents and [[UnwillingRoboticisation turned them into cyborg puppets]], Charlene uses them to stage attacks on the Resistance so as to expose herself and trick Resistance leader Candace into using Heinz to infiltrate Charlene's base. With Heinz brought right to her doorstep, Charlene springs a trap to capture the Resistance, fights off another group of them all by her lonesome with valour and skill, and ends up [[KarmaHoudini escaping]] with Heinz and their daughter in tow, ready to begin plotting [[TakeOverTheWorld world domination]] alongside her family once again.
** ''[[WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerbStarWars Star Wars]]'': [[BrainwashedAndCrazy Darth Ferb]] is created when the [[Characters/PhineasAndFerbMainCharacters heroic Ferb]] is blasted by Darthenshmirtz's Sith-inator. Immediately upgrading and outfitting the Sith-inator to galactic-wide proportion, Darth Ferb [[WeCanRuleTogether offers Phineas a chance to join him]] in creating an entire army of Sith. When Phineas rejects his offer, Darth Ferb expertly tricks out his lightsabers on the fly to duel and overcome Phineas with [[CombatPragmatist all manner of trickery]]. Even when Candace and Perry intervene, Darth Ferb's mastery of the Force enables him to [[NearVillainVictory near-victory]], and he is only barely beaten after cleverly destroying Phineas's lightsaber to leave the boy powerless.
* ''WesternAnimation/TronUprising'': Cyrus is an unstable Program who, having spent his life serving under CLU's tyranny, has come to the conclusion that all Programs are living a useless existence governed by bits of code and algorithms, and would be better off dead, free from CLU and the very system they are governed by. Creating a massive EMP device with nothing but tech in his dimensional prison, Cyrus lures in and tries to use Beck to activate the EMP and destroy the Grid and its inhabitants, and though stopped, returns later with a new goal in mind: to prove to Beck and his former mentor Tron that his philosophy and methods are effective. Disguising himself as Beck's alter-ego the Renegade and framing him for murder, Cyrus charms his way into Beck's circle of best friends before capturing them and Tron both, and forcing Beck to choose who to save. As Beck saves Tron, sending Able to help his friends, Cyrus reveals that his friends were never meant to survive and that their bomb will go off earlier than he promised. Cyrus gets away with all of his crimes in the end, claiming the life of Able and the reputation of the Renegade upon his exit from the series.
* ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'': [[Characters/GravityFallsGrunkleStan Stanley "Stan" Pines]], the Pines twins' money-grubbing "[[CoolUncle Grunkle]]", gradually proves over the series to be far more driven and intelligent than anyone could ever initially assume. The twin brother of the genius [[Characters/GravityFallsTheAuthor Stanford Pines]], a long sibling rivalry between the two ended up with Stanley accidentally pushing Stanford through the latter's portal machine before they could reconcile. Desperate to save his brother, Stanley took Stanford's identity, turned his brother's isolated cabin into a tourist trap called "the Mystery Shack," and spends thirty years tracking down his brother's journals to reactivate the portal. A master of ObfuscatingStupidity, Stan pretends to be an oblivious {{conman}} to dissuade [[Characters/GravityFallsDipperPines Dipper]] and [[Characters/GravityFallsMabelPines Mabel]] from investigating the dangerous supernatural phenomena of Gravity Falls, before giving up the act and taking out half a horde of zombies with his bare hands to protect them. Stan outwits almost everyone in the series, from his nefarious rival Gideon Gleeful to federal agents, and pulls his ultimate gambit by tricking the near-omnipotent demon [[Characters/GravityFallsBillCipher Bill Cipher]] by switching places with his brother and destroying Bill. Stanley Pines is a man utterly devoted to his family, even if he has to ruthlessly manipulate his loved ones to save them.
* ''WesternAnimation/WanderOverYonder'''s "[[Recap/WanderOverYonderS2E13TheCartoonTheBot The Cartoon]]": The Lord Hater as portrayed in the [[ShowWithinAShow titular cartoon]] is [[AdaptationalBadass far more competent]] and lacks his real self's [[PsychopathicManchild childishness]]. Finding the Staff of Power, Lord Hater is challenged by Emperor Awesome and his Fistfighters, whom he easily dispatches alongside his Watchdogs. When Wander shows up to stop him, Lord Hater is able to best him in battle after a lengthy clash. After Wander admits that all he wanted was to be his friend, Lord Hater seemingly has a sudden HeelFaceTurn and participates in a montage of friendly activities with him. Lord Hater then attacks Wander while his guard his down, revealing that he was only pretending to be his friend as a means to crush his spirits before destroying him; [[TheBadGuyWins ending the cartoon with his nemesis completely at his mercy]].
* ''WesternAnimation/StarVsTheForcesOfEvil'': [[Characters/StarVsTheForcesOfEvilToffee Toffee of Septarsis]] is an enigmatic, devious monster with a [[ManipulativeBastard flair for casual manipulation]] and a [[RedRightHand missing finger]] taken from him by Queen Moon in his days as a monster warlord. Coming into the service of inept BigBadWannabe Ludo, Toffee ingratiates himself into Ludo's service and manipulates him into firing Buff Frog, the one minion who suspects Toffee of any wrongdoing, before ousting Ludo from his own castle and using his new position to extort and destroy Star's wand. Seemingly dying after this, Toffee in truth lived on within one half of the wand's crystal, eventually taking over Ludo's body to enact his final plot to take his finger back and restore his power, wiping out almost every single person who can stand against him and even regaining his body back before Star manages to destroy him. Suave, perpetually calm, and a master of every situation he's in, Toffee remains one of the most cunning and effective foes to have ever fought against the Butterfly family.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Amphibia}}'':
** [[Characters/AmphibiaSashaWaybright Sasha Waybright]] is a talented, scheming teenager and friend of [[Characters/AmphibiaAnneBoonchuy Anne Boonchuy]] and [[Characters/AmphibiaMarcyWu Marcy Wu]]. After being pulled into Amphibia and imprisoned by Grime, she is able to charm his guards and gets many of his goons to leave his army; when Grime offers to recruit her, she teaches him to become a pragmatic warlord. Sasha strikes a deal with Grime agreeing to assist him in quashing the rebellion by executing Hop-Pop in return for a chance of returning home with her friends. After this fails she works to help Grime regain his will to fight, succeeding after skillfully defeating the warrior Yunan. When she and Grime decide to take over all of Amphibia, they recruit the entirety of the Toad Army to their cause by acquiring the legendary "Barrel's Warhammer." Nearly succeeding at conquering Newtopia, Sasha and Grime try to warn Anne when [[Characters/AmphibiaKingAndrias Andrias's]] true colors are exposed. After betraying her friends, [[HeelFaceTurn Sasha realizes she was a horrible person and works to finally improve herself]]. She becomes a valued ally to the rebellion, helping Anne break into the castle, and later fights [[Characters/AmphibiaTheCore Darcy]] before defeating her by severing the Core's connection.
** "[[Recap/AmphibiaS1E36CombatCamp Combat Camp]]": [[DashingHispanic Tritonio Espada]] is a notorious [[TrainJob train robber]] using a bogus daycare center as a front to run his operation. When Hop-Pop places the kids into his care, Tritonio [[CoolTeacher teaches Sprig and Polly how to use weapons]] and gradually earns Anne's trust by appealing to her hidden potential. He sets Sprig up to play an injured orphan so that Anne and Polly could infiltrate the train. Retrieving the gem, Tritonio swipes it with the full intention of leaving the kids to the mercy of the guards. When defeated, [[GracefulLoser he expresses little anger towards them]], instead using the opportunity to [[VillainRespect compliment Anne for besting him]].
** "[[Recap/AmphibiaS2E06ACaravanNamedDesire A Caravan Named Desire]]": [[WickedCultured Renée Frodgers]] is the director of a theater caravan who uses her shows as a distraction to rob banks, as they don't make much money anymore. Saving the Plantars' lives and recognizing Hop-Pop's passion for acting, Renée invites him into the troupe, even casting him as the lead. Even when Hop-Pop realizes Renée's true intentions, she plays on his pride and lifelong dreams to convince him to keep supporting the art. When this stops working and Hop-Pop exposes Renée in public, she makes a swift getaway on her caravan and is only defeated by an intercepting sandworm, reacting with delight at some real drama.

[[folder:Live-Action]]
* ''Series/OnceUponATime'':
** [[Characters/OnceUponATimeRumplestiltskin Rumplestiltskin]], aka Mr. Gold, is the charismatic and manipulative [[BigBad architect of the entire saga]]. A skilled player who can use both friend and foe alike, Rumplestiltskin rises from humble origins to become the powerful Dark One [[PapaWolf to save his son]]. After losing him to the land without magic, Rumplestiltskin orchestrates a [[LongGame centuries-long group of gambits]] to reach him and directly [[TheCorrupter corrupts various characters to do It]]. Rumplestiltskin helps orchestrate Emma Swan becoming Sherrif by helping create a series of unfortunate events that would help her election. He later skillfully plays Hook's feelings to turn him into his pawn to achieve freedom from the Dark One dagger and when defeated can claw his way back by corrupting Emma to create a world where villains like him get happy endings. Rumplestiltskin bounces back even from this setback and uses Emma to become the most powerful Dark One in history while searching for even greater power. Rumplestiltskin also has [[PetTheDog softer moments in his endeavors]] and helps the heroes against various villains that threaten to destroy the town of Storybrooke. Redeeming himself, Rumplestiltskin spends an entire season helping to create a situation so he can be free of his immortality and be with his wife in death. [[AffablyEvil Affable, charming]], and [[TragicVillain tragic]], Rumplestiltskin whether friend or foe always gets on top.
** [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen Cora Mills]], aka the [[Literature/AliceInWonderland Queen of Hearts]], Regina and Zelena's mother, was [[FromNobodyToNightmare once a poor girl who]], after a life of hardship, was taught magic by Rumplestiltskin and fell in love with him before choosing power over him. Wanting Regina to have the life she never had, Cora poisoned her old rival Queen Eva before making Snow White's horse go wild [[BatmanGambit so Regina could save her]]. Later manipulating Snow into telling her that Regina is planning to run away, Cora kills Regina's love, Daniel. Imprisoned in Wonderland, Cora spends years plotting to reunite with her daughter and later protects herself, Hook, and a few others from the curse, before taking over the refugees by pretending to be Lancelot. Upon making it to Storybrooke, Cora comes up with a plan to frame Regina for the murder of Archie, before convincing her to join her. Planning to and nearly succeeding in killing Rumplestiltskin, Cora eventually dies in Regina's arms, telling her that she would have been enough. Encountering the heroes in the Underworld, Cora tries to convince Regina to go home before being imprisoned by Hades. Managing to use her cunning and Hook's hook to escape, Cora makes amends with her daughters before [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence ascending to Olympus]].
** [[WinterRoyalLady Ingrid the "Snow Queen"]] is Anna and Elsa of Arrendale's aunt and the BigBad of season 4A. A [[AffablyEvil charming]], soft-spoken woman who was unjustly punished by her sister for an accidental murder and left to rot self-aware in an urn for decades, Ingrid desires a family once more and sets about to get it. Coming to the Land without Magic, Ingrid begins a scheme to help Emma Swan and Elsa become her new sisters and help them conquer their fears and embrace their powers. Ingrid plays the various heroes into helping her construct the [[HatePlague Spell of Shattered Sight]] to destroy the citizens and allow her and her new sisters peace and even lets herself get captured in order to get close to Emma to emotionally manipulate her into setting off and allow her to embrace her heritage. Always calm, collected and charming, Ingrid even dies with true dignity, accepting that what she's done is wrong and giving her life to fix it, ultimately allowing her to rejoin her sisters in the afterlife in one of the show's most touching send-offs.
** [[EverybodyHatesHades Hades]] is the Lord of the Underworld, God of Death and BigBad of season 5B. Having been cast out from Mount Olympus after an attempted coup, Hades was confined to the Underworld lest he find true love with his emotions damped thanks to his cursed frozen heart. Desiring to woe the witch Zelena he loves, Hades puts the heroes through loops as they attempt to resurrect Captain Killian "Hook" Jones. Tricking Rumplestiltskin into destroying his way out from the Underworld only to reveal Hades has a contract to his unborn child, forcing him into servitude; and manipulates Hook's brother into keeping information of his own weaknesses away from the heroes. Hades also tricks Belle into damning Gaston to crush her hopes and empower himself, even responds to Rumplestiltskin's capture of Zelena by setting up Emma as a contingency plan and later trick the heroes into nearly being trapped in the Underworld forever with a false story about Hook. Hades ultimately proves to be one of the heroes' greatest foes and [[NearVillainVictory very nearly succeeds]] in his plans to rule the mortal realm with Zelena by his side.
** [[WesternAnimation/ThePrincessAndTheFrog Doctor Facilier]], aka Mr. [[EvilBrit Baron Samdi]], was once a {{witch doctor}} with a foot on each side, who tricked Tiana into giving him the Firefly Ruby by making a Frog into a Prince. In another instance, he gets Tiana to kill an alligator, so he can get Regina's necklace and return it to her. In Hyperion Heights, he awakens Nick so he will kill the witches that are his competition and sees through Regina's attempts to trick him. Having Sabine's food truck shut down, Facilier has Drew earn her trust by [[EngineeredHeroics helping her save it]]. Killing Nick when he gets caught, Facilier tricks Ivy into siphoning magic from Anastasia and gives Regina the magic to save Henry, all in exchange for a smile. Facilier later helps Lucy cure Henry because she impressed him. Smooth-talking and only beaten by a sneak attack, Facilier proves to be the most competent villain introduced in [[Characters/OnceUponATimeSeattle Seattle]].
* ''Series/MightyMed:''
** [[GeniusBruiser The Annihilator]], aka Neil Gundenhauser, is a hulking, muscled {{supervillain}} with a brilliant mind, renowned for defeating and draining the powers of various superheroes. Born a bullied youth due to his powers, he eventually came under the tutorship of Hapax "The Elder" Gonzales and decided to embrace evil to pay back the world for causing him pain. Defeating and depowering Skylar Storm, Annihilator manipulates her friend to evil to try and capture her and later plants a tracking device on her powers when Kaz and Oliver get it back from him. Corrupting Skylar's powers through sleight of hand to evil, Annihilator turns her evil and uses her to infect the various superheroes and turn them into his army of brainwashed soldiers. Intending to bring the world under foot, even after being fatally injured he still gets the last laugh by poisoning his killer.
** [[DiabolicalMastermind Mr. Terror]] is secretly Bridget, Oliver's [[EvilMatriarch mother]] who rose to villainy as a way to protect her son, viewing the world of supers as a danger to him. After usurping her master, Bridget took over a large chunk of the supervillain underworld through a mix of her intelligence and [[BadBoss intimidation tactics]], all without powers of her own, and searches for the power source the Arcturion to gain ultimate power. Thinking on her feet after the Arcturion is caught in a fight between superheroes and villains, she waits until they're all defeated before seizing it. [[TheVamp Seducing]] Horace Diaz, she gets him to fall in love with her and later resurrect her, having known the Arcturion would kill her, now allowing all of the power within without cost, now intending to remake the world all in order to protect her son.
* ''Series/TheEvermoorChronicles'' (2014): [[TheManBehindTheMan Bridget McCoy]] is Tara Crossley's great-aunt and the former leader of the Everines. After losing her older sister to the moors of Hollowfall, she turns against the Circle and fake her death while manipulating various events from behind the scenes. When Tara discovers her, she'd explain the powers of the golden thread and tapestry, and train Tara to become the Supreme Everine in secret. At one point, she'd take advantage of Tara's self-doubt to [[PowerParasite steal her powers herself]] and strike a deal with the Founder Everines in exchange for their help in creating a new Evermoor for a time, though she'd eventually realize just how dangerous the Founder Everines were and regret working with them. She'd reveal herself and lie about being the true Supreme Everine and although she was [[BadassInDistress taken hostage]] by the Founder Everines to assist their plan, she'd manage to secretly aid Tara and her team behind their backs. Eventually, Bridget would take back her powers and after learning the true cause of her sister's disappearance, let go of her bitter feelings and restore Tara's Supreme Everine powers so she could set things right, living happily with Agatha after.

[[AC:Video Games]]
[[folder:Examples]]
* ''[[VideoGame/DisneysAladdinInNasirasRevenge Aladdin in Nasira's Revenge]]'' (2000): [[WickedWitch Nasira]] is Jafar's equally cunning twin sister, who seeks to revive her brother and TakeOverTheWorld. Recognizing Aladdin and his friends as a threat, she hypnotizes the palace guards to kidnap Jasmine and the Sultan so that she could take over Agrabah and place a bounty on Aladdin's head. Capturing The Genie and throwing Aladdin into the dungeon, she flees upon his escape and hatches a plan: disguise herself as a mystic to lure Aladdin into numerous traps, while having him collect the artifacts needed to resurrect Jafar. Upon Aladdin gaining them all, she quickly teleports in, paralyzes him and [[MacGuffinDeliveryService steals the artifacts from him]], immediately leaving to resurrect her brother. By the time Aladdin finds her, she's already powered up Jafar, aiding him in fighting Aladdin.
* ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' franchise:
** [[Characters/KingdomHeartsXehanortsIncarnations Xemnas, the Nobody of Xehanort]], founded [[Characters/KingdomHeartsOrganizationXIII Organization XIII]] to find worthy vessels for his own Heart. In doing so, he lied to its members into believing that they had lost their Hearts forever, in the hopes of keeping them empty and under his control. To fill them with his essence, Xemnas sought to create Kingdom Hearts by stealing the Hearts [[Characters/KingdomHeartsSora Sora]] released with his Keyblade. When Sora created a Nobody called Roxas, Xemnas recruited him and cloned him to create Xion so he could exploit Sora’s power as much as possible. Even when Roxas and Xion defected, Xemnas simply went back to relying on a revived Sora to collect Hearts for him. Ultimately foiled only because of Ansem the Wise’s intervention, Xemnas later returns thanks to Time Travel, becoming a key member of the Real Organization XIII. Staving off usurpers at every turn with a ruthless lack of emotion, Xemnas is finally defeated for good, lamenting that his first emotion in years was loneliness. In his final words, he expresses admiration for Sora for having the strength to bear the "pain" of having a Heart. A brilliant mind with a stoic yet affable demeanour, Xemnas proves himself a deadly and devious adversary.
** [[Characters/KingdomHeartsAxel Axel]], the Nobody of Lea and number VIII of Organization XIII, is a quick-witted and smooth-spoken "fixer" for the Organization responsible for silencing those who try to betray Xemnas. Axel acts as a [[TheMole mole]] for Larxene and Marluxia's scheme, killing loose ends like Vexen and Zexion with an impenetrable smile on his face, while manipulating Sora's group, Namine, and the Riku Replica, eventually dismantling Marluxia's scheme in preparation for his and Saïx's own attempt to seize power from Xemnas. Axel shows humanity and depth unique for a Nobody far earlier than most of his comrades, bonding fiercely with Xion and Roxas, and once his love for them overrides his loyalty to the Organization, Axel goes {{turncoat}}. When his attempt to take Roxas from Sora back fails, Axel decides to help him instead, sacrificing his own life to save Sora and paving the way for Lea to ally with the heroes against Xehanort's overlapping scheme. Always ready with a quip and a smile for any occasion, Axel leaves little room for wonder as to how the fandom memorized his name so universally.
** ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsCoded'': Data-Roxas serves as the last obstacle for Data-Sora in a recreation of Castle Oblivion. Proposing that Data-Sora delve into the castle and experience memories that will fade as soon as they come, Data-Roxas tricks him into filling himself with the "hurt" of lost memories that will drag him deeper into the darkness if he keeps shouldering the burden. When Data-Sora optimistically rebukes him, Data-Roxas initiates one last emotional battle that ends with the revelation it was all a test. Struggling with being the data copy of a Nobody, Data-Roxas channeled his pain towards his role as a surprisingly manipulative character before peacefully exiting stage left.
* ''VideoGame/ToyStory3'' (2010 LicensedGame): "[[InsistentTerminology Mister]]" [[BigBad Evil Dr. Porkchop]] is the most reoccurring threat Woody and the gang face during playtime. From launching an ambush on Woody while he's rescuing a train of orphans to teaming up with the Witch to hypnotize the world using cake, Dr. Porkchop has been Andy's go-to antagonist, combining his original toy's [[DeadpanSnarker sharp wit]] with a [[LargeHam bombastic personality]]. In his most brilliant scheme, he disguises himself as a benevolent mayor of a small town and convinces the sherif to make as much money as possible, so that he can swoop in on his ship and abduct it from the bank, making him rich.

[[AC:Comics]]
[[folder:Examples]]
* ''ComicBook/MickeyMouseComicUniverse'': [[DarkIsEvil The Phantom Blot]] is a cunning criminal who aims to reclaim a valuable formula for a chemical compound, one that he wrote down and hid inside of a specific model of camera. Stealing the cameras from the city's residents and smashing them open in his efforts to find it, the Blot introduces himself by easily kidnapping Mickey Mouse and planting him in a complex death trap when he is assigned to bring the Blot to justice. Matching Mickey in their game of wits, the Blot constantly has him on the ropes, nearly managing to escape with the formula were it not for Mickey's persistence and good fortune. In the end, the Blot admits that the reason why he couldn't bring himself to simply off Mickey when he had the chance was because of his too-tender heart. The Phantom Blot's highly memorable original outing would cause him to become one of Mickey's greatest and most beloved adversaries, eventually making his return years later in all sorts of other media.
* ''ComicBook/DisneyDucksComicUniverse'': Arpin Lusene is Scrooge [=McDuck=]'s most intelligent and competent foe. A charming French millionaire playboy who lives a double life as a GentlemanThief, Lusene vows to steal Scrooge's entire fortune in front of the whole world before going into retirement. After accidentally coming into the possession of the dangerous [[PowerOfTheVoid Omnisolve]], Lusene gets the brilliant idea to coat a stolen suit of armor with the substance, turning himself into an unstoppable [[TheJuggernaut Juggernaut]] of a BlackKnight who nearly destroys all of Scrooge's riches to fake having stolen it. After Lusene's defeat, he returns and uses subterfuge to regain his suit of armor, then makes his previous plan fool-proof. Scrooge scuppers his original plan to empty the Money Bin by threatening a media blackout, so Lusene settles for destroying Scrooge's other trophies housed in the Duckburg museum, and nearly dissolves poor Donald after accidentally being trapped with him by Scrooge. Even despite being ultimately bested by Scrooge, Lusene always [[GracefulLoser accepts his defeat gracefully]], both regarding the other as a WorthyOpponent.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles: Slow Burn'': [[EvilGenius Slow Burn]] was once an ordinary watchmaker and part-time inventor who desires above all a "quiet life", but society's fast-paced lifestyle took this from him. Wanting to both acquire money to buy a private island where he could live in peaceful solitude and revenge, Slow Burn began staging multiple heists by turning society's chaotic nature against itself. He develops both an army of robots and a raygun that allows him to supercharge any technology, making them go berserk. With his raygun, Slow Burn stages multiple accidents to distract The Incredibles while he pulls off his heists unnoticed. Although finally confronted by The Incredibles, Slow Burn's {{Crazy Prepared}}ness allows him to both figuratively and literally outmanoeuvre the heroes, even managing to [[DePower remove Dash's powers]] by reversing his raygun's effects. On one occasion, Slow Burn pretends to be CaughtMonologuing to stall time for a bomb in his hideout to go off while he makes a clean getaway. Despite finally being arrested, Slow Burn becomes content with the orderly lifestyle of prison and becomes a model prisoner, even mailing a grateful letter to The Incredibles.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Examples]]
* ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'': Those navigating and sailing the harsh seas and finding success and victory, ye best be smart and on top o' yer game like these here!:
** [[Characters/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanCaptainJackSparrow Captain Jack Sparrow]], one of the nine "Pirate Lords" and the most famed pirate of the Caribbean, lured Captain Armando Salazar to his doom at the start of his pirating career with little but his wits. Later escaping the clutches of the wicked Cutler Beckett and the mutiny of his [[Characters/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanBlackPearl treacherous crew]], Jack dreams of recovering the ''Black Pearl'' and uses the begrudging William "Will" Turner to do so. Performing a series of elaborate double and triple crosses to manipulate both the [[Characters/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanNavy Navy]] and cursed pirates against one another, Jack ends up on the side of good to defeat his traitorous former First Mate Hector Barbossa. When Beckett emerges and the feared Davy Jones is after him, Jack bargains for time from Jones to steal his disembodied heart. Returning from death, Jack makes Elizabeth Swann the King of the Pirates' Brethren Court while setting her and Will up to escape Beckett and allow Jack to take Jones' place, a dream he abandons to save the mortally wounded Will. Later forced to assist [[UsefulNotes/{{Blackbeard}} Edward "Blackbeard" Teach]] in a quest for the FountainOfYouth, Jack tricks the feared pirate into sacrificing his life for his daughter Angelica and later provides a way for his old rival and sometimes-friend Barbossa to give his life to save Barbossa's daughter Carina. Rarely at a loss for words or plots, Jack routinely comes up with plans on the fly, so talented that some wonder if he has things planned out or makes them up as he goes along.
** Hector Barbossa was once the First Mate to Captain Jack Sparrow aboard the ''[[Characters/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanBlackPearl Black Pearl]]'' until instituting a mutiny to take over the ship and being cursed as an immortal skeleton with certain human senses gone being cursed as an immortal skeleton with certain human senses gone. Seeking William "Will" Turner to break said curse, Barbossa incites an invasion of Port Royal and abducts Elizabeth Swann thinking she's the descendant he needs and uses a lot of double-talk to arrange circumstances to his liking at each turn. Barbossa then uses Elizabeth as leverage to get Will in his possession, distracting the British Navy with an attack and nearly succeeds in sacrificing Will in order to restore his humanity, only to be killed when the curse is broken. Resurrected not long after, Barbossa seeks to bring Jack back from Davy Jones's locker` while also fighting Lord Cutler Beckett and the East India Trading Company and releasing the Goddess Calypso "from [her] human bonds" to get her assistance. Eventually taking down Blackbeard for [[Characters/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanQueenAnnesRevenge his ship]] and power and then seeking to protect his capitalization on all things piracy, Barbossa willing chooses to finally give it all up for the sake of the survival of his own daughter Carina, his true "Treasure".
** Elizabeth Swann, daughter of Governor Weatherby Swann, helped saved William "Will" Turner from drowning, hiding his pirate connection from her father's men. When the ''Black Pearl'' attacks Port Royal, Elizabeth uses her knowledge of the "Pirate Code" to get an audience with Barbossa, tricking him into thinking she is the Turner child he is looking for. When she is marooned on an island with Jack Sparrow, Elizabeth uses its hidden rum bottles to build a signal fire to alert the Navy as to where they are and later aids Jack's escape attempt by pretending to faint. When imprisoned by Lord Cutler Beckett, Elizabeth uses her father's failed rescue attempt in order to take Beckett himself hostage, forcing him to sign the pardon papers for Will and using a fake ghost to scare an entire ship into taking her where she needs to go. Later Elizabeth uses Jack's feelings for her to trap him on the ship as the Kraken attacks. Being made captain of the ''Empress'' and voted the Pirate King, Elizabeth leads the fight against the East India Trading Company and the ''Flying Dutchman'', before settling down to raise her and Will's son, reuniting with her husband years later.
** ''[[Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanDeadMansChest Dead Man's Chest]]'' & ''[[Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanAtWorldsEnd At World's End]]'': Tia Dalma, once known as [[PhysicalGod Calypso]], Goddess of the Sea [[GodInHumanForm bound in human form]] by the Brethren Court, eventually took up being a sea witch. Developing feelings for Davy Jones, Captain of the ''[[Characters/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanFlyingDutchman Flying Dutchman]]'', Calypso charged him with transporting the dead to the afterlife, but ended up neglecting their one night together, leading to Jones abandoning his duties and cursing himself and his crew. When Jack is targeted by Jones for his debt, Tia advises Jack in how to fend off and how to potentially control Jones with his heart. After Jack is trapped in Davy Jones' Locker and the East India Trading Company begin their genocide of pirates, Tia sees this as an opportunity to finally be unbound from human form by uniting the Brethren Court once more. Resurrecting Barbossa to serve as a guide, they succeed in bringing Jack back to the living world. Intending to turn on the pirates and [[PlayingBothSides seducing Jones once more]], Tia learns of Jones' betrayal, enraging her so much that shortly after she's released, she summons a giant maelstrom on both the ''Black Pearl'' and ''Flying Dutchman'', only relenting once Jones finally meets his demise.
** ''[[Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanOnStrangerTides On Stranger Tides]]'': The Spaniard is the leader of the [[Characters/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanSpanishEmpire Spanish Armada]] seeking the destruction of the FountainOfYouth as they believes God's power to give and take life doesn't belong in man's hands. Refusing to engage enemies on a whim and keeping his mind on his mission, the Spaniard successfully steals the chalices needed for the ritual as a means of delaying those on the quest to get there. Upon arrival at the Fountain, the Spaniard shoots a British Naval officer for nearly declaring the land for the British--while wanting to remember the man for his bravery--and has the chalices taken from Angelica after asking nicely so as to then stomp on them. After the Spaniard succeeds in having the Fountain blown up, killing the rest of Blackbeard's men in the process, he then orders his men to follow him as he gracefully departs.
** ''[[Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanDeadMenTellNoTales Dead Men Tell No Tales]]'': Shansa is an imprisoned sea witch who cursed Barbossa's enemies so he could achieve higher success with no opposition when he saved her from the gallows. Learning everything she can through unpleasant rituals, such as eventually draining a man of his blood as he kept coming back for help, Shansa advises Barbossa about [[Characters/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanTheSilentMary Salazar]] threatening him and only being stopped through the Triton of Poseidon—providing him with Jack's compass that she mysteriously possesses and advising Barbossa to retire peacefully if he wants to extend his life, but then allowing him the choice as to whether or not he'll reject the tedium of that in exchange for eventually dying sooner as a pirate. When Shansa is then threatened by British Lt. John Scarfield, she tells him he's put him on the path that will get him in the race for the Triton—knowing he'll eventually be destroyed by Salazar as she had expected him to be.
* ''Film/NationalTreasure'':
** First film: "[[EvilBrit Ian Howe]]" was once Ben Gates' benefactor before [[EvilFormerFriend the two split]] due to different approaches to acquiring the Declaration of Independence for the purpose of finding clues. Intending to steal the Declaration, Ian and his gang infiltrates the National Archives and nearly gets their hands on it. [[GeniusBruiser Realizing that a riddle with Silence Dogood pointed to Ben Franklin's letters]], Ian observes a boy taking notes for Ben's friend Riley, bribing the boy for his notes and tracing them to the Liberty Bell. Posting his men outside Independence Hall, Ian pursues Ben and his friends across Philadelphia before acquiring the Declaration again. When Ben is arrested by the FBI, Ian arranges for Ben's escape in exchange for the last clue, kidnapping [[IHaveYourWife Ben's father and his friends]] as leverage before leaving them all to die when everything appears to lead to a dead end. When sent on a SnipeHunt for a fake clue which is used by the FBI to arrest him, Ian [[ActuallyPrettyFunny merely chuckles]] at his fate.
** ''Book of Secrets'': [[BigBad Mitch Wilkinson]] is a man seeking to bring glory to his family. Attending an exhibition about Ben Gates' ancestor Thomas, Mitch [[FrameUp accuses Thomas of being in league with John Wilkes Booth]] to help the Confederacy find Cibola, the City of Gold, using a page presumably from Thomas' diary. [[BatmanGambit Knowing that Ben would not rest until he found Cibola and cleared Thomas' name]], Mitch attacks Ben's father Patrick, cloning his phone to keep tabs on Ben before pursuing Ben to London and back, acquiring clues along the way. Learning that Ben's mother is a professor who can translate the clues, Mitch kidnaps her and brings her to Mount Rushmore, forcing Ben and his allies to team up with him to locate Cibola. Evading a series of traps to reach Cibola, Mitch admits he faked the evidence and reveals his motive before sacrificing himself to allow Ben and his friends to escape when Cibola is flooded.
* ''Film/NowYouSeeIt2005'': [[MagiciansAreWizards Max]] is an EvilSorcerer masquerading as a StageMagician. Prior to the start of the film Max gave his mentor a magical ring which he used to steal his powers and kill him. Taking over his mansion, years later Max sets up a reality show for gifted young magicians as a ploy to lure out another wizard. Taking an interest in protagonist Danny Sinclair, Max convinces the public that Danny's magic isn't real while tutoring him in private, giving him a ring to "control" his powers with the [[TreacherousAdvisor intent of killing him]], playing the same trick he used on his former mentor and [[NearVillainVictory almost succeeding]].
* ''Theatre/TwiceCharmed'': [[AffablyEvil Franco DiFortunato]] is the [[TheFairFolk Wicked Fairy Godfather]] who wagers Lady Tremaine and her daughters' livelihoods on whether or not they can stop Cinderella from marrying Prince Charming by going back in time. Flirting with Lady Tremaine and cajoling the family into accepting his deal with a catchy VillainSong, he uses his magic to shrink Cinderella, then makes Anastasia and Drizella graceful despite his doubts at whether his magic would be strong enough, in the updated show also wiping the Prince's memories and making the slipper fit Anastasia. When Cinderella and the Prince are reunited, Franco gleefully makes the Tremaines his servants for eternity, then leaves to help the Wicked Queen from ''[[WesternAnimation/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs Snow White]]''. Charismatic and cunning, Franco is never defeated and is pleased with the outcome as he sets off to make another deal.
* ''Film/HighSchoolMusical3SeniorYear'': [[BitchInSheepsClothing Tiara Gold]] is the [[BewareTheQuietOnes seemingly proper and polite]] London schoolgirl who it turns out attended the Dramatic Arts school. A Freshman transferring to East High and wanting to take over once [[AlphaBitch Sharpay Evans]] has graduated, Tiara applies to be Sharpay's personal assistant, getting herself hired through [[HypercompetentSidekick proving how intensely familiar she is with both Sharpay's schedule and routine]] and performing other personal tasks for her as each occasion calls for it while remaining by her side at all times. Upon being assigned as an understudy in the play, Tiara passes on info to Sharpay that she stealthily learned so Sharpay can arrange for Troy Bolton to encourage girlfriend Gabriella Montez to leave early for college resulting in Sharpay taking Gabriella's role alongside Troy while Tiara takes Sharpay's. Tiara then reveals herself to Sharpay as having used her, works Sharpay's interruption into her performance and [[GracefulLoser amicably accepts defeat]] when Sharpay beats her.
* ''Film/{{Descendants}} 2'' & ''3'': [[DreadlockWarrior Uma]] is the daughter of the powerful sea witch [[WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid Ursula]], and Mal's most [[ArchEnemy personal rival]]. Back when they were best friends, Mal turned Uma into the Isle's laughing stock, and eventually abandoned and forgot about her. This made Uma grow bitter towards Mal and vow to defeat her by any means, as well as developing a [[VillainHasAPoint reasonable philosophy]] about how the Disney Heroes were no better than actual villains for leaving the villains' children on the Isle of the Lost for no reason other than their parents being evil. Forming her own pirate crew and [[FromNobodyToNightmare quickly rising]] to the top as a fearsome threat, she constantly takes advantage of her surroundings to take down anybody in her way. She later joins Mal's team to defeat Audrey, in exchange for the Villain Kids being released. She and Mal begin to make amends and she powers up Mal's ember so she could take Audrey down. Once Auradon realizes that morality didn't depend on where they grew up in, Uma's pleas are finally heard, as the barrier gets lifted and Villain Kids are finally allowed to go to Auradon.

->''"Steve Rogers. Your comrades have fallen by the wayside. You stand alone, the only bastion preventing me from slaughtering your comrades inside and obtaining the Time Stone from them. Your efforts are valiant, but they will prove futile. It is as this universe's version of me said to that pest of a trickster god. Dread it, run from it, destiny still arrives all the same. You have my respect, Captain. Surrender, and you will have my mercy."''
-->-- '''[[Characters/MCFFUEarth842667ThanosForces Thanos-842667]]''', ''Fanfic/AvengersEndgameDragonisPrime''

[[FanWorks Fan creators]] have produced many [[MagnificentBastard witty, unscrupulous masterminds]], be they versions of canon characters or their own [[OriginalCharacter original inventions]].

!!The following have their own pages:
[[index]]
* ''[[MagnificentBastard/TheNewOrderLastDaysOfEurope The New Order: Last Days of Europe]]''
[[/index]]

!!Examples with their own folders:
[[AC:''Franchise/DragonBall'']]
[[folder:Examples]]
* ''[[WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged Abridged]]'':
** ''[[Recap/DragonBallZAbridgedM2 The Christmas Tree of Might]]'': [[TheGrinch Turles]] is a Saiyan survivor who leads a band of loyal criminals, whom he [[BenevolentBoss rescued from the Planet of Misfit Minions]]. Turles developed a burning hatred for Christmas, due to [[FreudianExcuse Santa Claus never visiting Planet Vegeta]] and robbing him of the joys of Christmas. As a result, Turles made it his life's mission to [[HowTheCharacterStoleChristmas ruin Christmas on other planets]] by planting the Christmas Tree of Might, which would absorb all of the planet's Christmas joy, intending to do so on Earth. Meeting Gohan, Turles recognizes the boy as a Saiyan, where Turles pushes a PressurePoint to make Gohan's tail regrow, then tricks him into looking at an Artificial Moon he created. Gohan transforms into a Great Ape, with Turles pitting him against Goku, though when Goku halts his son's rampage by cutting off his tail, Turles [[VillainRespect commends Goku for this move]]. Fighting Goku, Turles gives himself the advantage by eating fruit from the tree, beating down and very nearly killing Goku.
** ''[[Recap/DragonBallZAbridgedM11 Broly — The Legendary Super Saiyan]]'': [[SinsOfOurFathers Paragus]], after being stabbed and LeftForDead along with his son Broly by King Vegeta out of fear for the latter's power, desires revenge through the King's son. To do this, he recruits the Shamosians to build an infrastructure on a planet on a collision course with a comet before arriving on Earth and offering Prince Vegeta a planet to rule over, [[FlawExploitation purposely taking advantage of his egotistical personality]]. When his plans are inevitably exposed, Paragus does not descend into a VillainousBreakdown but rather confesses his plans and backstory to the Z-Fighters. Even though he did not intend to trigger Broly's transformation -- due to previously having wiped out the South Galaxy before -- Paragus nevertheless showed pride in his son while letting him kill the Z-Fighters for him. [[AdaptationalHeroism Lacking the worst traits of his original counterpart]], Paragus attempts to eliminate Vegeta not through brute strength but by knowledge and manipulations of the arrogant Prince.
* ''Fanfic/InPursuitOfVengeance'' ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11434583/1/In-Pursuit-Of-Vengeance link]]): [[DragonWithAnAgenda Dodoria]] proves to be [[AdaptationalIntelligence significantly more intelligent]] than his canon counterpart. Tasked by Frieza to watch over the forcibly recruited Goku, Dodoria tricks him into purging a helpless alien race by taking advantage of Goku's grudge against Raditz. Over time, Dodoria begins to form a bond with Goku, and when the Saiyans betray Frieza, Dodoria deduces the existence of the Namekian Dragon Balls, intending to use them as a way to persuade Frieza to spare Goku for his treachery. Attacking Namek alongside Zarbon for its Dragon Balls, when Dodoria discovers Goku intends to use them to revive the purged Earthlings, [[HeelFaceTurn he turns against Frieza and kills Zarbon by surprise]]. After shielding Goku from Captain Ginyu's [[GrandTheftMe body swap technique]], Dodoria impersonates Ginyu to trick Frieza into thinking the Saiyans are still on Namek, buying Goku time to resurrect everyone on Earth. Dodoria then goes to Earth to train the revived Z-Fighters, allowing them to grow strong enough to protect the planet from Frieza's forces.
* ''[[Webcomic/DragonBallMultiverse Multiverse]]'':
** Captain Ginyu of Universe 8 was once the esteemed leader of the Ginyu Force, punished by Frieza for a past failure. Using his [[GrandTheftMe "Body Change" technique]] to fake his death, Ginyu goes into hiding and plots revenge against his former master. [[HijackingCthulhu Taking over King Cold's body]] and [[KillAndReplace usurping his place as leader of the Frost Demon empire]], he keeps up the masquerade for decades and trains himself to control Cold's great power, even managing to unlock two new transformations in secret. In his battle against Bra of Universe 16 during the tournament, Ginyu takes advantage of the Saiyan girl's pride and arrogance to give himself an advantage in the fight, only losing due to Bra fighting dirty herself. Ginyu uses his Body Change technique to swap bodies with Bra and leaves her trapped in his old crippled body, only narrowly thwarted by virtue of Vegito's sheer strength. Even as Babidi's thrall, Ginyu is no less competent a fighter, making unorthodox use of his Body Change technique to [[DeliberateInjuryGambit make his enemies mutilate themselves]] before swapping them into one another's dying bodies.
** Bardock of Universe 3 shows himself to be more than a [[FromNobodyToNightmare low-class Saiyan thug]]. After foreseeing Frieza's genocide of the Saiyan race, Bardock successfully rallied the Saiyans to rebel against Frieza by overthrowing King Vegeta. The Saiyans under Bardock's new leadership then seized control of Frieza's empire, with Bardock using his [[{{Seers}} precognitive powers]] to devise [[CrazyPrepared long-term plans]] to eliminate any competitors. To avoid any power struggles that would undo his work, Bardock willingly [[AbdicateTheThrone stepped down as king]], instead becoming one of the empire's chief advisors to continue [[TheManBehindTheMan running affairs from behind the scenes]], all the while adapting his plans to whichever Saiyan ascends to the throne.
** ''Hanasia, Queen of the Saiyans'': Snower is the second son of Emperor Blizzard of the [[GalacticSuperpower Frost Demon Empire]]. Snower acts as the Empire's administrator to appoint his followers to important positions, while his efficiency makes him a trusted figure even as he [[TheStarscream secretly plots to seize total control in the future]]. When his brothers leave to seek revenge on Hanasia for the death of their brother Chilled, Snower takes advantage of their absence to enact his long-awaited coup. Snower covertly aids a group of rebels seeking to break free from the Empire, assassinating his father and older brother as well as Hanasia. Victorious, he offers the rebels a chance to join his ranks, or return home with their newly earned independence only to [[ExactWords withhold any assistance to the independent planets]] unless they let themselves be annexed by his new empire.
* ''[[Fanfic/DragonBallZPRIMAL PRIMAL]]'': [[Characters/DragonBallCooler Cooler]] is the brutal but charismatic leader of the Cooler Empire. A gifted scientist and martial artist since his youth, Cooler rejected his father King Cold's tyrannical methods and sought to conquer planets through more honourable means, fighting and earning the respect of their world's strongest fighters, first doing so on planet Hera and even helping some of their people escape when his father found out. Upon being disowned and exiled to a desolate planet, Cooler allies with the natives to create the [[Anime/DragonBallZTheReturnOfCooler Big Gete Star program]] and relocates the surviving Herans to assemble an army to combat the Frieza Force, traveling the cosmos and welcoming strong planets into his empire while purging weak worlds so the universe was strong and knowledgable enough to survive. Arriving on Earth upon learning of Frieza's defeat by Goku's hand, Cooler [[AFatherToHisMen shows genuine care for his men]] and challenges Gohan all while offering him a place in his empire. After being defeated and fatally wounded, Cooler [[GracefulLoser sincerely congratulates Gohan]], proving himself [[AdaptationalNiceGuy more virtuous than the original film]].
* ''Fanfic/WhatIfZamasuDidNothingWrong'': [[Characters/DragonBallZamasu Zamasu]] in this fanwork still harbors some resentment for mortals but chooses a far different path upon being brought to Barbari by Gowasu. Instead of believing that [[FantasticRacism mortals are universally irredeemable]], he instead decides to prove his own worth as well as his belief that the gods should have a hands-on approach with mortals by civilizing them himself to his own standards. Using cunning and trickery, he's able to convince the Barbarians that he's an omnipotent being who created their world, all the while remaining hidden except from his chosen prophet. Through his guidance and teachings, [[{{Tomorrowland}} the Barbarians' civilization grows considerably in only a few centuries]]. When the Barbarians split into two warring factions, Zamasu finds a new prophet in a ki-possessing Barbarian named Decraf, and together they are able to build an army strong enough to defeat the current prophet and [[ReconcileTheBitterFoes unify the Barbarians]]. In the present day, Zamasu finds that his plan has worked and Barbari has become a space-age marvel. Deciding to replace the stubborn Rumsshi with Decraf, Zamasu manages to restore the latter's youth and convince Rumsshi to train him. In the end, having a new appreciation for mortals, Zamasu [[HeroicSacrifice sacrifices himself]] in exchange for repairing the damage caused by his main timeline counterparts.

[[AC:''Franchise/{{RWBY}}'']]

* ''Fanfic/ChildrenOfRemnant'': [[Characters/RWBYCinderFall Cinder Fall]] is Queen Salem's chief strategist, put in charge of ensuring her war with humanity begins. To that end, she manipulates the Claimed to earn their trust, whispering in Jaune's ear to attempt to [[TreacherousAdvisor trick him into war]]. Behind the scenes, she hires Dr. Merlot to trick the Schnees and Belladonnas into attempting to assassinate Jaune, utilizing her [[TheMole spies]] to ensure they go through with the plan; simultaneously, she raises public tensions against the Claimed by assassinating anti-Grimm speakers and advocating for war. When her plan ultimately fails and she learns of how she was manipulated by Salem, she [[HeelFaceTurn turns against her former master]] and tells Jaune the truth of their "mother", ultimately dying while defeating Tyrian and [[SecretSecretKeeper taking the identity of the Summer Maiden to the grave]].
* ''Fanfic/DestiniesOfRemnant'':
** "The Wolves and the Soulless": [[VillainProtagonist Roman Torchwick]], surviving his canonical death, remains as skillfully charming as ever. Released from prison to serve [[Characters/RWBYJamesIronwood James Ironwood]]'s ends, Roman recruits Team RWBY and Sun to his cause, rescuing Weiss from her home and tracking Blake to Menagerie along the way. Coming up with the plan to secure Sienna Khan's aid against [[Characters/RWBYAdamTaurus Adam Taurus]], Roman keeps up a charade of helping Sienna throughout the subsequent battle and helps ensure Adam's defeat. Following the battle, Roman detonates a bomb in the headquarters, killing both Sienna and Adam as well as wiping out the White Fang in one fell swoop, giving Ironwood the reason he needs to conquer Menagerie while Roman himself [[TheBadGuyWins retires to a quiet life in Mantle]].
** "Be Glad You Existed": [[Characters/RWBYCinderFall Cinder Fall]], though on the side of the heroes, remains no less ruthless than always. After learning of [[EvilGenius Arthur Watts']] plan to invade Beacon with the White Fang, Cinder spends weeks studying [[Characters/RWBYRubyRose Ruby Rose's]] methods and skills, eventually intervening to invite her to Beacon herself. After gathering both Team RWBY and her own team, Cinder orchestrates the plan to take the CCT back from Watts, further ingratiating herself to Ruby while [[FalseFriend pretending to be her friend]]. After they encounter Watts himself, she takes Ruby hostage, engaging in a BattleOfWits with her enemy that she ultimately wins when she reveals that not only did his ally already cave, but she had already rooted out his spies within Beacon Academy, leaving his plan a complete failure before she kills him herself.
** "This World Will Have No Peace": [[Characters/RWBYAdamTaurus Adam Taurus]], while no less vengeful than in canon, funnels that nature into [[AmbitionIsEvil a dangerous level of ambition]]. Seeking to strike straight at the top of humanity, Adam targets [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Jacques Schnee himself]], intending to steal everything the man built. Through a series of EngineeredHeroics and framing others for his crimes, Adam ingratiates himself to the man, all the while plotting with Sienna Khan behind his back. After orchestrating a riot that kills multiple innocents and framing Weiss for an assassination attempt on him, Adam successfully convinces Jacques to give him control of the company, saving Atlas when Jacques then tries to destroy it out of spite. Though originally intending to tear society down out of vengeance, Adam decides to give hope a chance once he gains his power, yet [[TheBadGuyWins remains vigilant for the day the world proves undeserving]].
** "Even Brilliant Lights":
*** [[ExperiencedProtagonist Roman Torchwick]] remains as dastardly brilliant as ever. After taking Ruby in, Roman begins [[EvilMentor teaching her the art of criminality]], gradually molding her into a successor for his chaotic cause while granting him a mole within Beacon. After approving of Ruby's peaceful strategy to blackmail Ozpin, he uses his [[AwesomenessByAnalysis analytical mind]] to disarm Adam Taurus, taking the opportunity to bug his sword. When Ruby tries to bring him into the side of good, he rejects her offer and gives her a brutal and pragmatic fight, beginning by pretending to have assassinated Ozpin in order to provoke her to go all out. When she wins the fight, Roman reveals the facade and keeps his deal to give her Neopolitan as a partner, dying [[TheBadGuyWins confident that Ruby will carry on his legacy]].
*** [[Characters/RWBYRubyRose Ruby Rose]] takes to Roman's teachings and proves she will be a worthy successor. Entering Beacon and weakening her team's abilities from day one, Ruby comes up with the plan to peacefully blackmail Ozpin, using a meeting with him to stealthily bug his office. When she comes into conflict with her team, Ruby uses her analytical abilities to take down all three at once, including [[CombatPragmatist tricking Yang into attacking Blake]], before giving Roman an all-out fight. When she successfully kills him, Ruby utilizes his plan to leave the country, yet [[BatmanGambit correctly predicts that Cinder will attempt to kill her]] for leaving; to circumvent this, she tricks two travelers into taking her place, faking her death and successfully fleeing to Mistral.
** "Born Indicted": [[ALighterShadeOfBlack Sienna Khan]], surviving her [[SparedByTheAdaptation canon death]], learns that her life is short and she must make the most of what time she has to correct his path. To this end, she hatches one final scheme, beginning by decapitating Adam Taurus and presenting the head at a rally. Using her charisma and strength to lure Blake into a meeting and convince her to attend that rally, Sienna then forces a sit-down with several prominent figures, including [[Characters/RWBYJamesIronwood General Ironwood]] and Jacques Schnee, in order to demand equality. However, after a bomb kills everyone present, Blake discovers that Sienna was actually [[FalseFlagOperation gathering targets in one space to kill all of them at once]], not only making herself into a martyr but also uniting humanity and Faunus for the first time. Her plan succeeds, beginning to [[WellIntentionedExtremist mend the rift between humans and Faunus]] even at the cost of her own life.
** "The Black Knight": [[ObfuscatingStupidity Hazel Rainart]], seeking to [[TheAtoner repent for his actions]] under [[Characters/RWBYSalem Salem]]'s orders, engineers the downfall of all of his allies. Using his status as the group's muscle to mask his devious scheming, Hazel manipulates Cinder into pitting Watts and Tyrian against each other, predicting their mutual paranoia will drive them to attack each other. When this happens, Tyrian is killed; when Cinder then moves to finish Watts off, Hazel ambushes her with cameras a Grimm to record her in the act, leading to her death at the hands of Salem's Grimm. Knowing that Salem will eventually catch him yet working to buy the heroes as much time as possible, Hazel's plan leads to Salem's forces being crippled for years, with himself planning to recruit a new batch of better people for her council.
* ''Fanfic/KnightOfSalem'': [[OnlySaneMan Doctor Arthur Watts]], shedding his usual petty and sadistic nature, is instead the only reason why [[Characters/RWBYCinderFall Cinder]] remains a threat. While Cinder focuses on gaining power no matter the cost, Watts focuses on [[HypercompetentSidekick keeping her mission afloat]], managing to keep her alive in spite of the damage the Grimm pools do to her and even serving as a successful {{spymaster}} to give her intel from her former allies and from Atlas. When she finally loses any shred of sanity or intelligence and attacks Vale, Watts takes advantage and sneaks back to [[Characters/RWBYJauneArc Jaune]], giving him the means to kill Cinder by preying on her predictable and power-hungry nature and happily returning to his former queen's service once she's dead.
* ''Fanfic/{{Null}}'': [[Characters/RWBYJamesIronwood General James Ironwood]] may have originally been too idealistic for his post, but once he makes his deal with Jaune Arc, he proves just how much of a strategic genius he really is. After learning that Ozpin has Amber Arc hostage, he responds by informing Blake Belladonna of the situation, causing her to ally with Jaune and kill Matthew Fields, [[BatmanGambit just as he intended for her to do]]. Meanwhile, predicting a betrayal from his own forces, he has Clover empty out his own airship's weaponry, preventing the Council from framing him for mass murder and allowing him to blackmail them for his investigative powers back. To deal with Ozpin, he strikes a deal with Qrow and Glynda to lead Jaune straight to him and his sister; the resulting battle kills Ozpin and Cinder, ridding Ironwood of his two biggest enemies, and following the battle, he [[FakingTheDead helps Jaune fake his death]] so that he, Jaune, and Neopolitan can continue killing anyone who tries to resurrect the conspiracy, as well as giving him a permanent method of balancing his idealistic self with his ruthless Semblance.
* ''Fanfic/ProfessorArc'': [[Characters/RWBYJauneArc Professor Jaune Arc]], through a mountain of lies and the power of his reputation, gradually proves himself as a genuine manipulator and strategist as time goes on. Coming into his own by forcing Roman Torchwick and Neopolitan to obey him, Jaune grows exponentially upon becoming Headmaster, managing to defeat [[Characters/RWBYCinderFall Cinder Fall]] and place her powers into Pyrrha. Later pulling a similar gambit to defeat [[Characters/RWBYAdamTaurus Adam Taurus]] by exploiting his rage, Jaune even gives the go-ahead for Cinder to steal the Winter Maiden powers, putting her under his control in the process. When Salem then tries to advance on Vale, Jaune manages to bluff her into a complete retreat with [[DidYouJustScamCthulhu only a broom and a box of cigarettes]], simultaneously tricking Cinder into compliance through [[CrazyPrepared a mountain of pre-written letters predicting her actions]]. After pulling a series of gambits to get Salem inside and convince her to spare humanity, Jaune later combats Hazel Rainart's usage of the Relics with his own, destroying him and saving all of humanity.
* ''Fanfic/RelicOfTheFuture'':
** [[Characters/RWBYJauneArc Jaune Ashari]], determined to prevent the BadFuture no matter the cost, becomes far more intelligent and ruthless than in the original timeline. Originally wandering the planet trying to bide his time for the future, Jaune begins taking active steps against Salem and proves himself her greatest opponent, not only taking out her forces one by one but sabotaging her future plans to prevent her from getting a foothold on Remnant. From uniting Vale's gangs under his own banner, destroying the White Fang in a single evening, using Hazel Rainart's death to [[FalseFlagOperation pose as a mole for Salem's organization]], converting Cinder to his side through promises of power, and even creating a new energy source out of Aura along the way, Jaune's resolve carries him for years, even when he learns that defeating Salem will kill him as well. Managing to steal and unite the Relics, Jaune [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu defeats Salem once again]] despite her attempts to subvert Emerald, returning to the timeline he once abandoned and resolving to continue fixing the world once more.
** [[NeutralNoLonger Raven Branwen]], after [[CowardlyLion confronting her cowardice]] and throwing her lot in with Jaune, proves to be just as intelligent as her partner. After using Jaune's mission to render the Relic of Knowledge inert to learn just who he is, Raven begins working both with him and independently to subvert Salem's plans, primarily by training his younger self in her brutal method of combat. [[BigDamnHeroes Saving Jaune's life multiple times with her portals]], Raven consistently plays her part in Jaune's plans to perfection and adds her own ideas, such as giving herself and Jaune [[PlausibleDeniability alibis for Hazel's death]], convincing Ozpin's forces that Nora Valkyrie is the Spring Maiden, using the Maiden powers on Atlas soldiers to provide cover for Watts' kidnapping, and summoning Summer to kill Oscar. Despite her emotional struggles and original cowardly nature, Raven is Jaune's most useful ally and contributes just as much to their partnership as he does.
** [[Characters/RWBYAdamTaurus Adam Taurus]] is the OnlySaneMan of the [[Characters/RWBYWhiteFang White Fang]] who genuinely believes in the cause he's fighting for. After witnessing Jaune protect them from a mob with the threat of violence, Adam is inspired and helps radicalize the Fang, yet when he sees how far they've fallen, he [[TokenGoodTeammate refuses to sink to their level]]. Becoming the Fang's most useful operative despite his distaste for killing, Adam sees the writing on the wall and concludes the Fang will collapse on itself, seeking a way out for himself. After [[AwesomenessByAnalysis psychoanalyzing Jaune]] and attempting to save him in Menagerie, Adam later conspires with Winter Schnee to wipe out the Fang, preemptively betraying his soldiers before they can kill him and intending to lure the Atlas military to the Fang. Though Jaune kills them first, Adam gets out alive and un-captured with Blake, becoming Chieftan of Menagerie and working with Ironwood to make equality the law.
* ''Fanfic/{{Resurgence}}'': [[Characters/RWBYAnima Raven Branwen]] is a huntress and a former member of Team STRQ. Upon discovering a mystical pool that allowed her to see various possible futures, Raven realized that desperate measures would have to be taken to ensure the one future where humanity survived. To this end Raven made the painful decision to abandon her family so that they could achieve their full potential. Taking the alias Krymsen, Raven approached [[Characters/RWBYCinderFall Cinder Fall]] and used her access to the Pool of Life to help her carry out her plans, all the while manipulating her to ensure that the heroes of Remnant had a fighting chance. Upon deciding that the pieces were in place Raven reveals her true intentions to [[Characters/RWBYTheHeroes Team RWBY]] before mortally wounding Cinder with the aid of Neo. When Salem is defeated, Raven absorbs her power and decides to stay in the netherworld, both to ensure the balance and to serve penance for her crimes.

!!Other examples:

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
[[AC:''Franchise/MyHeroAcademia'']]
* ''Fanfic/MastermindStrategistForHire'': [[Characters/MyHeroAcademiaIzukuMidoriya Izuku Midoriya]], aka [[VillainProtagonist Mastermind]], was once a Quirkless teenager with dreams of becoming a Pro Hero but a combination of his dreams being crushed by All Might and [[FantasticRacism discrimination against the Quirkless]] preventing him from getting a legitimate job ultimately drive him to become the title character, selling plans to other villains to make a living. His [[AwesomenessByAnalysis excellent analytical abilities]] and the high-quality plans he provides to villains via said abilities quickly make him into TheDreaded within months, becoming responsible for the deaths of hundreds, including more than a dozen Pro Heroes. He takes full advantage of his public life to throw off the police, letting him evade capture for more than two years. On top of that, he made plans in the event he does end up captured and incarcerated in [[TheAlcatraz Tartarus]].
* ''Fanfic/{{Nemesis|MHA}}'': Two years after faking his suicide, [[Characters/MyHeroAcademiaIzukuMidoriya Izuku Midoriya]], aka Mischief, calls Bakugou out as his nemesis, and ropes him into a [[DeadlyGame "game" of Heroes and Villains]] with nearly a dozen hostages' lives on the line, remaining one step ahead of him all the way and psychologically tormenting him all the while. In the end, he gets his revenge, not just by breaking Bakugou's psyche, but by exploiting his InferioritySuperiorityComplex to strip any pride he could feel from achieving his life-long dream of becoming the number one Hero.

[[AC:''Franchise/{{Naruto}}'']]
* ''Fanfic/{{Echoes|Kagaseo}}'': In a fanfiction full of characters and universes, these characters have distinguished themselves through their morally dubious, but brilliant feats:
** [[TokenEvilTeammate Sasori]], eclipsing his canon counterpart, is [[MarionetteMaster "The Puppet Master"]] in more ways than one. Promoted to chunin as a child after single-handedly killing 50 enemies by poisoning their water supplies, Sasori, in adulthood, joined the [[Characters/EchoesTheArashiClan Arashi clan]] with his student Chibaku and his subordinate Kabuto. Sasori proved to be valuable; in Kitsune's world, he effortlessly blackmailed the Hokage into handing the Kyuubi-possessed Naruto over to him. Through quick thinking, he forces Tsukiyomi to reveal more of his techniques even though he was losing, which proved to be useful when fighting Amaterasu, who has similar abilities, in the Wave-Verse, briefly crippling him. When most of the Arashi clan was imprisoned in a [[TheAlcatraz nigh-inescapable prison]] in the Cloud-Verse, he and Chibaku successfully broke out the entire group from the prison with their plan. He discovered most of the truth about the Dystopia-Verse by spying on an ANBU and had the perfect seal to defeat its dictator. When the Third Kazekage tries to use Sasori's body against Chibaku, Sasori self-destructed to save Chibaku. Called a [[TitleDrop Magnificent Bastard]] by Chibaku, Sasori has more than lived up to the name.
** [[BloodKnight Amaterasu]], AKA Kitsune's world's [[Characters/NarutoMadaraUchiha Madara Uchiha]], promised to his dying little brother he would remain a samurai and follow the Bushido code to his last breath. Desiring to get back at his clan for "betraying" their former virtues and becoming ninjas, to destroy Konoha for "betraying" him and to throw the world in a state of perpetual warfare to supposedly help mankind improve, Amaterasu orchestrated the Kyuubi's attack on Konoha. Despite the attack's failure, Amaterasu manipulated Fugaku and Mikoto, counting on their coup attempt in Konoha to fulfill his objectives throughout the ensuing chaos. When he discovers Shisui spying on them, Amaterasu gives him a BreakingLecture, leading Shisui to foil the coup by killing the clan, but still giving a victory to Amaterasu. Recruited by his counterparts Susanoo and Tsukiyomi, Amaterasu formed with them [[Characters/EchoesTheMadaraGuys the Madara Trio]]. In the trio's attempts to harness Kazama's power, Amaterasu shined through his sheer strength, honor, adaptability and contingency plans, [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu killing the Wave-Verse Kyuubi]] and knowing which one of his 100 weapons he had to use to adapt to his enemies' techniques. When finally defeated, [[FaceDeathWithDignity he congratulated his killers, acknowledged his mistakes and peacefully passed on]].
** [[TheSocialExpert Tsukiyomi]], AKA Kazama's world's [[Characters/NarutoMadaraUchiha Madara Uchiha]], deserves his name of "The Deceiver". Wanting to harness Kazama's power and to destroy Konoha for "betraying" him, Tsukiyomi formed the Madara Trio and successfully destroyed Kazama's devotion to Konoha through {{Half Truth}}s, also implanting Amatsu-Mikaboshi inside Kazama to further corrupt him. When Kazama was separated from his friends and ended up in the Ame-Verse alongside Susanoo and Tsukiyomi, the latter pulled an EnemyMine with Kazama and both trained and manipulated him, resulting in both Kazama taking over Ame and finally snapping and destroying Konoha, [[TheBadGuyWins thus fulfilling Tsukiyomi's life-long objective]]. Having grown to sincerely care for Kazama, he followed him in the "Road to Ninja" world and sacrificed himself to help Kazama overcome Amatsu-Mikaboshi. Willing to negotiate, affable, polite and ruthless, Tsukiyomi was the most successful villain in the entire fanfiction.
* ''Fanfic/{{Redemption|Naruto}}'' ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13928692/1/Redemption link]]): [[DarkActionGirl Muraki Nikko]], a former Kusa kunoichi, [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge swore revenge]] against the five great shinobi villages after their neglect led to the death of her family. Testing her Kekkei Tota, Blossom Style, Muraki uses it as a drug to infect her former village with a mysterious illness, aware of her old village's status as the smallest ninja village to avoid unwanted attention. When [[Characters/NarutoSasukeUchiha Sasuke Uchiha]] and [[Characters/NarutoSakuraHaruno Sakura Haruno]] come to investigate, Muraki attempts to infect the two through different ploys, succeeding twice with Sasuke before leaving to Suna, planning to infect the five major shinobi villages and let them blame each other, starting a world-wide conflict she'll then take advantage of by revealing an antidote she'll sell to the highest bidder, thus controlling them and [[PayEvilUntoEvil making them go through the pain her and her village went through]]. When Sasuke and Sakura manage to catch up to her in Suna and fight her, Muraki manages to paralyze them, nearly killing Sakura by the time Sasuke defeats her. After Sasuke and Sakura convince her to stop, Muraki accepts her defeat and starts making up for her crimes by working in Suna's medical unit.
* ''Fanfic/WhiteEyes'':
** [[Characters/NarutoItachiUchiha Itachi Uchiha]] and [[AdaptationalBadass Neji Hyuuga]] keep their canon genius and go much further. Ordered to massacre the Hyuuga clan, with the exception of Hinata, to prevent the Uchiha coup attempt, with Neji taking the sole blame for it and subsequently leaving Konoha, Itachi and Neji launch Operation: White Eyes to [[WellIntentionedExtremist protect Konoha and the world in the long run]]. For this purpose, they manipulate their own loved ones, various nations and politics all over the world, successfully [[TheMole infiltrating and spying on Akatsuki for Konoha]], and defeat potential Akatsuki recruits. When Fugaku attempts to become Hokage, Itachi helps Hinata stall him long enough for Tsunade to return and take the set instead. When Hinata gives up on vengeance against Neji, the latter kidnaps her summon and forces her to fight and kill him in a location away from Konoha, keeping her safe from Pain's assault on the village. By the time it was completed, Operation: White Eyes left a long-lasting impact on the entire world, leading to the Toneri threat being neutralized, Hanabi surviving the Hyuuga massacre, Danzo's death, Kabuto and Edo Tensei's defeat and helping Team 7 defeat Madara and prevent the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
** [[Characters/NarutoMadaraUchiha Madara Uchiha]] retains much of his canon counterpart's backstory and motives, but proves to be more powerful, brilliant and [[NoNonsenseNemesis ruthless]]. Successfully reviving the Ten-Tails despite Obito Uchiha's attempts to slow down Madara's [[LotusEaterMachine Eye of the Moon Plan]], Madara--as an Edo Tensei--also [[OutGambitted out-gambits]] Obito by not immediately sealing Kurama's Yang half, contrary to what the latter expected, leading to Obito going berserk when the latter absorbed the Ten-Tails in an attempt to outsmart Madara. After the Ten-Tails' extraction from Obito's body, leading the latter to fully resurrect Madara in an attempt to blind and weaken him, Madara uses Hashirama's Sage chakra and Black Zetsu to keep fighting. Sending Black Zetsu to distract Hinata, Madara becomes the Ten-Tails' jinchuriki in the meantime. Keeping the advantage against Team 7 through a combination of sheer power and smarts, Madara is only defeated when Team 7 proves to be just as resourceful. Every bit the WellIntentionedExtremist he was in canon, Madara ultimately agrees to resurrect all of the Fourth Shinobi World War's victims at the cost of his own life.

[[AC:Others]]
* ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'' WebVideo ''[[WebVideo/BerserkAbridged Abridged]]'': [[Characters/BerserkGriffithFemto Griffith]], charismatic leader of the Band of the Hawks, manages to press [[Characters/BerserkGuts Guts]] into the Band before taking the lead in Midland's Hundred-Year War. Using his command of tactics and the proper battle music to set them to, Griffith leads them to victory after victory before taking the impenetrable Doldrey fortress. Luring out its corrupt Governor who lusts after Griffith's place in his Escaflowne cosplay group, Griffith then [[FakingTheDead fakes his death]] to catch the Queen of Midland in a plot and burns her and her co-conspirators alive. When the time comes to sacrifice the Hawks to the Godhand, Griffith can only refuse and [[DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu tells the demon lords to leave him and his friends]] alone before recovering and setting off to become king.
* ''Anime/CowboyBebop'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/TwoDragons'': This version of [[TheDreaded Vicious]] remains a [[WarriorPoet composed, nihilistic, Darwinist assassin]]. The most effective of the Red Dragon Syndicate's agents, Vicious kills scores of their enemies and sets up a drug deal to have his own mentor assassinated, allowing him to frame Spike Spiegel and stage his best friend's "execution" to [[TheStarscream murder the Van and take control of the Syndicate]]. In the following month Vicious proves an unmatchable tactician, spreading the Red Dragon's influence across Mars and when Spike tries to flee with his girlfriend Julia, sets up a trap to force Spike to fight him, [[BloodKnight wishing to die facing the ultimate opponent]].
* ''Manga/DeathNote'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/{{Liability}}'' ([[https://archiveofourown.org/works/26486137/chapters/64545175 link]]): [[Characters/DeathNoteMisaAmane Misa Amane]], once given her memories back via the Death Note, decides to take the chess match between [[Characters/DeathNoteLightYagami Light Yagami]] and [[Characters/DeathNoteLLawliet L Lawliet]] and "flip the board over". To that end, she begins by forcing Mikami to call the Task Force and confess to being Kira before committing suicide, simultaneously subjecting Light and Takada to death by fire so that they can take the Death Note with them. Immediately afterwards, she relinquishes her ownership and hence memories of the Death Note, ensuring that [[MemoryGambit she can't incriminate herself as the 2nd Kira]]. With Soichiro forces to save his wife and daughter from a house fire, L investigates Mikami's death and finds two notes: one supposedly written by Mikami confessing to all of Light's crimes, and another for L's eyes only in which Misa details her plan, not identifying herself but warning L that going after her [[ImpliedDeathThreat won't end well for him]]. With the power of Kira gone from Earth and herself left blissfully unaware, Misa retires with L to Wammy's House.
* ''Manga/{{Hellsing}} Ultimate'' WebVideo ''[[WebVideo/HellsingUltimateAbridged Abridged]]'':
** The witty, rambunctious [[ImmortalityImmorality Alucard]] was once UsefulNotes/VladTheImpaler, abandoning God after his childhood rape at the hands of his Turkish captors. Offering his soul to {{Satan}}, he became the vampire Count {{Dracula}}, lazily empowering himself with the blood of the dead, becoming a near-unstoppable force until he was defeated and recruited by the Hellsing Organization. Their best and most loyal agent despite his rude, silly demeanor, Alucard proves their best asset in discovering and eradicating the Nazi remnant group Millennium's plot, even as he apathetically kills luckless civilians in the way.
** [[OnlySaneWoman Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing]] is the ruthless and iron-willed head of the Hellsing Organization, having taken command by [[KlingonPromotion killing her traitorous uncle]] at a young age. Commanding the fearsome Alucard through sheer respect and never hesitating to unleash him on her foes, Integra proves [[PragmaticHero clever and brutal]], convincing her financiers to continue funding her organization through intimidation, trapping and killing the vampiric invader Jan Valentine, devising a method to attack an inaccessible ship via stealing resources from the British government, and keeping up with the schemes of [[GambitRoulette both her rivals the Iscariot Organization and the secret organization Millennium]], never lacking a dry quip or a display of valor, even foiling a coup with utter nonchalance. Able to constantly improvise and devise tactics to outplay her opponents, Integra personally confronts and executes Millenium's leader The Major despite Alucard temporarily dying, and goes on to rule the Hellsing Organization for years to come.
** Much as in the original story, [[BadassPreacher Alexander Anderson]] is an Iscariot agent defined by his brilliant tactical mind and being nearly unstoppable in combat. Ambushing Alucard and Seras at the start and putting a beatdown on them both, Anderson [[KnowWhenToFoldEm escapes the arriving Hellsing]] and continues to cause mischief for them and Millennium alike. Later saving Sir Integra from Millennium's forces and allying with her, Anderson [[EnemyMine helps take down his former boss]] Maxwell despite having raised Maxwell himself. After a failed attempt to forgive Alucard his sins and send him to God for judgment, Anderson accepts his own dying fate and earns Alucard's friendship, even trying to offer the vampire parting words of help in his final moments.
** The parody version of [[BadassNormal Pip Bernadotte]] remains the Wild Geese's genius mercenary captain. Pip quickly shows his skills to Hellsing by killing off a group of Millennium-affiliated corrupt police officers. Later holding Zorin Blitz's vampires at bay, Pip outwits the psychopath and even [[DefiantToTheend dies empowering his lover]] to massacre his killer and her remaining forces.
** [[BigBad The Major]] is the insidious head of the Millennium Organization, and a much more comical character than his canon counterpart. Spending countless years in the shadows and organizing a vicious attack by using vampiric Nazi soldiers merely as a means to end, [[EvenEvilHasStandards finding the Nazi ideology distasteful]], the Major tests the waters with multiple agents before sending out his lieutenant Rip van Winkle, [[BatmanGambit knowing Hellsing will send Alucard with no way to return him to London]]. Once Alucard is gone, the Major sends his army upon London with dramatic flair, orchestrating the invasion brilliantly and dismissing the mass casualties on every side when Alucard arrives, even using Schrodinger to temporarily kill the vampire. When confronted on his zeppelin, the Major tells Integra and Seras that he did as he did to snap a warlike humanity out of their complacency and challenge his own tactical skill, dying happy to have achieved his goals.
* ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/AgentsOfLight'' ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13049548/1/ link]]): Professor Lyman Banner is [[AdaptationalBadass even more cunning and devious than in canon]]. Seeking the power of the Sacred Beasts to create the PhilosophersStone, Banner teams up with Kagemaru. Hiding his allegiance with the Shadow Riders from Duel Academy, Banner orchestrates the disappearance of several students, including Atticus. Needing Jaden for his strong duel energy, Banner foils every attempt the protagonists make to get him expelled. Manipulating a group of students into reviving Jinzo into the human world, he makes a deal with Jinzo to kill the protagonists. Banner lures Ghassan into a cave and holds his soul hostage to blackmail Scott and Damian into dueling Zane. Anticipating that one of them would come after him, Banner fakes his death at Jinzo's hands and leaves Jinzo behind to kill Damian. Being defeated by Zane, Banner reveals that Camula has been watching them the whole time, revealing the true method of reviving the Sacred Beasts to her, Banner calmly blackmails all of them [[FaceDeathWithDignity before gracefully accepting his death]].

[[folder:Comic Books]]
[[AC:''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'']]
* ''Fanfic/ControlPremium'' ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5732464/1/Control-Premium link]]): [[BadassBookworm Oswald Cobblepot]], aka [[Characters/BatmanThePenguin the Penguin]], is a bookkeeper and enforcer for the Wesker gang. As an expert forger and financial wizard, he plays a major role in keeping the gang solvent, also playing a role in various negotiations. Despite his ruthless criminality, Oswald has a number of humanizing qualities, such as his [[EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas care for his mentally ill mother]] and his genuine friendship with his boss's nephew Arnold. When one meeting goes south due to some members of the outfit being revealed to have been bribed to turn traitor by the leader of a rival gang, Oswald [[DoNotGoGentle resolves not to go out without a fight]], and starts thinking of ways to save himself even as he is led outside to be executed. Unexpectedly saved by Arnold, Oswald tricks the rival gang's leader, Mr. Goode, into becoming his hostage and turns his own henchmen against him. After sending Goode fleeing to Europe, Oswald and Arnold make an agreement to share power, while he [[AppropriatedAppellation resolves to make his nickname a name of fear]].
* ''Fanfic/TheGothamCitySocietyOfFireproofWomen'': [[Characters/{{Batgirl}} Cassandra Wayne]] is the daughter of assassins David Cain and Lady Shiva, raised since birth to be a [[OneManArmy perfect killing machine]]. Running away after her first murder, Cassandra sought redemption by joining Batman as "Orphan," getting adopted by Bruce and incarcerating her parents. Eventually chosen to be his successor, Cassandra returns the legend of the Dark Knight to its urban myth roots as a monster lurking in the shadows, leaving armies of broken mobsters in her wake. Upon learning of Ra's al Ghul and the Arkham Knight's plan to destroy Gotham, Cassandra anonymously feeds Astrid information--even allowing her to capture and brutally murder an oblivious Nightwing--to ensure the Arkham Knight won't kill the rest of her family and endanger the unknown mole, before secretly resurrecting Dick with a Lazarus Pit. Willing to leave her grieving comrades in the dark to ensure her plan's success but ultimately never swaying from her dad's [[ThouShaltNotKill one rule]], Cassandra sabotages the pair's scheme before it even gets off the ground, ruthlessly proving once and for all why she is the [[SuperiorSuccessor worthiest successor]] to the mantle of Batman.

[[AC:''ComicBook/CivilWar'']]
* ''Fanfic/CivilWarHulk'': [[Characters/MarvelComicsLoki Loki]] is the puppetmaster of the events leading up to the Civil War, working with Baron Mordo to drive the Scarlet Witch insane that led to [[ComicBook/AvengersDisassembled The Avengers disbanding]], trapping the world's heroes [[LotusEaterMachine in a dream]] where [[ComicBook/HouseOfM mutants are the world’s dominant species]], and manipulating The Illuminati into [[ComicBook/PlanetHulk exiling Hulk into space]]. Using the introduction of the Superhuman Registration Act to his advantage, Loki killed and impersonates [[ObstructiveBureaucrat Maria Hill]] to drive a further wedge between the pro and anti-Registration sides, planning to take over Earth once the dust settles. Even with the unexpected arrival of Hulk and his Warbound, Loki successfully bargains with the Hulk into leaving Earth be once he gets his revenge on The Illuminati, leaving Loki with one less threat and a weakened Earth for him to conquer. Opportunistic as always, Loki [[XanatosSpeedChess adapts to any situation before him]] and is only thwarted by Thor's unexpected revival.
* ''Fanfic/NotATypicalCivilWar'' ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6470827/1/Not-a-Typical-Civil-War link]]): [[Characters/MarvelComicsDoctorDoom Doctor Doom]] is [[TheManBehindTheMan the mastermind]] behind the [[SuperRegistrationAct Superhero Registration Act]] and the resulting Civil War. Seeking to turn the world's heroes against each other, Doom hired Nitro to fight the New Warriors in Stamford, leading to the deaths of over eight-hundred civilians and causing the public to turn against the superhero community, with Doom working with Maria Hill to escalate tensions between the pro and anti-Registration sides. With the info gathered from the Registration Act, Doom learned all of the heroes' secret identities and the locations of their loved ones. Doom eventually trapped both sides of the conflict in the Negative Zone and released the supervillains from Prison 42 to kill them. He then sent ComicBook/TheSentry to attack New York City, [[EngineeredHeroics planning on killing him]] so he could be hailed as a savior and be given control of the Earth. Focused solely on his dream of world conquest, Doctor Doom nearly rid himself of the world's superheroes by turning their own ideals against them.

[[folder:Films]]
* ''Film/AvengersEndgame'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/AvengersEndgameDragonisPrime'': [[Characters/MCFFUEarth842667ThanosForces Thanos-842667]] maintains the guile of his [[Characters/MCUThanos canon counterpart]] in this alternate telling of [[Film/AvengersEndgame the film]]. After wiping out half of all life in the universe, Thanos retired to the Garden in peace. When the Avengers arrive seeking revenge, Thanos destroys all but the Reality Stone to prevent them from undoing his work. After he's killed by Thor, the Thanos of an alternate timeline learns about the history of his counterpart and sets about to assemble his Infinity Gauntlet more efficiently. He helps start Ragnarok to kill Thor, and murders Eitri before he could forge a weapon that could kill him. Thanos fails to collect the Time Stone and spends the next few years balancing worlds one at a time while crushing the rebellion led by the surviving Avengers. Realizing the main timeline would have the Time Stone he needs, Thanos travels to the Avengers Compound and [[WeCanRuleTogether tries to recruit Steve Rogers to his side]]. When that fails, he strips Carol Danvers of her powers and has Ebony Maw destroy his home dimension to keep him focused on his new goal of wiping out half of all life across the entire multiverse.
* WebVideo/{{Fanscription}}:
** "What if [[Characters/TheDarkKnightTrilogyTheJoker The Joker]] Was in '[[Film/TheDarkKnightRises The Dark Knight Rises]]'?" [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDkiX4tMbG0 two]]-[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vxm_cNCYPAw parter]]: [[Characters/TheDarkKnightTrilogyBane Bane]] and Talia al Ghul, the children of Ra's al Ghul, take over the [[Characters/TheDarkKnightTrilogyLeagueOfShadows League of Shadows]] following his death. Together, they seek to destroy Gotham and [[AvengingTheVillain get revenge]] on [[Characters/TheDarkKnightTrilogyBruceWayne Bruce Wayne]] for their father's death. Bane attacks a stock exchange and costs Bruce his fortune by using his finger prints. Meanwhile Talia takes the identity of Miranda Tate in order to gain access to Bruce's fusion reactor and control of his company. Having [[Characters/CatwomanSelinaKyle Selina Kyle]] lead Bruce into a trap, Bane easily bests him in a fight, breaking his back and imprisoning him in the Pit, before taking over Gotham and cutting it off from the rest of the world. When the Joker is released, Bane engages him in a gang war, managing to keep him contained to the Narrows. Though ultimately defeated, Talia informs the heroes that she flooded the reactor room to prevent them from defusing the bomb. Proving worthy successors to their father, Bane and Talia come with in a hair's breadth of winning.
** "What If [[Characters/BatmanTwoFace Harvey Dent]] Was In 'Film/BatmanReturns'?" & " What If Creator/TimBurton Directed 'Film/BatmanForever'?" [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Glzo9waqn-Y&t=786s two]]-[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sA1WU-9UVxw parter]]: [[PhantomThief Catwoman]], real name [[Characters/CatwomanSelinaKyle Selina Kyle]], once again is the slippery and smooth operator she was in her film appearance. Fulfilling all the same actions she did in the film in her first appearance: such as joining forces with [[Characters/BatmanThePenguin the Penguin]] to frame Batman for the attack on the Ice Princess, whom Catwoman didn't plan on getting killed; undermining Max Shreck and eventually killing him too, Catwoman once again survives and ends triumphant. In her second appearance, while Selina is incognito for the majority of the story and doesn't come back until the very end, she reveals she's kept tabs on Bruce and has recently provided the evidence that officially [[ClearTheirName clears Batman of all wrong-doing]] she set him up for--"to make Gotham's nightlife a little more interesting"--before [[AndTheAdventureContinues once again slipping away into hiding]].
* ''WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDameDisney'' {{Fanfic}} ''[[Fanfic/WhatReallyHappened What REALLY Happened]]'' ([[https://crazedwriter.tripod.com/revealed.html link]]): Clopin Trouillefou is the leader of the UsefulNotes/{{Romani}} population of Paris who seeks revenge on [[Characters/TheHunchbackOfNotreDameDisneyJudgeClaudeFrollo Claude Frollo]], France's Minister of Justice, and also wishes to [[WellIntentionedExtremist end gypsy persecution]]. To this end, he makes an arrangement with an old rival of Frollo's named Jean-Michel du Champs who wants to be Minister of Justice. The night after the Feast of Fools, Clopin imprisons Frollo in his own dungeons and replaces him with a disguised Jean-Michel, who begins sullying Frollo's name by persecuting many Parisans. Learning of Jean-Michel's plans to betray him, Clopin [[OutGambitted outplays him]] by subtly getting Quasimodo and Phoebus on his side, resulting in Jean-Michel's death. Even after being paralyzed in a violent incident at the Court of Miracles, [[{{Determinator}} Clopin still refuses to give up]] and is soon working on new plans. Only failing due to things he had no reasonable way of knowing about, Clopin proves a genuinely cunning and compelling antagonist.
* ''Franchise/StarWars'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/RogerRoger'': 711 quickly proves an adept commander. Mounting a defense of the mines of Khorm, 711 baits the Republic troops into an ambush and defeats them quickly and efficiently, only losing the mines because the local warlord's failed attempt to destroy the Jedi along with Ventress and 711 allows the Jedi to destroy the weather control machine keeping Republic reinforcements at bay, which Ventress and 711 [[LaserGuidedKarma make the warlord pay dearly for]]. 711 then builds the Network, which turns the droids under his command into a frighteningly effective fighting force, and goes on a campaign of capturing Republic ships with ruthless efficiency. After 711 soundly wins the battle of Iraknya but fails to keep [[InsaneAdmiral Admiral Himler]] from destroying the Iraknian capital, 711 hands [[DoWithHimAsYouWill Himler and his men over to the Iraknians]] to convince them to join the Separatists. After being assigned to take part in the attack on Kamino, 711 mounts a highly effective siege, defeating the reinforcing Republic ships even when severely outnumbered, severely damaging Tipoca City and crippling its cloning facilities, and [[NearVillainVictory almost destroying it completely]], with only the Jedi's last-minute intervention saving the city.

[[folder:Literature]]
[[AC:''Literature/BattleRoyale'']]
* ''Fanfic/FolieADeux'' ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5149090/1/Folie-a-Deux link]]): [[UnholyMatrimony Kazuhiko "Kaz" Yamamoto and Sakura Ogawa]] are [[AdaptationalVillainy leagues more devious than their canon counterparts]]. Causing a crime wave through Shiroiwa, they hid their true selves behind [[BitchInSheepsClothing a friendly facade]] and framed the town's local gangs and criminals for their deeds. Forced to participate in the Program alongside their classmates, Kaz and Sakura decide to play until finding a way out and manipulate their way through the Program, teaming up with Yuka Nakagawa and Satomi Noda against Kazuo Kiriyama, [[TamperingWithFoodAndDrink poisoning the Lighthouse Girls]] and surviving an encounter with Mitsuko Souma when she saw through the latter plot. [[AwesomenessByAnalysis Figuring out how the explosive collars work by inspecting Satomi's]], Kaz and Sakura find a way to remove theirs without setting them off. When taken by surprise by Shogo Kawada, Shuya Nanahara and Noriko Nanahara, Kaz and Sakura remove their collars as well, recruiting them and escaping to the mainland after the Program was finished by creating fake identities. Assigning the trio to different jobs suiting their talents to better benefit their criminal careers and torturing Yonemi Kamon to death to avenge their deceased classmates in the Program, [[KarmaHoudini Kaz and Sakura get away with their schemes]].
* ''Fanfic/HeadsIsHeads'' ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4523722/1/Heads-is-Heads link]]): [[ImplacableMan Kazuo Kiriyama]] is a cold-hearted gangster known for his inability to feel empathy and ruthless tactics. After flipping a coin to destroy The Program, Kiriyama immediately sets to working against his captors, recruiting students, killing foes, and bonding with Izumi Kanai despite his icy demeanor toward her. Using his [[AwesomenessByAnalysis analytical talent]], Kiriyama deduces that one of his recruits, Sho Tsukioka, is a murderer who plans to pick them off one by one, and disposes of him right in front of the others. Launching an attack on The Program's headquarters, Kiriyama and his recruits destroy The Program and make off with a boat to escape the government. Always pragmatic yet never cruel, Kiriyama [[EarnYourHappyEnding ends the story safe in another country, perhaps having even regained the empathy he didn't know before]].

[[AC:''Literature/TheHungerGames'']]
* ''Fanfic/CheatingDeathThoseThatLived'':
** [[LovableRogue Jack Tylos]] is a self-proclaimed "master thief" who engages in this trade out of necessity, thrill-seeking, and altruism at various points. He's forced to volunteer for the 21st Hunger Games after trying to steal the head peacekeeper's wallet. He steals a taser which he uses against his opponents in the arena and constantly and publicly brings up the circumstances behind his volunteering as a successful gambit to get the head peacekeeper arrested or executed. After winning, he gloatingly reveals his use of the taser, but is horrified when several innocent residents of District 7 are executed. Despite Panem's status as a heavily surveilled police state and his own open ties to the underworld, Jack continues stealing and is never caught unless it's on purpose for a BatmanGambit. He is a devoted mentor and will rob banks to get sponsor money for tributes he feels especially attached to. During the rebellion, Jack supplies the victors caught in the Capitol with a stash of guns he stole and hid over the years and goes down fighting so his allies can escape.
** [[FunctionalAddict Porsche London]] is an orphaned District 6 tribute who survives by working as a runner for a brutal drug gang. She is a morphling addict who is underestimated in the buildup to her games, but dominates it without ever using a weapon. Porsche is a camouflage expert who hides herself in the gymnasium during the training sessions, reveals herself to the gamemakers and dictates the training score she wants-respectably high but not high enough to invoke TallPoppySyndrome--as they gape in shock. During the Games, Porsche initially tries to protect her district partner then sets out to avenge him. She spends days [[RightUnderTheirNoses using her camouflage skills to live in the Careers camp and steal or ruin their food without being found]]. She uses mathematics to monitor the train schedules of the railyard arena and diverts the train tracks at just the right time to run the Careers over. Afterward, she becomes part of the victors sequel, before being reaped for the 3rd Quarter Quell and performing a HeroicSacrifice.
* ''Fanfic/TheVictorsProject'':
** [[GeniusBruiser Ben Cooper]] is the son of a HunterTrapper from District 9 and aides his father in protecting the District and making a good living for themselves. When Ben is reaped, he ignore the advice of his mentors, kills a Career and [[CategoryTraitor replaces his victim in the Career alliance.]] He proves his loyalty to the Careers by helping them track down and kill his district partner and four others, then poisons them during a meal. Ben then kills five wolves sent by the gamemakers, despite being injured in the process, and goes on to mercilessly hunt and kill the remaining outliers. When the last of them cuts off two of his fingers, Ben fakes being helpless before finishing her off. As a victor, Ben becomes an influential celebrity and a good mentor until he retires in favor of the first tribute he saved. Ben comes out of retirement to successfully mentor Abram Mills, who [[LukeIMightBeYourFather might be his son from a one night stand.]] Ben sides with the rebellion and dies on a mission that helps save several of his fellow victors in the Capitol.
** [[ArcherArchetype Jade Boleyn]] grows up as a BlueBlood in a toxic environment, indirectly maims a childhood enemy and is sent to the [[=DAEYD=]. She uses a SherlockScan to deduce that a murder took place and helps Ermine violently avenge her dead friend at least partially to amuse herself. In the arena, she achieves many impressive archery kills, plays the members of her alliance against each other and kills them all singlehandedly. While Jade expresses little remorse for that part of her life, she becomes a rebel, and aids in intricate plans to win District 1's freedom. Jade does an expert job of avoiding suspicion and [[LovableAlphaBitch treats her fellow victors aloofly, but shows occasional warmth and helpfulness even to people who dislike her]], and mourns for dead friends. Jade uses her knowledge of Panem's legal code to take back some control during her KangarooCourt trial after the new regime turns on her, buying time for a CharacterWitness to arrive. Jade sacrifices a chance to kill Coin--who nevertheless tries to Jade--to ensure the safety of a friend, having one vowed not to let anymore people die when she can save them and later takes part in the mission to rescue Katniss.
** [[CynicalMentor Halibut "Hal" Shore]] is feared both inside and outside of the arena for his ruthless, detached attitude toward killing. He poisons his closest ally in the arena, Copper, both to avoid a fight, and so that Copper's girlfriend won't be any more upset by his death than she has to be--which earlier caused Hal to assume the role of executioner for himself rather than have her watch Copper drown a helpless tribute. He defeats the rest of his alliance with additional CombatPragmatist methods and a jagged harpoon he receives as a sponsor gift. Hal is viewed as a frightening and unstable person, but he can show a friendlier side around victors like Berenice and Ares. When his son dies in the arena, Hal is devastated, but continues to mentor future tributes to the best of his ability, while showing protectiveness toward his son's district partner Annie. During the rebellion, [[DoNotGoGentle He kills half-a-dozen peacekeepers while protecting Annie, before dying form thirty stab wounds]], with his death [[InspirationalMartyr inspiring the district to fight harder]].
** [[SexSlave Cashmere Delacroix]] attends the [=DAEYD=] with her brother to keep from being separated once their family decides one of them needs to be a victor to save the family from bankruptcy. Cashmere has to be forced into volunteering for the games. She becomes a broker of information and favors who is capable of having her tributes perform {{Mercy Kill}}s or sabotaging an arena. Cashmere helps her brother control his growing bloodlust by drugging, kidnapping, and torturing Capitolians but keeps him from killing his victims. Cashmere threatens to arrange the deaths of fifty people in a blackmailer's district to make her leave Gloss alone. Upon finding out about the Rebellion's plan to save Katniss and Peeta, Cashmere audaciously forces her way into the rebellion to get revenge on Snow and end his reign of evil. When asked to play the role of a villain rather than openly aide the rebellion, she agrees and reluctantly asks for a list of expendable victor-tributes who can be killed without jeopardizing the plan before requesting that the rebels kill her and Gloss to sell the charade and keep her brother from completely losing his humanity.

[[AC:Others]]
* ''Literature/HarryPotter'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/WishCarefully'': [[Characters/HarryPotterHarryJamesPotter Harry Potter]] himself is the architect behind the Death Eaters' downfall. Concluding he could not face [[Characters/HarryPotterLordVoldemort Lord Voldemort]] in a prolonged war, Harry cut a deal with the Death Eaters where they would be allowed to rule Wizarding Britain, free from those who did not share their beliefs, while requiring the Death Eaters to not interfere with the Muggle world as Harry personally arranged for the departure and relocation of non-Voldemort supporters. Through this deal, Harry doomed Voldemort, the Death Eaters, and their descendants to a slow death as [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor their country collapsed piece-by-piece through their own racist beliefs]], knowing that Voldemort would repulse new blood and showing the world how foolish the concept of pureblooded elitism was. It is believed that Harry is banking on Voldemort being [[BatmanGambit foolish and sadistic enough to attack a Muggle]], whereupon he would lose his power and be arrested or killed due to his body being made by magic.
* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/OfGoldAndIron'':
** [[Characters/GameOfThronesTywinLannister Tywin Lannister]], lacking his canon counterpart's unsavory acts, remains just as brilliant and ruthless. During his time as a soldier, Tywin engaged in shady tactics like burning crop fields to destabilize enemy supplies and crashing the economy of Braavos to prevent them from interfering. When [[Characters/GameOfThronesAryaStark Arya Stark]] arrives in his manor disguised as "Beth Rivers", Tywin sees through her within weeks and begins unraveling the Faceless Men's conspiracy, even allowing the Brotherhood Without Banners to [[LetsYouAndHimFight attack his train]] to see what she's capable of. After defeating [[Characters/GameOfThronesPetyrBaelish Petyr Baelish]] and torturing him for any information he can get, Tywin deduces the source of the conspiracy and arranges for his company to succeed when he resigns. When Jaqen then tries to kill him in spite of their deal, Tywin is able to negotiate with the Iron Bank for a lower price, ending the series in the best possible position even when the conspiracy killed [[SoleSurvivor all of his former allies]].
** [[KnowledgeBroker The Spider]] is the name of a brilliant hacker who knows everything there is to know within King's Landing. Reaching out to Bran Stark following Joffrey's death, the Spider soon helps them find [[Characters/GameOfThronesSansaStark Sansa Stark]] in exchange for a way to contact the Faceless Men, keeping his identity secret all the while and even throwing in more information than he promised as a reward. Reappearing during the [[HatePlague Long Night]] crisis, the Spider uses Oberyn Martell as a middle man to put Bran in contact with Mance Rayder, sending all of them into a battle with the Night King in order to kill the drug lord. When Bran demands a favor in return, the Spider concedes that he went above the call of duty and [[PetTheDog rewards him with Arya's true location]], not only circumventing the Faceless Men but ensuring their final defeat before helping Bran and Oberyn guard the city for the foreseeable future.

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/{{Arrowverse}}'' fanfic ''Fanfic/{{To Hell and Back|Arrowverse}}'':
** [[Characters/ArrowverseMalcolmMerlyn Malcolm Merlyn]], aka the [[EvilCounterpart Dark Archer]], is a former member of the [[Characters/ArrowverseLeagueOfAssassins League of Assassins]] who fled the League following a massacre by Talia al Ghul. Endeavoring to better Starling City and avenge his wife's death, Malcolm masterminded the Undertaking, an attempt to destroy the Glades and make the city better. Upon coming into conflict with the [[Characters/ArrowverseOliverQueen Green Arrow]], Malcolm schemes against him, yet ultimately proves to be little threat to the fellow archer before the Undertaking's failure. However, upon being captured by Talia and having Tommy's life threatened, he proves his manipulative abilities: first by convincing Tommy that Talia had his lover Isabel murdered, including leaving out his correct assumption that they were working together because Tommy would never believe him, then turning Tommy to his side and having him murder Talia, passing control of the League of Shadows onto him. After killing those who helped him because they might betray him as well, Malcolm then plants a BodyDouble so effective that even ARGUS is fooled, faking his death so he can lay low while Tommy helps him scheme against the Green Arrow further.
** [[GoodIsNotNice Amanda Waller]] is the director of [[Characters/ArrowverseARGUSAndTaskForceX ARGUS]] and the true leader of the ComicBook/JusticeLeague. Quickly deducing the heroes' identities, Waller blackmails all of them into working for her under the threat of exposing them. She also works with the Queens to scapegoat Frank Chen into confessing to the Undertaking, allowing them to get off scot free in exchange for stopping Malcolm Merlyn, while also revealing that she's aware of Malcolm and Oliver's relation yet is happy to keep it secret. Upon learning of the Dominator threat, Waller leads the human resistance in arming and preparing everyone capable of resisting the threat, later proving vital to repelling the invasion with her scientists. Upon becoming aware of [[Characters/ArrowverseHunterZolomon Zoom]]'s threat, Waller tortures Killer Frost to learn everything she can, making Deathstorm cave within moments. She then unleashes her signature creation, Task Force X, to rescue Barry and save his father from Zoom. Lacking any powers yet brave enough to insult Zoom to his face, Waller is one of the few people able to control the various heroes that work for her with nothing but [[BadassNormal her intelligence and information]].
* ''Series/{{Victorious}}'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/DiamondEyes'' ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8729865/1/Diamond-Eyes link]]): Jade West, desiring to make her and her friends rich, decides to form a gang after reading books about the old ways of crime. Deducing that the local guards won't be able to handle a form of crime they are unfamiliar with, Jade has the Stonehearts start off small by robbing banks before moving on to robbing a museum and casino to [[FromNobodyToNightmare get the Council to acknowledge them as a threat]]. Letting her friend out of the gang when it gets to be too much for her, Jade makes sure to have a way to monitor her to keep her safe. Later wiping out a part of the army, Jade swears revenge on the Council and two government assassins when the latter kill Cat Valentine, calling the Chairmen to intimate him before blowing up the Las Vegas sign. Jade later tracks down and kills one of the assassins in his safe house before killing the other in a fair fight. Later killing the Council, Jade ends the story continuing her quest to make money and getting engaged to her girlfriend, Tori Vega.

[[folder:Video Games]]
[[AC:''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys'']]
* ''VideoGame/FinalNights4FatesEntwined'': In the past, the Puppet Master was just one of the animatronics at Fredbear's Family Diner. However, the Puppet Master is the mastermind behind all the events in the franchise that seeks to bring about the downfall of [[Characters/FiveNightsAtFreddysWilliamAfton William Afton]]. The Puppet Master was the one who gave life to the murdered children and sent the [[VideoGame/FinalNights3NightmaresAwaken reaper animatronics to the hurricane hospital]] which ended up failing. However, in 2017, The Puppet Master finally gets his chance to complete his mission by controlling a paranormal investigator named [[PlayerCharacter Max Donavan]]. The Puppet Master uses him to one-by-one free the spirits of the remaining animatronics, learn the truth of what happened, and undo his mistake. After everything is done, the Puppet Master orders Max Donovan to burn down Fazbear's Fright and kill Afton inside Springtrap, which he does, but at the [[SuicideMission cost of his life]].
* ''[[WebAnimation/TheHottestDogSpecialStrikeSeries TheHottest Dog Special Strike Series]]'' ([[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqVDFs2-ZV5HVd6hiiDZ8gg link]]): [[HumanoidAbomination Glitchtrap]] is reimagined as TheDragon to The_End, who seeks to turn the entire multiverse into meme-spouting puppets. Under his masters orders, he sets up Golden Freddy's transformation into "The Chief", secretly kidnapping characters while spying on the main cast undetected. Upon a chunk of the cast being killed by the resulting battle, he searches for the Chief's corpse to revive him into a powerful minion, adapting to being ambushed by the survivors by convincing them that he's another survivor. When a slip up results in Chester and the Penguin arriving with reinforcements, Glitchtrap uses the resulting chaos to retrieve his syringe and control the Chief with it, willingly mutating himself with it to aid him in the fight.
* ''Fanfic/JoyOfCreation'' ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10677673/1/Joy-of-Creation link]]): [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe Goldie Fazbear]] was the titular star of ''The Amazing Goldie Show'' until he was decommissioned and left wandering Freddy Fazbear's Pizza as a spirit. Once [[AdaptationalVillainy Freddy Fazbear and his friends]] try to kill five children so Goldie won't be alone, the bear saves one of the kids, Mike Schmidt, and lets him escape the animatronics. Decades later, Mike would become the night guard at Freddy's, leaving Goldie to take the identity of "the Phone Guy" to teach Mike how to survive, while scaring him about the dangers of the job and faking his death. Once Mike destroys Freddy, Goldie reveals that he kept saving Mike because the boy called him his best friend on his final show, and says that he wants Mike to reconstruct the animatronics and bring the "Joy of Creation" to everyone, all while comforting him about how he will get over the horrors he experienced and become happy again soon. The epilogue shows that Goldie was right and Mike would help in building [[VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys2 the Toy Animatronics]], although not without [[SanitySlippage losing some of his sanity]].
* ''Fanfic/MikesNewGhostlyFamily'':
** [[DemonLordsAndArchdevils Nightmare]] is a ruthless Hell Lord and the leader of the Nightmare demons. Exploiting his status as one of the more "Moral" demons, which allows him more access to Earth, he uses it to secretly advance his mysterious goals, while also taking wagers with his victims in exchange for sparing them of torture. Taking one such bet with [[Characters/FiveNightsAtFreddysWilliamAfton William Afton]] to break apart the Schmidt family, his [[EvenEvilHasStandards disgust of how he treats his own family]] leads him to intentionally tighten the bond of the family via his [[BreakThemByTalking brutally accurate speeches]] and winning the bet. Gaining a genuine respect towards Mike Schmidt after being bested by him, he later willingly aids the family on occasion, from organizing the brutal defeat of an escaped Afton alongside Mike to helping destroy Glitchtrap's copies while locating the one that escaped via manipulating Fazbear Entertainment, all while subtly advancing his own agenda.
** [[HumanoidAbomination Old Man Consequences]] is a guardian of the Crimson Lake, and the warden of Hell's demons. Though normally neutral to affairs of Earth, Old Man Consequences orchestrates the downfall of William Afton by exposing his deceased son Evan to his atrocities and turning him into Shadow Freddy to serve as a guide to his brother Michael, whose redemption he kickstarted by sending the Nightmares to viciously torture him to [[MiseryBuildsCharacter develop his survival skills and resolve to atone for his sins]]. A being [[AlwaysABiggerFish superior to Nightmare]], Old Man Consequences guides the demon lord into foiling [[InfernalFugitives Afton's escape attempt]] and, after warning Mike Schmidt about Fazbear Entertainment's revival, tasks Nightmare with minimizing the threat of multiple Glitchtraps the corporation inadvertently created, having him perform a [[GodzillaThreshold normally-forbidden]] ritual to destroy all but one of Glitchtrap's copies, rewarding Nightmare when the demon succeeds, and keeping him in line with the threats of horrible consequences to prevent his disobedience.
* ''VideoGame/{{POPGOES}}'': [[HiddenVillain Simon]] is a intelligent robot made by Jeremy "Fritz" Fitzgerald to revive his brother, only to be locked away by fear, causing Simon to hatch an escape plan to take revenge and gain freedom. Practicing his skills by setting up puzzles for the robotic night guard Strings, he tricks Fritz into connecting him to the mainframe by promising to bring back his daughter that Fritz accidentally killed, using it to rebuild [[RocksFallEveryoneDies The Blackrabbit]], killing him and freeing Simon. He then makes his escape, but not before thanking Strings for his help, shutting down the guard in the process.

[[AC:''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'']]
* ''[[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue Red and Blue]]'' FanGame ''[[VideoGame/PokemonKantoOrigins Kanto Origins]]'' ([[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYselOxqr5srzLhOgKHgEe2Vpkv1cYxoF link]]): [[TheDon Giovanni]] is the Boss of the Team Rocket and leader of the Viridian City Gym. Part of the AncientConspiracy of the Elite Four to control the region, Giovanni wishes to restore Kanto's former glory by any means. Creating Mewtwo as the first step of a series of experiments to create stronger Pokemon, Giovanni manipulates the PlayerCharacter to be his beta-tester while slowly becoming fond of him. Intending to overthrow the Elite Four, Giovanni invades the Indigo Plateau with his most loyal followers, dedicated to slowing the player as much as possible. A GracefulLoser as in the original games, Giovanni is partially aware of the fictional nature of the Protagonist and congratulates him for his victory against him, allowing the player character to defy the ultimate being, the Kanto Spirit.
* ''[[Fanfic/PokemonResetBloodlines Reset Bloodlines]]'':
** [[AntiVillain Belladonna Tyrian]] is a [[PoisonousPerson Poison]] heart bloodliner whose primary interests lie in living the way she wants to and helping those she cares for, primarily her girlfriends and Pokemon. After being turned out by her homophobic mother, she began wandering around the world and supporting herself through crime. When she learns how her girlfriend Aurora was disowned by her father, she comes up with a plan to kill the hospitalized man while making it look like an indirect consequence of a wild Pokemon attack. When Ash attempts to interfere, she quickly captures him, only sparing him because she suspects they may be [[LongLostSibling long-lost half siblings]]. Once she knows Aurora's father is dead, she discovers evidence of more half-siblings and begins an investigation into her father's identity, temporarily pausing her search for information to help save Ash from Sabrina's clutches. Doing as she pleases and [[{{ubermensch}} marching to the beat of her own drum]], Belladonna provides a compelling look at [[ShadowArchetype how Ash might have turned out]] had things been different.
** [[TheSocialDarwinist Sabrina]] is a ruthless {{Psychic|Powers}} heart bloodliner who operates as Saffron City's Gym Leader and is known for [[SparingTheAces sparing challengers who prove their worth]]. As a child, she came to the conclusion that people needed some kind of incentive for improvement, so she terrorized her hometown to test her theory. Considering her ideas vindicated when a previously complacent young bug catcher finally stood up to her, she spent the next several years embarking on various schemes to improve or eliminate various people, all for her eventual goal to build [[VisionaryVillain a truly meritocratic world]]. She eventually kidnaps Ash and forces him to fight his way through her gym with the intention of forcing him to shed his reluctance to go all-out. She proves an extremely capable opponent during this fight, adjusting to virtually every new development and constantly keeping Ash on his toes. Very persuasive when she wants to be and balancing her villainy with [[EvenEvilHasStandards genuine moral standards]], Sabrina proves to be one of the most brilliant and dangerous adversaries Ash has to deal with on his second journey.
* ''Fanfic/TheSunSoul'': [[UltimateLifeform Mewtwo]] is a powerful Psychic-type Pokémon and the true mastermind behind the entire story. Initially created by Team Rocket to retrieve the Sun Soul, Mewtwo rebelled when he learned he was designed to die within a year. Believing humanity was too selfish to share the world with Pokémon, Mewtwo decided to [[KillAllHumans wipe out humankind]]. Using the Sun Soul to amplify his powers, Mewtwo modified millions of Pokémon to serve as his personal army. Reaching out to Professor Elm, Mewtwo convinced him that he would be spared if he amassed an army to help wipe out the Kanto region. Although he was opposed at every turn by Team Rocket, Mewtwo was able to manipulate Ash Ketchum into dismantling their operations. By convincing Ash to free Sabrina from captivity, Mewtwo was able to break her hold over [[OlympusMons Zapdos]] and used it to devastate the armies gathered to stop him. Mewtwo managed to concentrate Kanto's forces to more easily wipe them out and offered to spare Ash due to his fascination his Savant powers. Eventually, Ash used the Sun Soul to [[MentalFusion fuse his consciousness with Mewtwo's]], and the two agreed to work together to help restore balance to the world.

[[AC:''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'']]
* FanGame ''Sonic GT'' ([[https://gamejolt.com/games/Sonic-GT/533291 link]]): [[Characters/SonicTheHedgehogDrIvoEggmanRobotnik Dr. Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik]], once again the ArchEnemy of Sonic and friends, plans to use [[VideoGame/SegaSonicTheHedgehog Mighty the Armadillo]]'s highly durable shell as a basis for his next line of "ultra-heavy" Badnik superweapons. To achieve this, he kidnaps Mighty's best friend Ray the Flying Squirrel, uses a ransom note to bait the armadillo into being overwhelmed by an ambush of robots, and [[CrazyPrepared collects a sample of Mighty's shell]] in the ensuing struggle. As Eggman [[BatmanGambit predicted]], Mighty eventually tracks down Ray with the assistance of Sonic and Tails, and upon the trio's arrival at his pyramid base, the doctor reveals his intent to finally secure victory over the heroes using the Hard Boiled EGG Tank, a weapons platform reverse-engineered from the collected sample of Mighty's shell. Despite expressing [[ThisCannotBe shock and disbelief]] when Sonic and Mighty manage to defeat it, Eggman quickly regains his composure before [[VillainExitStageLeft escaping]], leaving [[KillerRobot Metal Sonic]] behind to seemingly deal with anyone who sticks around.
* WebVideo ''Sonic Forces: REWRITTEN'', by [=Charriii5=] ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqVjHRm1hT4 link]]) [[Characters/SonicTheHedgehogDrIvoEggmanRobotnik Dr. Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik]] is once again Sonic's most brilliant enemy. Convincing the mercenary Zero to join him, later rebuilding the mercenary into the terrifying [[Characters/SonicTheHedgehogInfinite Infinite]] using the Phantom Ruby. Eggman tests the Phantom Ruby and tricks Knuckles into removing the Master Emerald, before then using Infinite to defeat Sonic, trap him in Null Space, and take over most of the world. Setting the heroes up for failure, Eggman lets them hunt the Chaos Emeralds, even positioning his best Death Egg Robot so that the heroes will inadvertently power it with the Master Emerald, and setting things up so that if the Resistance power up the Eclipse Cannon, he can hold the entire planet under his thumb with it. Upon all his defenses being breached by sheer force, Eggman activates a final measure, having merged the Phantom Ruby and Master Emerald, and engages his Chaos-empowered foes in a final, drawn-out battle. Once defeated, Eggman [[GracefulLoser calmly looks on as his empire fades away completely]], pondering with pathos that [[NearVillainVictory even when he had everything, he still lost]].
[[AC:''VideoGame/TheWalkingDeadTelltale'']]
* ''Fanfic/DreadfulTruths'' ([[https://new.reddit.com/r/TWDGFanFic/comments/ti75od/dreadful_truths/ link]]): Julian is a former hitman who joins the church out of [[DueToTheDead respect for his dead religious brother]]. Disillusioned when the [[SinisterMinister corrupt priest]] tries to kill the well-meaning [[Characters/TheWalkingDeadVideoGameKenny Kenny]], Julian shakes the priest's followers' faith in him before killing the priest, exiled for his murder but leaving the flock under the reaccepted Kenny.
* ''[[Fanfic/SomethingToFightFor Something to Fight For]]'' ([[https://old.reddit.com/r/TWDGFanFic/comments/q37gxh/something_to_fight_for_round_of_16_theme_sacrifice/ link]]): [[ActionSurvivor Clementine]], unlike [[Characters/TheWalkingDeadVideoGameClementine her original incarnation]], is far more cunning and pragmatic. Believing that only the strong and wise can survive in the apocalypse, Clementine resorted to killing Kenny and Jane for being a liability, and even went as far as [[WouldHurtAChild sacrificing AJ to a herd of walkers]] because he wouldn't stop crying. Upon reuniting with Lilly years later and discovering she's now in league with raiders harassing teenagers at the Ericson school, Clementine usurped the leadership of Ericson and plotted to have Lilly and her group killed. After pretending to nearly kill Tenn to convince his sister, Minerva, to give up Lilly, Clementine murders Minerva and leads the teenagers to storm Lilly's hideout. When she gets captured, Clementine distracts Lilly and her raiders in order to let the other teenagers escape, and also to prevent her from disarming the hidden bomb [[SomebodySetUpUsTheBomb that subsequently detonates and eradicates Lilly and her crew]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}}'' {{Fan Webcomic|s}} ''Webcomic/LadyMariaAndTheOldHunters [[https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/bloodborne-lady-maria-and-the-old-hunters/list?title_no=138725&page=1 link]]''): Alice of Cainhurst is the childhood friend of Maria. Left behind in the hellish domain of Cainhurst, Alice becomes a Hunter for the monstrous Queen Annalise and relies on her old friendship with Maria to gain access to Byrgenwerth. Playing the part of a sweet and kind, curious girl, Alice steals the blood of Queen Yharnam for Queen Annalise and sets up a duel with Maria while intending to force Maria to liberate her through death. Using the lives of innocents as leverage to pressure Maria into using her true power, Alice secures her duty to the Queen and achieves her freedom, dying with a final kiss and proclamation of love to Maria, saying she will never be far from her heart.
* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemRadiantDawn'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/QueenOfSorrow''
** [[SilkHidingSteel Elincia]], [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen Queen of Crimea]], was [[FallenHero once a kind princess]] who became a jaded and ruthless ruler after suffering tragedies, desiring to protect her kingdom by any means. Losing Lucia, Elincia determines to become a strong queen to prevent tragedy from ever happening again, reluctantly dirtying her hands when forced by others for her kingdom's future, having Bastian assassinated, holding former friends as political hostages and even using her broken uncle as a [[PersonOfMassDestruction living weapon]]. Embracing her inner evil, Elincia begins holding control over her own fate, having her enemies crushed with underhanded tactics, gambits, and massacres or kneeling to her with the Blood Pacts, culminating in a final battle against Begnion, Gallia, and Ike where she singlehandedly wins with her cunning use of Lehran's Medallion. [[OneWorldOrder Forcing every nation under the Blood Pacts]], Elincia uses her new power as Queen of Tellius to enforce peace and reformation to end war and prejudice with intent to destroy the Blood Pacts when it's all over. Even knowing she would be remembered as evil as her tormentors, Elincia doesn't stray as long as she can be a strong queen for her people.
** [[ProfessionalKiller Volke]] is an infamous assassin known as the "Fireman" who can kill [[TheDreaded even the most powerful people in the world]]. Hired by Elincia to kill his regular client Bastian, Volke shows his mastery over the world of cloak and dagger and easily becomes a hire of Elincia thanks to his ruthlessness on the job. Hired once more by Elincia to kill Lekain and steal his Blood Pacts, Volke manages to successfully infiltrate one of the most secured bases in the land and kill one of the most powerful men in the world through his repertoire of special equipment and pure talent, finishing the job and unlocking the door for Elincia to take over the whole nation to protect Crimea.
* ''VideoGame/HalfLife'' FanGame ''VideoGame/HuntDownTheFreeman'': The G-Man is portrayed as a powerful trickster. During Black Mesa incident he has Adam beat Mitchell up with a crowbar and frame Gordon Freeman for this. Afterwards he makes a deal with a gravely wounded Mitchell, promising him authority, power and time in exchange for killing Gordon. During the Seven Hour War the G-Man indirectly kills anyone with a rank higher than Mitchell's. Twenty years later, he coerces Mitchell into starting the hunt and joining the Combine. Later on, the G-Man orders Adam to kill Sasha and frame Mitchell up. When confronted, the G-Man reveals that since Mitchell is wanted by the Combine, Gordon Freeman will have much less trouble to deal with in City 17 and leaves Mitchell to his fate. [[AffablyEvil Always keeping his charm]], the G-Man manages to intertwine the deals he made with others to get the outcome he and his employers wanted.
* ''VideoGame/HeartsOfIron'' GameMod ''VideoGame/KaiserreichLegacyOfTheWeltkrieg'':
** [[TheEmperor Emperor Pedro III]] is the emperor of Brazil, ascending to power after the way was cleared for his ascent to the throne by the Brazilian Integralists. Upon taking power he launches a massive [[ThePurge purge]] of the Syndicalists and establishes the paramilitary Imperial Green Guards to suppress the far left and enforce religious fundamentalism, while indoctrinating the population through the distribution of Integralist propaganda and the creation of youth movements to indoctrinate the youth. Despite these measures however, Pedro III stands out as one of the more benevolent [[DayOfTheJackboot National Populist]] dictators in the setting, using his powers to weaken the powers of local governors and oligarchs in order to give the population as much individual rights and freedoms as possible; ruling through charisma and . Emperor Pedro is also noteworthy for his anti-racist policies, as he institutes laws protecting indigenous tribes and Afro-Brazilians from racial discrimination within Brazil in order to create a new cosmopolitian culture blending both Portuguese and Afro-Brazilian traditions.
** UsefulNotes/HueyLong--also known as [[RedBaron The Kingfish]]--is a populist from Louisiana who despises syndicalists while also desiring to save the American economy with his "Share the Wealth" program, which he perceives as America's only defense against Syndicalism. Popular in the American South due to his bombastic style, Long allies with the far right Silver Legion and the War Powers Committee in order to create a anti-syndicalist power bloc in the form of the America First Party despite his relatively tolerant views for his time, being so charismatic that his death would mean its dissolution. When the Second American Civil War starts, as either due to him either using Reed's assassination to his advantage, rebelling against either a social democratic Progressive government or a Reed presidency, or due to UsefulNotes/DouglasMacArthur's military coup against him in office, Long serves as the face of the American Union State. If the AUS wins, Long declares himself PresidentForLife and purges his more despicable allies, while allowing his [[BlackShirt Minutemen]] to harass Syndicalists. Despite being a dictator struggling between his own altruism and his growing authoritarianism, Long's charisma and relative benevolence made him stand out from most dictators.
** [[IntrepidReporter John "Jack" Reed]] is the candidate of the American Socialist Party in the 1936 presidential elections. In the leadup to the elections, Reed takes advantage of the political chaos in the US to consolidate his own support; effectively flipping the state of Minnesota to the Socialist side if the Progressives collapse. Assuming Reed wins the 1936 elections, he either tries to enact his policies via court packing and executive orders or he tries to suppress the American First movement via the use of the national guard before he's ousted by a military coup. If he loses the election however, Reed continues to agitate against the US government; taking advantage of Huey Long's assassination assuming it occurs to turn public opinion against the US government and launch an uprising. Once the Second American Civil War begins, Reed can enact measures such as War Syndicalism as well as enact ruthless means to deal with political opponents in order to bolster the war effort of the [[CommieLand Combined Syndicates of America]]. If the Combined Syndiates are victorious, Reed steps down in favor of the next generation of socialists, content with leading the revolution to victory and letting new leadership decide the future of the a Socialist America.
* ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/MegamiNoHanabira'': [[LouisCypher Cypher]] is the mysterious guide of the heroines, helping Demon Tamers by unlocking new functions of the Demon Summoning Program to help them to survive the demon outbreak in the city of Kazamino, while also causing the Flock's [[MonsterProtectionRacket controlled outbreak]] to become uncontrollable. Guiding the protagonists to the server hosting the Demon Summoning Program, Cypher later contacts with the protagonist disguised as Sister Danica, telling them about the real nature of the Flock. Actually Lucifer, he also summons the Fiends (apocalyptic demons) and unleashes them in Kazamino, hoping to find Tamers strong enough to defeat them. Revealing the real nature of the Flock to the world with the heroines, Danica tests them to give them the power to defeat The Flock. Saving the heroines from Sister Collete after they defeat [[BigBad Father Phillips]], Danica breaks her remaining convictions in [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech a speech]] before closing the server and revealing herself as Lucifer to the heroines, offering them the privilege of being his Godslayers and fighting God's Servants throughout the many worlds. After they refuse, Lucifer accepts their choice, leaving their world and taking pleasure in the fact that--at least in that world--God has lost.

[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* ''Franchise/{{Danganronpa}}'' FanGame ''VisualNovel/SuperDanganronpaAnother2'': [[EvilSorcerer Mikado Sannoji]] is the Ultimate Wizard and [[BigBad the mastermind]] behind the Killing School Trip. Aiming to resurrect Utsuro and steal his Divine Luck by forcing Yuki to relive his experiences, he orchestrates a killing game similar to the one in the first game, kidnapping the "Symbols of Hope", reprogramming Monocrow into his assistant and manipulating the members of Void into helping him with [[ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections false promises of safety]]. Revealing himself early on, he [[FairPlayVillain plays fairly]] throughout the entire game, always following the rules and assisting the students. He evaded the Kisaragi Foundation's interference by installing a firewall on Teruya, only removable with Teruya's death. Mikado kills him, setting up [[MinionWithAnFInEvil Iroha]] [[RedHerring to take the fall]], which [[NearVillainVictory leads to a mass execution that is only halted by Syobai's intervention]]. Upon leaving, he hacks the Foundation's facility to imprison them, only agreeing to let them out if they reenter the simulation, which he has turned into a LotusEaterMachine that they can only leave through willpower. Perennially [[LaughablyEvil humorous]] and [[FauxAffablyEvil affable]] without losing his cool even while [[TheFriendNobodyLikes being constantly insulted]], Mikado remains likably sinister right up to [[CessationOfExistence the end of his existence]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Videos]]
* ''WebAnimation/MysterySkullsAnimated'' FanAnimatic ''WebAnimation/RevengeCreatesMoreRevenge'' ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPwFbWUWh00 link]]): [[MyNameIsQuestionMarks ???]] is a mysterious, [[GhastlyGhost malevolent ghost]] with unknown ties to [[{{Youkai}} Mystery and Shiromori]], the latter of whom he wants his hands on. Seeing an opportunity when the Mystery Skulls explore a cave he's taken residence in, ??? possesses Arthur and pushes Lewis to his death, knowing Mystery would unleash his full power to save him, unintentionally drawing Shiromori out. After a forceful exorcism, ??? covertly tails the gang, waiting for either Shiromori to find them or for Lewis' ghost to come and kill Arthur, believing he could again prove useful as a spirit. Upon Arthur's death, ??? [[WeCanRuleTogether offers to join with him]] to take revenge against Lewis, reminding him of the many sleepless nights he spent searching for his supposed "best friend", then telling him Lewis left Vivi to die when Arthur falters. Arthur snaps and vows to tear Lewis apart, too angry to care when ??? tells him they'll be going for his own target afterward, ??? gladly waiting a little longer for what he wants now that he has a powerful wraith at his side.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
[[AC:''Franchise/AvatarTheLastAirbender'']]
* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/TheFallOfTheFireEmpire'':
** High Minister Qing Xi is the head of the Fire Empire's bureaucracy and its SecretPolice, the Hidden Flame, whose long years as Minister coincide with his effectiveness. Tasked with finding an heir for Dragon Empress Azula, Qing Xi falsifies evidence of a government coup just to test the mettle of the young protagonist Jiazin. Discovering that Azula intends to drag the entire world into a CivilWar of titanic proportions, Qing Xi betrays Azula by teaming with High General Xia, poisons Azula's head bodyguard, and has an agent trick another bodyguard into killing Azula herself, accepting his forced retirement with only a declaration that he will be needed one day.
** High General Xia is the commander of the Fire Empire's military, having spent his life serving the Fire Empire he believed in through triumphs and atrocities while climbing UpThroughTheRanks. Teaming with High Minister Qing Xi when he hears Azula's plans, Xia is ordered to retake the city of Long Du Shi from rebels, but turns on Azula and allies with them instead. Persuading Jiazin to accept the title of Fire Lord to prevent a SuccessionCrisis, Xia leads the defense of the city and holds out long enough for Azula to be defeated.
* '' WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra '' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/VariumFortune'': [[Characters/TheLegendOfKorraAsamiSato Asami Sato]] is the seductive daughter of Hiroshi Sato, and is reimagined here as a FemmeFatale. Desiring to destroy the Triads after witnessing her mother's murder years ago, Asami tricks [[Characters/TheLegendOfKorraAvatarKorra Korra]] into tracking down the murderer and kills him using Korra's gun. Travelling to Ba Sing Se, Asami tries to get the Earth Queen to lend her some Dai Li to train an army that she plans to have Korra lead. Recruiting Mako and Bolin, Asami plans to blow up a bank in Gaoling and frame the brothers for it. Even when Korra has her at gunpoint, Asami manages to calmly make peace with her and kills the Dai Li agents spying on them. Seeking to unite Republic City, Ba Sing Se and Gaoling for an impending war with the Fire Nation, Asami and Korra agree to help Suyin Beifong reconnect with her sister Lin. Every bit as smart as her canon counterpart, Asami ends the story managing to get Korra to agree to lead her revolution.

[[AC:''WesternAnimation/CodeLyoko'']]
* ''[[Fanfic/BataillePourlespoir Bataille pour l'espoir]]'' ([[https://forum.codelyoko.fr/viewtopic.php?t=5821&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 link]]): [[WellIntentionedExtremist Andrew Streep]] was originally one of many young graduates hired by the French government to work in Project Carthage on quantum mechanics. When Youbakou Senja took over the project for his nefarious purposes and attempted to kill Streep, the latter found help within the French government who protected him in exchange for total cooperation, leading to Streep becoming the [[AntiHero General Alexandre Hussinger]]. Hussinger then engaged in multiple schemes to stop Senja, such as killing the Prime Minister and staging a coup to take over France and use it's resources against Carthage and save the captured Lyoko-warriors, faking his death, send Léopold to rescue the Lyoko-warriors and using the Lyoko-warrior Jérémie as TheMole to kill Senja — a near success —, and figuring out how the [[KillSat Grande Arche]] works and telling his subordinate Kiichi how to breach it. [[DyingMomentOfAwesome Even when mortally wounded by Senja]], Hussinger remained unshakable and determined to stop Carthage at all costs, successfully killing Senja and ordering the Eiffel Tower's destruction, [[BatmanGambit aware it could cause a city-wide blackout disorienting Carthage's planes now unable to see their targets]].
* ''Fanfic/TheGamesOfMoriarty'' ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7740418/1/The-Games-of-Moriarty link]]):
** [[FallenHero Jérémie The Eternal and Omnipotent]] is the result of [[BigBad Moriarty]]'s mind-rape of Jérémie in the first chapter and Jérémie being kicked out of the group for releasing XANA from William's mind. Becoming obsessed with destroying Moriarty at all costs, Jérémie creates the "Holmes" program to do so. When he realizes Holmes is also damaging the entire Internet (thus causing bugs and damaging the nations' relations with each other), he reasons that he must become [[AGodAmI humanity's guide/god/master]] to ensure [[WellIntentionedExtremist that they stop fighting each other]]. As such, when Holmes is on the brink of starting a nuclear war, Jérémie plans to virtualize himself in the Network, destroy Holmes, Moriarty and Odd (Moriarty's [[BrainwashedAndCrazy unwilling minion]]), and then conquer the world as he would be seen as humanity's savior, all of this while remaining under the radar. When his former teammates discover his evil plan, Jérémie uses the power he previously gave himself to easily defeat them, despite them having Moriarty's help. His failure was only caused by errors he made dues to his insanity. As smart as he was unstoppable, Jérémie's short villainous moments left a permanent mark on his teammates, the entire world and Moriarty's plans.
** [[AIIsACrapshoot XANA]], the main villain of the original series, was not only created by Franz Hopper to destroy Carthage, but also [[BigBad Moriarty]]. Long after Season 4, after barely escaping death by hiding inside William, XANA is still obsessed with destroying Moriarty. Manipulating William and Jérémie into freeing it from the former's body, XANA easily defeated [[EnemyMine the Lyoko-warriors and Moriarty]], and would've killed them if it wasn't for William FightingFromTheInside. Despite being depowered and stuck inside William, it made an alliance with William, and proved to be a valuable, if evil, ally, giving him pixelized human powers to take on Moriarty on Earth, and often saving him from death through sheer power or quick thinking, such as when it noticed a high-voltage metal box that was used to kill Dark Yumi, who was about to kill a depowered William. Defeating the Dark Lyoko-warriors with William, XANA played an important role in Moriarty's defeat. Ruthless, brutal, [[TheUnfettered unfettered]] and above all, [[NoNonsenseNemesis efficient]], XANA was the most competent character of the entire fanfiction.
* ''[[Fanfic/TrenteDegres Trente Degrés]]'' ([[https://forum.codelyoko.fr/viewtopic.php?t=8806 link]]): Aelita Schäffer, after losing her fellow Lyoko-warriors Jérémie, Ulrich, Odd and Yumi to the XANA-possessed William, decides to destroy any remnant of XANA by killing William. When she learns he's in Melbourne, Australia, she goes there and befriends him once again. When she realizes he's amnesiac, she decides to jog his memory by committing two murders in front of him, before fleeing with him to her place, where she leaves him alone, since she kept all of the Lyoko-warriors' belongings, allowing William to remember what happened by inspecting them. Luring him to a beach, she revealed the truth to him before shooting him dead, killing XANA at the same occasion. Upon succeeding in her mission, Aelita commits suicide by swallowing a cyanide pill.

[[AC:''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'']]
* ''Fanfic/DespairIsland'': [[TheHeavy Justin, the "Eye Candy"]], is [[AdaptationalBadass significantly more cunning than in canon]]. A model born into the Serbian mafia, Justin aims to win ''[[DeadlyGame Total Drama Island]]'' and reunite with his family by any means necessary. To that end, he [[ObfuscatingStupidity cultivates the image of a dumb pretty boy obsessed with his looks]] to make the others underestimate him, charms several female contestants into doing what he wants, and manipulates events to get several contestants eliminated. Proceeding to lay low and slip beneath suspicion, Justin beats fellow manipulator Alejandro, forms friendships with other campers for his benefit, and eventually manages to [[TheBadGuyWins win the competition]]. Despite this, he feels regret for his heinous deeds and forms genuine bonds with his allies, especially Geoff whom he apologizes to. When the Canadian military saves the remaining campers, Justin amiably parts with Geoff and the others and goes on the run from the Serbian mafia, remaining untouchable to the end.
* ''Fanfic/TotalShuffledIslandSeries'': [[AgentProvocateur Noah]] is [[AdaptationalIntelligence considerably more devious and manipulative than in canon]]. Serving as the BigBad of the fourth season, ''Revenge of the Island'', Noah keeps a low profile while subtlety sabotaging the competition. He causes Leonard and Justin's eliminations by writing them anonymous notes, stroking the former's ego and making the latter butt heads with Lindsay throughout the challenge. Upon Courtney being given the power to decide who to eliminate, Noah gets Zoey eliminated by her by forging a diary [[FrameUp framing Zoey]] as a two-faced hypocrite planning to betray everyone. Successfully eliminating Courtney and Jasmine and making it to the finale, Noah becomes the [[TheBadGuyWins first villain to win a season]] by using a variety of traps and weapons to wear down Harold's PoweredArmor and defeat him.

[[AC:Others]]
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/TheCaptainGoodkingSaga'': The silly-seeming [[TheTrickster Sacanas]] manages to be Captain Goodking's [[NotSoHarmlessVillain most competent adversary]]. Swaying his future apprentice to his side after tricking the apprentice's father into being [[TakenForGranite turned to stone]], Sacanas later uses time magic to evade guards keeping the spells he wanted to teach Sanies. Though eventually betrayed and murdered by Sanies, Sacanas returns to life with style: leading an alien invasion to act as a diversion while he traps the heroes in [[LotusEaterMachine dream worlds]] catering to their greatest desires and convinces Stygian to once again become the Pony of Shadows to become Sacanas' personal attack dog. Though eventually defeated, Sacanas shows remorse for his actions and [[GracefulLoser gracefully accepts being sent back to the time of his death, even laughing as he goes]].
* ''WesternAnimation/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPower'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/{{Hegemony}}'': [[Characters/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPowerHordak Hordak]], warlord of [[Characters/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPowerTheHorde the Horde]], is the ruler of the Fright Zone aiming to mentor [[Characters/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPowerCatra Catra]] into one day taking his spot. Through his brilliant campaigns, Hordak has become a force to be reckoned with against the Hegemony and uses clever gambits such as forcing an attack from the Hegemony, all to expose a mole in his own group. Upon finding his former "Brother", [[Characters/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPowerHordePrime Horde Prime]], Hordak sees the folly of his old plan and leaves him to his seal, opting instead to raise Catra to true leadership of the Horde.
* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/GirlsGame'' ([[https://archiveofourown.org/works/18970870/chapters/45043960 link]]): [[AdaptationalIntelligence Bebe Stevens]] is the leader of the girls, uniting them all against the boys. Bebe assisted the child mobster Loogie in his efforts to gain more baby teeth so Bebe can obtain Loogie's loyalty. Bebe also exposed Stan Marsh's disguise by giving him a GroinAttack before ripping out his wig. Gathering everyone to the school gym, Bebe reveals her plan to use a magical fortune telling device to rid her enemies while reshaping reality and time [[InTheirOwnImage in her own image]], which she nearly succeeds until a sudden intervention of Dr. Mephesto's latest creation. The boys then decide to [[EasilyForgiven forgive Bebe]] and invite Bebe and her friends to hang out with them, because they were impressed that she pulled off such an elaborate plan.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Crossovers]]
* ''[[Fanfic/BattleRoyaleMaine Battle Royale, Maine]]'' (''Literature/BattleRoyale'' & ''Literature/{{Carrie}}'') ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5286938/1/ link]]): [[BullyHunter Carrietta "Carrie" White]] is a CompositeCharacter of her original canonical self and Kazuo Kiriyama, and proves to be as sympathetic as the former and as implacable and cunning as the latter. Forcibly inducted in the Battle Royale Program with her classmates and bullies, Carrie, determines to slaughter them, putting to good use the skills she developed after being tormented for so long, staying hidden from her classmates for extended periods of time and [[CrazyPrepared being prepared for several possibilities]]. These skills allowed Carrie to sneak up on her classmates on several occasions, double-tap Steve Deighan when he tries to fake his death, discover Henry Blake's bulletproof vest and take it for herself and wait for the remaining survivors to kill each other when there were few enough. When the last one, her biggest bully [[ArchEnemy Christine "Chris" Hargensen]] nearly kills her, Carrie pretends to succumb to her attack while being protected by her bulletproof vest, before taking down Chris as well, winning the Program. Taking advantage of the legal privileges granted to Program winners, Carrie then proceeds to kill her abusive mother Margaret White, fully completing her revenge.
* ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'' (MassiveMultiplayerCrossover): [[Characters/MarvelComicsSorcererSupreme Doctor Stephen Strange]] aka Taliesin is the Sorcerer Supreme whose PurposeDrivenImmortality is based on defeating [[Characters/MarvelComicsThanos Thanos]] and will take any means necessary to save as many people as he possibly can. Carefully crafting a "reputation for omniscience" over millennia, he uses his inability to lie, abilities a Seer, and [[ExactWords careful word choice]] to ensure people will react as he intends, Strange plays heroes and villains alike, even breaking Lucius Malfoy, a dangerous mastermind who had brought the world to its knees, in a single speech. Setting up his pieces perfectly, Strange has the world organized exactly as he needs for his plans and even tricks Chthon into taking the worst possible host, purging him from the universe. In the sequel, Strange adapts to the temporary loss of his seer powers and manages to destroy various threats to himself and the world, while making amends and earning a happy ending for Maddie Pryor, whom he believes he failed more than anyone else. Regretful of his own [[NecessarilyEvil necessary evil]] but resolved to defeat Thanos no matter what it takes, Strange showcases remarkable ingenuity and charm through all his appearances.
* ''Fanfic/CodeLyokoEG'' (''WesternAnimation/CodeLyoko'' & ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls''): [[Characters/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsSunsetShimmer Sunset Shimmer]], while a CompositeCharacter of her original canon self and William Dunbar, eclipses them both in dastardly brilliance. Joining an hacktivist group in her youth, Sunset worked with it to hack into large corporations, driving one to bankruptcy and nearly giving the same fate to 12 of the biggest government-funded companies. On the run after the group was sold out to the police, Sunset hacked into wealthy people's bank accounts for a living. [[SixthRanger Recruited]] by the Lyoko 6 after proving her worth, Sunset proves to be an invaluable member of the team, an effective leader during Twilight Sparkle's absence, [[BatmanGambit tricking XANA into revealing to her his IP address and thus his Replikas]], figuring out XANA's ''modus operandi'', [[HeroicSeductress using her own crush on one of the Dazzlings to keep an eye on them when they infiltrate the Lyoko 7]], and sending a hidden mail containing the anti-XANA program to Twilight while tricking XANA into stealing a fake, securing his final defeat in the long run.
* ''Fanfic/{{Drakigo}}'' (''Film/BramStokersDracula'' & ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible''): [[FallenHero Once the leader of the Transylvanian knights]], Shego Dracula [[RageAgainstTheHeavens forsakes god]] and willingly becomes a vampire after her beloved Elizabeta kills herself. Years after killing the vampire that turned her, Shego tricks Ronald Stoppable into selling her a house. Turning him over to her brides, Shego journeys to London and runs into Stoppable's fiance, Kimberly. Determined to woo Kimberly, Shego takes her on dates and eventually turns her friend Monique into a vampire after feeding on her. Upon being betrayed and wounded, Shego is prepared to fight to the death. [[DeadpanSnarker Snarky]] and clever, Shego manages to live the rest of her life with her beloved.
* ''FanFic/GuardiansWizardsAndKungFuFighters'':
** [[KnowledgeBroker Charles Ludmoore]], [[KingOfThieves the King Smuggler]], is Meridian's most notorious trader of secrets and artifacts of power. Through his brothers Cedric and Cyrus, he manipulates both sides of the civil war for his family's LongGame. Using the [[ArtifactOfDoom Oni masks]] as distractions to cover his acquisition of even more powerful items, he shores up a great deal of power for himself that few can match. Once Cedric tracks down Phobos's sister Elyon, he has Cedric manipulate Phobos into attacking him to give himself an excuse to join the Rebellion, where he proves invaluable to many of the Rebellion's operations. When Daolon Wong betrays Phobos, Ludmoore arranges to place himself in a position to save Wong's life, taking all of Wong's magic in exchange. He later arranges the events that set Elyon against Phobos, leading to Phobos's downfall and putting him in a position to shape the future of Meridian even further.
** [[DoubleReverseQuadrupleAgent Harold Hale]], aka Arthur Pendragon, is [[GoodParents Cornelia's father]] and a member of the [[TheSyndicate Dark Hand]]. After pretending to be unaware of the Dark Hand, he betrays Jackie Chan to Bartholomew Chang, who blackmails Jackie into working for the Dark Hand. Knowing that Jackie is [[TheMole infiltrating the Dark Hand for Section 13]], Hale seemingly switches sides in order to give Section 13 control over the American branch of the Dark Hand, along with helping them arrest Chang, only to reveal to the renegade Quentin Ross that the Dark Hand and Section 13 were both created, in part by Hale himself, for the purpose of [[WellIntentionedExtremist manipulating the world's governments into using magic to protect Earth from extradimensional threats]], before killing Ross. He then meets with the other leaders of the Dark Hand, revealing to the readers that everything from his defection to his takeover of the American Dark Hand was all part of his plan.
* ''Fanfic/HeroesSeries'' (MassiveMultiplayerCrossover):
** [[Characters/MarvelComicsDoctorDoom Doctor Doom]] of [[WesternAnimation/FantasticFourWorldsGreatestHeroes Earth-10005]] is the most competent adversary the heroes ever face and the only one to succeed in his goals multiple times. Seeking the power to protect his universe no matter the cost, Doom uses his intelligent mind and magical abilities to keep the heroes on their toes, keeping his motives hidden and always having a backup plan to escape. Even in his alliance with [[Characters/SmallvilleLuthorCorp Lex Luthor]], Doom simultaneously engineers his own success and his partner's downfall, briefly gaining control of the Phoenix Force thanks to a plan he set in motion decades prior. Later on tricking [[Characters/MerlinMorgana Morgana]] into giving him her powers, Doom also singlehandedly destroys the Seed of Wonder, trapping the Senior Partners in their dimension. With genuine respect for his adversaries and destructive yet will-intentioned methods, Doom is the heroes' most dangerous foe and the only one they genuinely fear.
** [[Characters/MoonKnightMarcSpector Moon Knight]] is simultaneously a billionaire philanthropist, a brilliant detective, and a [[GoodIsNotNice brutal vigilante]]. Called in by Daredevil to investigate Gwen Stacy's disappearance, Moon Knight tracks down Rhino and tortures him for her location, even threatening Rhino's mother to make him sell out [[Characters/MarvelComicsNormanOsborn Norman Osborn]]. Using a business meeting to plant a bug on him and later defeating Silver Sable in one-on-one combat, Moon Knight then holds off Osborn long enough for the other heroes to defeat him. Later repeating his brutal techniques on [[AmoralAttorney Lindsey McDonald]], Moon Knight gathers information on the entire Circle of the Black Thorn, proving instrumental to its downfall in the process. Despite his eccentric nature, Moon Knight is a dangerous man to cross, both intellectually and physically.
* ''WebVideo/ImAMarvelAndImADC'' (Creator/DCComics & Creator/MarvelComics): [[Characters/SupermanLexLuthor Lex Luthor]] is the mastermind behind "After Hours" and one of the craftiest supervillains in the series. After creating [[RidiculouslyHumanRobot Lance]] to spy on the heroes over at Stan's Place, Luthor kidnapped Creator/StanLee and replaced him with an Life Model Decoy. He intended on using Doctor Doom's time machine to fix all the mistakes the studios had made with the other villains' films. However, Luthor was surprised when they all refused to risk losing what little they had. Believing the heroes of the Marvel universe had created a culture content with remaining unambitious, Lex sought to travel back in time and prevent Stan Lee from creating Marvel Comics. After his plan was foiled by Superman, Luthor learned that the Joker had initiated "Plan Q"; a plan he had previously scrapped that led to Darkseid learning he was a fictional character. Believing Lance was the key to stopping him, Luthor recruited the Green Goblin to retrieve his head back from the heroes. Thanks to the warnings from his future self, Lex teamed up with the heroes to repair Lance and help them stop Darkseid's forces. [[{{Determinator}} Managing to persevere no matter the odds]], Lex Luthor proves he still is the most ambitious criminal mind among both Marvel and DC.
* ''[[Fanfic/KiraYoshikagesLittleSister Kira Yoshikage's Little Sister]]'' (''Franchise/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' & ''Literature/PippiLongstocking'') ([[https://m.fanfiction.net/s/13862327/1/Kira-Yoshikage-s-Little-Sister link]]): [[LittleSisterInstinct Pippi Longstocking]] is [[AdaptationalVillainy reimagined]] as Koichi Hirose's former classmate and [[Characters/JoJosBizarreAdventureYoshikageKira Yoshikage Kira]]'s little sister, consequently renamed Pippi Kira. Well aware and supportive of her older brother's true nature as a serial killer, Pippi helps him cover up his crimes to ensure he continues living the peaceful life he strives for. When Yoshikage is forced to become Kosaku Kawajiri, Pippi tasks her father Yoshihiro Kira to look after her brother before waiting for [[Characters/JoJosBizarreAdventureDiamondIsUnbreakableHeroes Josuke Higashikata, Okuyasu Nijimura, Koichi and Jotaro Kujo]] to come to the Kira house to investigate. Keeping hidden her Stand Black Queen's versatile abilities unless she's gradually forced to reveal them, [[LastStand Pippi manages to keep up with the group despite being aware she has little chances of winning]], nearly killing her classmate and Okuyasu on separate occasions. Even when defeated and mortally wounded by Jotaro, Pippi refuses to tell him any information about Yoshikage and takes advantage of her opponents dropping their guard to transfer part of her power to her brother, empowering him.
* ''Fanfic/LoveAtFirstSightOnceUponATime'' (''Film/MrRight'' & ''Series/OnceUponATime''): [[Characters/OnceUponATimeEmmaSwan Emma Swan]] is a quirky ex-CIA agent and ex-assassin who went rogue and now kills her clients out of both boredom and belief that they are bad people. Introduced killing a woman who hired her to kill said woman's husband and easily taking out a group sent to kill her, Emma eventually meets [[Characters/OnceUponATimeRegina Regina Mills]] and instantly falls in love with her. During her relationship with Regina, Emma is constantly dodging assassination attempts and killing those sent to kill her, all the while being completely honest with Regina about her profession. Emma later easily takes out most of Jekyll and Hyde's men, even befriending some, before letting Regina join her in her assassination business, even promising to help Regina kill her cheating ex-boyfriend, Robin.
* ''Fanfic/NoMoreTurnabout'' (''Franchise/AceAttorney'' & ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes'') ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10849348/1/No-More-Turnabout link]]): The [[AffablyEvil polite]] and playful Henry Cooldown is the true murderer behind the crime that his twin brother, Travis Touchdown, finds himself framed for. Worried that Travis's relationship with Henry's ex-wife, Sylvia Christel, will lead Travis down to ruin, Henry formulates a plan to make Travis believe Sylvia was the one who framed him for the murder, and lead to the end of their relationship. Henry hires renowned assassin, Shelly de Killer, to attack Diane Heifer at the cemetery and make it seem as if the true crime scene occurred there before having him bring her body to the video store for Henry to murder. Henry then poses as an assistant and bodyguard to Phoenix Wright after saving his life from hitmen who Henry himself hired, and subtly leads Phoenix and Maya to misleading pieces of evidence. Henry successfully manages to put Sylvia under suspicion by having de Killer fake a slip-up about his client's identity. Even after Phoenix discovers that Henry is the murderer, Henry nearly gets away with his crimes by presenting proof of an alibi at the time the murder was thought to occur at the cemetery. When finally defeated, Henry [[GracefulLoser accepts defeat with dignity]] and openly admits to being wrong when he finds out that Sylvia truly cares for his brother.
* ''Fanfic/{{Purpose}}'' (''Manga/ElfenLied'' & ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'') ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4788341/1/Purpose link]]): [[Characters/SawJohnKramer John Kramer]] and his apprentice Lucy, aka Kaede, are the philosophical Jigsaw Killers:
** [[EvilMentor John Kramer]] maintains his deeds from the film series and goes to abduct Lucy, forcing her into a DeathTrap in an effort to make her regain her appreciation for life. After she survives, John is impressed and speaks to her, [[YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre shutting down her nihilistic worldview]] and earns [[UndyingLoyalty her loyalty]] in the process. So great is John's influence that even after his death Lucy takes up his work.
** [[LegacyCharacter Lucy]] inherits John's title and continues his ''modus operandi'' after his passing. A WellIntentionedExtremist just like her predecessor, Lucy continues his work while evading the police for five years through cunning. Abducting the vile Director Kakuzawa, [[IGaveMyWord Lucy still abides to the rules of John's game and encourages Kakuzawa to overcome the trap]], only killing him when he loses thanks to his own ego.
* ''Fanfic/RemnantsBizarreAdventure'' (''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' & ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}''):
** [[CuteAndPsycho Neo Politan]] is the [[DaddysLittleVillain adoptive daughter]] and personal assassin for Roman Torchwick. She is a highly skilled and dangerous fighter, frequently able to take on multiple trained warriors at a time. When Koichi Hirose is kidnapped by [[SerialKiller Anjuro Katagiri]], Neo rescues Koichi and the two defeat the infamous murderer, with Neo being impressed by Koichi's courage and forming a VillainousCrush. Neo successfully prevents Jotaro from taking Emerald Sustrai prisoner during the Dance, and when Joseph Joestar is brought to Vale to find Torchwick, she attempts to assassinate him and is nearly successful. During the Breach, Neo escapes her imprisonment the very moment her guards attempt to transfer her from her cell, leaving their bodies in her place. Sneering at egotists and cowards, Neo proves that she is one of Remnant's most capable criminals.
** [[ProfessionalKiller Eleven Men]] is one of the enforcers hired by Whitesnake to facilitate the Breach, and is cunning, pragmatic, and [[AffablyEvil unfailingly polite]]. Despite having a [[HeartIsAnAwesomePower seemingly weak Stand]], Eleven Men proves himself a deadly opponent when he fights [[Characters/RWBYYangXiaoLong Yang Xiao Long]], scoring a definitive victory over the blonde brawler, and [[NearVillainVictory only being prevented from killing her]] by the intervention of Raven Branwen. Despite being outmatched by Raven, Eleven Men remains as professional as ever, successfully escaping the train with Jotaro and Team RWBY having been unable to avert the Breach.
* ''Fanfic/TheRequiemOfRemnant'' (''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureGoldenWind'' & ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}''): [[Characters/JojosBizarreAdventureGiornoGiovanna Giorno Giovanna]] remains as magnificent as ever. Even despite being TrappedInAnotherWorld without his Requiem powers, Giorno sets out to take over the criminal underworld in hopes of killing Cinder Fall and gaining the resources to return home. When confronted by Emerald Sustrai and Mercury Black, Giorno [[AssassinOutclassin defeats the master assassins with relative ease]], with the two of them only barely managing to escape death at his hands. For months he robs Roman Torchwick blind, culminating in him stealing Roman's best weapons at his own White Fang rally. After escaping from Team RWBY in a high-speed chase, Giorno defeats Roman and Neo Politan in battle and lets them escape [[ParanoiaGambit with the idea that he has an entire organization backing him]]. Giorno [[TheSocialExpert is an expert at manipulating people by subtly changing his behavior]], and tricks his enemies into coming to the conclusions that he wants them to reach. When confronted on his motives, Giorno states that he won't be satisfied until he's the one in control.
* ''Fanfic/{{Sleepy}}'' (''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' & ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'') ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12999877/1/Sleepy link]]): [[Characters/BleachEspadas1To5 Tier Harribel, the Tres Espada]], becomes King of Hueco Mondo after [[Characters/BleachSosukeAizen Sosuke Aizen]]'s defeat and shines through her leadership, becoming one of [[Characters/RWBYRubyRose Ruby Rose]], Coyote Starrk and Lilynette Gingerbuck's most brilliant allies. Using fellow Arrancar Ruby Rose to establish links with Remnant, she has her collect Grimm as the newest Hollow food instead of the Hollows' cannibalism and establishes a ceasefire with Soul Society by sending Ruby there – risking the latter's life in the process – with a record of Mayuri Kurotsuchi and Zaraki Kenpachi's incursion within Soul Society, using that same record to fasten the negociations with Atlas by convincing them to build shared defenses against Soul Society. Establishing secret alliances with Remnant in several aspects such as soul research, transportation and Grimm harvesting, Harribel and several Arrancars assist Vale during the Fall of Beacon, making hers and Hueco Mondo's existence public as heroes after successfully foiling [[Characters/RWBYCinderFall Cinder Fall]]'s plans.
* ''[[Fanfic/TheSpiralOfDescent The Spiral of Descent]]'' (''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' & ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'') ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10043570/1/The-Spiral-of-Descent link]]): [[Characters/NarutoSasukeUchiha Sasuke Uchiha]], having learned about [[Characters/NarutoMadaraUchiha Madara Uchiha]]'s status as the Soul King in his Infinite Tsukuyomi-created Soul Society, wants to stop him to save the shinobi world. Infiltrating the Gotei 13 as [[Characters/BleachSosukeAizen Sosuke Aizen]], Sasuke quickly became a beloved shinigami Captain. Teaming up with his best friend [[Characters/NarutoNarutoUzumaki Naruto Uzumaki]] and the latter's lover Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck, Aizen has the latter join the Espada with a middle rank to avoid too much attention. Committing most of his canon deeds, Aizen masterminds and starts a war in his supposed target Karakura Town [[KansasCityShuffle to draw Soul Society's attention away from Naruto and Nelliel]], whom Aizen sent to destroy Los Angeles to create the required King's Key to reach Madara and kill him to dispel the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Upon successfully doing so, Naruto, Nelliel's soul and Aizen engage Madara in the real world, defeating him and successfully saving the shinobi world. A combination of his canon self's sympathetic traits, talent and ruthlessness with Aizen's mastery of strategy and tactics, Sasuke proves to be nobler than the canon Aizen.
* ''Fanfic/ToMyDeathIFight'' (''Manga/{{Bleach}}'', ''Anime/{{Hellsing}}'' & ''Anime/KillLaKill''): [[Characters/BleachSosukeAizen Sosuke Aizen]], while retaining his canon cruelty, [[WellIntentionedExtremist is driven by genuinely good intentions]]. Discovering the Original Life Fiber's existence and omnicidal intentions in the 19th century, Aizen started plotting against it, committing his canon deeds to empower his Hogyoku and kill the Soul King in the hopes of taking down the Original Life Fiber. When freed from the Muken by Kisuke Urahara, Aizen works with [[Characters/BleachIchigoKurosaki Ichigo Kurosaki]], [[Characters/KillLaKillRyukoMatoi Ryuko Matoi]], [[Characters/KillLaKillSatsukiKiryuin Satsuki Kiryuin]] and their allies against Ragyo Kiryuin, coming up with several strategies and teamwork tactics either in the long run or on the fly, using psychological warfare and excellent teamwork with Satsuki against Ragyo — forcing the latter to go all out to defeat them —, nearly sealing the Original Life Fiber with the help of Seras Victoria and Kinue Kinagase, masquerading as Satsuki and working with Ryuko to trick Ragyo into getting close enough for Aizen to severely injure her, later on successfully outsmarting Ragyo and leading to her death, and finally work with Ichigo, Ryuko, Satsuki and Nui Harime to send the Original Life Fiber to Hueco Mondo to give the former three a field advantage, allowing them to achieve victory.
* ''[[Fanfic/ThisWarOfMineSivam This War of Mine]]'' (''Franchise/DragonBall'' & ''Franchise/{{RWBY}}'') ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12310177/1/ link]]) : Future [[Characters/DragonBallSonGoku Son Goku]] and Future [[Characters/DragonBallPiccolo Piccolo]], while long dead, remain the fighting geniuses they were in canon. Coming up with a plan to take down Future Cell and save Earth and Remnant, Goku and Piccolo brutally train [[Characters/RWBYRubyRose Ruby Rose]] for months after her death in the Fall of Beacon, significantly increasing her overall strength and skills. Allowed to return to the mortal world for a day for his good deeds, Goku used that reward to use the Namek Dragon Balls to resurrect Ruby and Piccolo, bringing back the Earth Dragon Balls for later use. Teleporting to Remnant to rescue his son [[Characters/DragonBallFutureTrunksTimeline Future Son Gohan]], Ruby and their allies from Perfect Cell, Goku engages Cell, while ensuring Gohan could observe Cell's fighting style. Left with little time before going back to the afterlife, Goku manipulates Cell into setting up the Cell Games in a week, allowing Gohan, Ruby and their allies to train in the Room of Spirit and Time to become strong enough to confront Cell by then, willing to [[WellIntentionedExtremist risk innocent lives to save them]] and ensure the new generation could measure up.
[[/folder]]

* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'':
** FanGame ''Sonic GT'' ([[https://gamejolt.com/games/Sonic-GT/533291 link]]): [[Characters/SonicTheHedgehogDrIvoEggmanRobotnik Dr. Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik]], once again the ArchEnemy of Sonic and friends, plans to use [[VideoGame/SegaSonicTheHedgehog Mighty the Armadillo]]'s highly durable shell as a basis for his next line of "ultra-heavy" Badnik superweapons. To achieve this, he kidnaps Mighty's best friend Ray the Flying Squirrel, uses a ransom note to bait the armadillo into being overwhelmed by an ambush of robots, and [[CrazyPrepared collects a sample of Mighty's shell]] in the ensuing struggle. As Eggman [[BatmanGambit predicted]], Mighty eventually tracks down Ray with the assistance of Sonic and Tails, and upon the trio's arrival at his pyramid base, the doctor reveals his intent to finally secure victory over the heroes using the Hard Boiled EGG Tank, a weapons platform reverse-engineered from the collected sample of Mighty's shell. Despite expressing [[ThisCannotBe shock and disbelief]] when Sonic and Mighty manage to defeat it, Eggman quickly regains his composure before [[VillainExitStageLeft escaping]], leaving [[KillerRobot Metal Sonic]] behind to seemingly deal with anyone who sticks around.
* FanVideo ''Sonic Forces: REWRITTEN'', by [=Charriii5=] ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqVjHRm1hT4 link]]) [[Characters/SonicTheHedgehogDrIvoEggmanRobotnik Dr. Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik]] is once again Sonic's most brilliant enemy. Convincing the mercenary Zero to join him, later rebuilding the mercenary into the terrifying [[Characters/SonicTheHedgehogInfinite Infinite]] using the Phantom Ruby. Eggman tests the Phantom Ruby and tricks Knuckles into removing the Master Emerald, before then using Infinite to defeat Sonic, trap him in Null Space, and take over most of the world. Setting the heroes up for failure, Eggman lets them hunt the Chaos Emeralds, even positioning his best Death Egg Robot so that the heroes will inadvertently power it with the Master Emerald, and setting things up so that if the Resistance power up the Eclipse Cannon, he can hold the entire planet under his thumb with it. Upon all his defenses being breached by sheer force, Eggman activates a final measure, having merged the Phantom Ruby and Master Emerald, and engages his Chaos-empowered foes in a final, drawn-out battle. Once defeated, Eggman [[GracefulLoser calmly looks on as his empire fades away completely]], pondering with pathos that [[NearVillainVictory even when he had everything, he still lost]].

* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' FanGame ''Sonic GT'' ([[https://gamejolt.com/games/Sonic-GT/533291 link]]): [[Characters/SonicTheHedgehogDrIvoEggmanRobotnik Dr. Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik]], once again the ArchEnemy of Sonic and friends, plans to use [[VideoGame/SegaSonicTheHedgehog Mighty the Armadillo]]'s highly durable shell as a basis for his next line of "ultra-heavy" Badnik superweapons. To achieve this, he kidnaps Mighty's best friend Ray the Flying Squirrel, uses a ransom note to bait the armadillo into being overwhelmed by an ambush of robots, and [[CrazyPrepared collects a sample of Mighty's shell]] in the ensuing struggle. As Eggman [[BatmanGambit predicted]], Mighty eventually tracks down Ray with the assistance of Sonic and Tails, and upon the trio's arrival at his pyramid base, the doctor reveals his intent to finally secure victory over the heroes using the Hard Boiled EGG Tank, a weapons platform reverse-engineered from the collected sample of Mighty's shell. Despite expressing [[ThisCannotBe shock and disbelief]] when Sonic and Mighty manage to defeat it, Eggman quickly regains his composure before [[VillainExitStageLeft escaping]], leaving [[KillerRobot Metal Sonic]] behind to seemingly deal with anyone who sticks around.

* ''Fanfic/MikesNewGhostlyFamily'': [[DemonLordsAndArchdevils Nightmare]] is a ruthless Hell Lord and the leader of the Nightmare demons. Exploiting his status as one of the more "Moral" demons, which allows him more access to Earth, he uses it to secretly advance his mysterious goals, while also taking wagers with his victims in exchange for sparing them of torture. Taking one such bet with [[Characters/FiveNightsAtFreddysWilliamAfton William Afton]] to break apart the Schmidt family, his [[EvenEvilHasStandards disgust of how he treats his own family]] leads him to intentionally tighten the bond of the family via his [[BreakThemByTalking brutally accurate speeches]] and winning the bet. Gaining a genuine respect towards Mike Schmidt after being bested by him, he later willingly aids the family on occasion, from organizing the brutal defeat of an escaped Afton alongside Mike to helping destroy Glitchtrap's copies while locating the one that escaped via manipulating Fazbear Entertainment, all while subtly advancing his own agenda.

* ''Fanfic/{{Echoes}}'': In a fanfiction full of characters and universes, these characters have distinguished themselves through their morally dubious, but brilliant feats:

* ''VideoGame/TheWalkingDeadTelltale'' {{Fanfic}} ''[[Fanfic/SomethingToFightFor Something to Fight For]]'' ([[https://old.reddit.com/r/TWDGFanFic/comments/q37gxh/something_to_fight_for_round_of_16_theme_sacrifice/ link]]): [[ActionSurvivor Clementine]], unlike [[Characters/TheWalkingDeadVideoGameClementine her original incarnation]], is far more cunning and pragmatic. Believing that only the strong and wise can survive in the apocalypse, Clementine resorted to killing Kenny and Jane for being a liability, and even went as far as [[WouldHurtAChild sacrificing AJ to a herd of walkers]] because he wouldn't stop crying. Upon reuniting with Lilly years later and discovering she's now in league with raiders harassing teenagers at the Ericson school, Clementine usurped the leadership of Ericson and plotted to have Lilly and her group killed. After pretending to nearly kill Tenn to convince his sister, Minerva, to give up Lilly, Clementine murders Minerva and leads the teenagers to storm Lilly's hideout. When she gets captured, Clementine distracts Lilly and her raiders in order to let the other teenagers escape, and also to prevent her from disarming the hidden bomb [[SomebodySetUpUsTheBomb that subsequently detonates and eradicates Lilly and her crew]].

* '' WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra '' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/VariumFortune'': [[Characters/TheLegendOfKorraAsamiSato Asami Sato]] is the seductive daughter of Hiroshi Sato, and is reimagined here as a FemmeFatale. Desiring to destroy the Triads after witnessing her mother's murder years ago, Asami tricks [[Characters/TheLegendOfKorraAvatarKorra Korra]] into tracking down the murderer and kills him using Korra's gun. Travelling to Ba Sing Se, Asami tries to get the Earth Queen to lend her some Dai Li to train an army that she plans to have Korra lead. Recruiting Mako and Bolin, Asami plans to blow up a bank in Gaoling and frame the brothers for it. Even when Korra has her at gunpoint, Asami manages to calmly make peace with her and kills the Dai Li agents spying on them. Seeking to unite Republic City, Ba Sing Se and Gaoling for an impending war with the Fire Nation, Asami and Korra agree to help Suyin Beifong reconnect with her sister Lin. Every bit as smart as her canon counterpart, Asami ends the story managing to get Korra to agree to lead her revolution.

* ''Fanfic/HeroesSeries'' (MassiveMultiplayerCrossover): [[Characters/MoonKnightMarcSpector Moon Knight]] is simultaneously a billionaire philanthropist, a brilliant detective, and a [[GoodIsNotNice brutal vigilante]]. Called in by Daredevil to investigate Gwen Stacy's disappearance, Moon Knight tracks down Rhino and tortures him for her location, even threatening Rhino's mother to make him sell out [[Characters/MarvelComicsNormanOsborn Norman Osborn]]. Using a business meeting to plant a bug on him and later defeating Silver Sable in one-on-one combat, Moon Knight then holds off Osborn long enough for the other heroes to defeat him. Later repeating his brutal techniques on [[AmoralAttorney Lindsey McDonald]], Moon Knight gathers information on the entire Circle of the Black Thorn, proving instrumental to its downfall in the process. Despite his eccentric nature, Moon Knight is a dangerous man to cross, both intellectually and physically.

* ''Fanfic/{{Sleepy}}'' (''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' & ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'') ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12999877/1/Sleepy link]]): [[Characters/BleachEspadas1To5 Tier Harribel, the Tres Espada]], becomes King of Hueco Mondo after [[Characters/BleachSosukeAizen Sosuke Aizen]]'s defeat and shines through her leadership, becoming one of [[Characters/RWBYRubyRose Ruby Rose]], Coyote Starrk and Lilynette Gingerbuck's most brilliant allies. Using fellow Arrancar Ruby Rose to establish links with Remnant, she has her collect Grimm as the newest Hollow food instead of the Hollows' cannibalism and establishes a ceasefire with Soul Society by sending Ruby there – risking the latter's life in the process – with a record of Mayuri Kurotsuchi and Zaraki Kenpachi's incursion within Soul Society, using that same record to fasten the negociations with Atlas by convincing them to build shared defenses against Soul Society. Establishing secret alliances with Remnant in several aspects such as soul research, transportation and Grimm harvesting, Harribel and several Arrancars assist Vale during the Fall of Beacon, making hers and Hueco Mondo's existence public as heroes after successfully foiling [[Characters/RWBYCinderFall Cinder Fall]]'s plans.

-->-- '''Thanos-842667''', ''Fanfic/AvengersEndgameDragonisPrime''

!!Individual works:
[[foldercontrol]]

[[AC:Anime & Manga]]

* ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'' WebVideo ''WebVideo/BerserkAbridged'': [[Characters/BerserkGriffithFemto Griffith]], charismatic leader of the Band of the Hawks, manages to press [[Characters/BerserkGuts Guts]] into the Band before taking the lead in Midland's Hundred-Year War. Using his command of tactics and the proper battle music to set them to, Griffith leads them to victory after victory before taking the impenetrable Doldrey fortress. Luring out its corrupt Governor who lusts after Griffith's place in his Escaflowne cosplay group, Griffith then [[FakingTheDead fakes his death]] to catch the Queen of Midland in a plot and burns her and her co-conspirators alive. When the time comes to sacrifice the Hawks to the Godhand, Griffith can only refuse and [[DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu tells the demon lords to leave him and his friends]] alone before recovering and setting off to become king.
* ''Anime/CowboyBebop'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/TwoDragons'': This version of [[TheDreaded Vicious]] remains a [[WarriorPoet composed, nihilistic, Darwinist assassin]]. The most effective of the Red Dragon Syndicate's agents, Vicious kills scores of their enemies and sets up a drug deal to have his own mentor assassinated, allowing him to frame Spike Spiegel and stage his best friend's "execution" to [[TheStarscream murder the Van and take control of the Syndicate]]. In the following month Vicious proves an unmatchable tactician, spreading the Red Dragon's influence across Mars and when Spike tries to flee with his girlfriend Julia, sets up a trap to force Spike to fight him, [[BloodKnight wishing to die facing the ultimate opponent]].
* ''Manga/DeathNote'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/{{Liability}}'' ([[https://archiveofourown.org/works/26486137/chapters/64545175 link]]): [[Characters/DeathNoteMisaAmane Misa Amane]], once given her memories back via the Death Note, decides to take the chess match between [[Characters/DeathNoteLightYagami Light Yagami]] and [[Characters/DeathNoteLLawliet L Lawliet]] and "flip the board over". To that end, she begins by forcing Mikami to call the Task Force and confess to being Kira before committing suicide, simultaneously subjecting Light and Takada to death by fire so that they can take the Death Note with them. Immediately afterwards, she relinquishes her ownership and hence memories of the Death Note, ensuring that [[MemoryGambit she can't incriminate herself as the 2nd Kira]]. With Soichiro forces to save his wife and daughter from a house fire, L investigates Mikami's death and finds two notes: one supposedly written by Mikami confessing to all of Light's crimes, and another for L's eyes only in which Misa details her plan, not identifying herself but warning L that going after her [[ImpliedDeathThreat won't end well for him]]. With the power of Kira gone from Earth and herself left blissfully unaware, Misa retires with L to Wammy's House.
* ''Anime/DragonBallZ'':
** {{Fanfic}}s:
*** ''Fanfic/DragonBallZPRIMAL'': [[Characters/DragonBallCooler Cooler]] is the brutal but charismatic leader of the Cooler Empire. A gifted scientist and martial artist since his youth, Cooler rejected his father King Cold's tyrannical methods and sought to conquer planets through more honourable means, fighting and earning the respect of their world's strongest fighters, first doing so on planet Hera and even helping some of their people escape when his father found out. Upon being disowned and exiled to a desolate planet, Cooler allies with the natives to create the [[Anime/DragonBallZTheReturnOfCooler Big Gete Star program]] and relocates the surviving Herans to assemble an army to combat the Frieza Force, traveling the cosmos and welcoming strong planets into his empire while purging weak worlds so the universe was strong and knowledgable enough to survive. Arriving on Earth upon learning of Frieza's defeat by Goku's hand, Cooler [[AFatherToHisMen shows genuine care for his men]] and challenges Gohan all while offering him a place in his empire. After being defeated and fatally wounded, Cooler [[GracefulLoser sincerely congratulates Gohan]], proving himself [[AdaptationalNiceGuy more virtuous than the original film]].
*** ''Fanfic/InPursuitOfVengeance'' ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11434583/1/In-Pursuit-Of-Vengeance link]]): [[DragonWithAnAgenda Dodoria]] proves to be [[AdaptationalIntelligence significantly more intelligent]] than his canon counterpart. Tasked by Frieza to watch over the forcibly recruited Goku, Dodoria tricks him into purging a helpless alien race by taking advantage of Goku's grudge against Raditz. Over time, Dodoria begins to form a bond with Goku, and when the Saiyans betray Frieza, Dodoria deduces the existence of the Namekian Dragon Balls, intending to use them as a way to persuade Frieza to spare Goku for his treachery. Attacking Namek alongside Zarbon for its Dragon Balls, when Dodoria discovers Goku intends to use them to revive the purged Earthlings, [[HeelFaceTurn he turns against Frieza and kills Zarbon by surprise]]. After shielding Goku from Captain Ginyu's [[GrandTheftMe body swap technique]], Dodoria impersonates Ginyu to trick Frieza into thinking the Saiyans are still on Namek, buying Goku time to resurrect everyone on Earth. Dodoria then goes to Earth to train the revived Z-Fighters, allowing them to grow strong enough to protect the planet from Frieza's forces.
*** ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' crossover ''[[Fanfic/ThisWarOfMineSivam This War of Mine]]'' ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12310177/1/ link]]) : Future [[Characters/DragonBallSonGoku Son Goku]] and Future [[Characters/DragonBallPiccolo Piccolo]], while long dead, remain the fighting geniuses they were in canon. Coming up with a plan to take down Future Cell and save Earth and Remnant, Goku and Piccolo brutally train [[Characters/RWBYRubyRose Ruby Rose]] for months after her death in the Fall of Beacon, significantly increasing her overall strength and skills. Allowed to return to the mortal world for a day for his good deeds, Goku used that reward to use the Namek Dragon Balls to resurrect Ruby and Piccolo, bringing back the Earth Dragon Balls for later use. Teleporting to Remnant to rescue his son [[Characters/DragonBallFutureTrunksTimeline Future Son Gohan]], Ruby and their allies from Perfect Cell, Goku engages Cell, while ensuring Gohan could observe Cell's fighting style. Left with little time before going back to the afterlife, Goku manipulates Cell into setting up the Cell Games in a week, allowing Gohan, Ruby and their allies to train in the Room of Spirit and Time to become strong enough to confront Cell by then, willing to [[WellIntentionedExtremist risk innocent lives to save them]] and ensure the new generation could measure up.
** {{Webcomic}} ''Webcomic/DragonBallMultiverse'':
*** Captain Ginyu of Universe 8 was once the esteemed leader of the Ginyu Force, punished by Frieza for a past failure. Using his [[GrandTheftMe "Body Change" technique]] to fake his death, Ginyu goes into hiding and plots revenge against his former master. [[HijackingCthulhu Taking over King Cold's body]] and [[KillAndReplace usurping his place as leader of the Frost Demon empire]], he keeps up the masquerade for decades and trains himself to control Cold's great power, even managing to unlock two new transformations in secret. In his battle against Bra of Universe 16 during the tournament, Ginyu takes advantage of the Saiyan girl's pride and arrogance to give himself an advantage in the fight, only losing due to Bra fighting dirty herself. Ginyu uses his Body Change technique to swap bodies with Bra and leaves her trapped in his old crippled body, only narrowly thwarted by virtue of Vegito's sheer strength. Even as Babidi's thrall, Ginyu is no less competent a fighter, making unorthodox use of his Body Change technique to [[DeliberateInjuryGambit make his enemies mutilate themselves]] before swapping them into one another's dying bodies.
*** Bardock of Universe 3 shows himself to be more than a [[FromNobodyToNightmare low-class Saiyan thug]]. After foreseeing Frieza's genocide of the Saiyan race, Bardock successfully rallied the Saiyans to rebel against Frieza by overthrowing King Vegeta. The Saiyans under Bardock's new leadership then seized control of Frieza's empire, with Bardock using his [[{{Seers}} precognitive powers]] to devise [[CrazyPrepared long-term plans]] to eliminate any competitors. To avoid any power struggles that would undo his work, Bardock willingly [[AbdicateTheThrone stepped down as king]], instead becoming one of the empire's chief advisors to continue [[TheManBehindTheMan running affairs from behind the scenes]], all the while adapting his plans to whichever Saiyan ascends to the throne.
*** ''Hanasia, Queen of the Saiyans'': Snower is the second son of Emperor Blizzard of the [[GalacticSuperpower Frost Demon Empire]]. Snower acts as the Empire's administrator to appoint his followers to important positions, while his efficiency makes him a trusted figure even as he [[TheStarscream secretly plots to seize total control in the future]]. When his brothers leave to seek revenge on Hanasia for the death of their brother Chilled, Snower takes advantage of their absence to enact his long-awaited coup. Snower covertly aids a group of rebels seeking to break free from the Empire, assassinating his father and older brother as well as Hanasia. Victorious, he offers the rebels a chance to join his ranks, or return home with their newly earned independence only to [[ExactWords withhold any assistance to the independent planets]] unless they let themselves be annexed by his new empire.
** WebVideo ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged:''
*** ''[[Recap/DragonBallZAbridgedM2 The Christmas Tree of Might]]'': [[TheGrinch Turles]] is a Saiyan survivor who leads a band of loyal criminals, whom he [[BenevolentBoss rescued from the Planet of Misfit Minions]]. Turles developed a burning hatred for Christmas, due to [[FreudianExcuse Santa Claus never visiting Planet Vegeta]] and robbing him of the joys of Christmas. As a result, Turles made it his life's mission to [[HowTheCharacterStoleChristmas ruin Christmas on other planets]] by planting the Christmas Tree of Might, which would absorb all of the planet's Christmas joy, intending to do so on Earth. Meeting Gohan, Turles recognizes the boy as a Saiyan, where Turles pushes a PressurePoint to make Gohan's tail regrow, then tricks him into looking at an Artificial Moon he created. Gohan transforms into a Great Ape, with Turles pitting him against Goku, though when Goku halts his son's rampage by cutting off his tail, Turles [[VillainRespect commends Goku for this move]]. Fighting Goku, Turles gives himself the advantage by eating fruit from the tree, beating down and very nearly killing Goku.
*** ''[[Recap/DragonBallZAbridgedM11 Broly — The Legendary Super Saiyan]]'': [[SinsOfOurFathers Paragus]], after being stabbed and LeftForDead along with his son Broly by King Vegeta out of fear for the latter's power, desires revenge through the King's son. To do this, he recruits the Shamosians to build an infrastructure on a planet on a collision course with a comet before arriving on Earth and offering Prince Vegeta a planet to rule over, [[FlawExploitation purposely taking advantage of his egotistical personality]]. When his plans are inevitably exposed, Paragus does not descend into a VillainousBreakdown but rather confesses his plans and backstory to the Z-Fighters. Even though he did not intend to trigger Broly's transformation -- due to previously having wiped out the South Galaxy before -- Paragus nevertheless showed pride in his son while letting him kill the Z-Fighters for him. [[AdaptationalHeroism Lacking the worst traits of his original counterpart]], Paragus attempts to eliminate Vegeta not through brute strength but by knowledge and manipulations of the arrogant Prince.
** WebVideo ''Fanfic/WhatIfZamasuDidNothingWrong'': [[Characters/DragonBallZamasu Zamasu]] in this fanwork still harbors some resentment for mortals but chooses a far different path upon being brought to Barbari by Gowasu. Instead of believing that [[FantasticRacism mortals are universally irredeemable]], he instead decides to prove his own worth as well as his belief that the gods should have a hands-on approach with mortals by civilizing them himself to his own standards. Using cunning and trickery, he's able to convince the Barbarians that he's an omnipotent being who created their world, all the while remaining hidden except from his chosen prophet. Through his guidance and teachings, [[{{Tomorrowland}} the Barbarians' civilization grows considerably in only a few centuries]]. When the Barbarians split into two warring factions, Zamasu finds a new prophet in a ki-possessing Barbarian named Decraf, and together they are able to build an army strong enough to defeat the current prophet and [[ReconcileTheBitterFoes unify the Barbarians]]. In the present day, Zamasu finds that his plan has worked and Barbari has become a space-age marvel. Deciding to replace the stubborn Rumsshi with Decraf, Zamasu manages to restore the latter's youth and convince Rumsshi to train him. In the end, having a new appreciation for mortals, Zamasu [[HeroicSacrifice sacrifices himself]] in exchange for repairing the damage caused by his main timeline counterparts.
* ''Manga/{{Hellsing}} Ultimate'' WebVideo ''WebVideo/HellsingUltimateAbridged'':
** The witty, rambunctious [[ImmortalityImmorality Alucard]] was once UsefulNotes/VladTheImpaler, abandoning God after his childhood rape at the hands of his Turkish captors. Offering his soul to {{Satan}}, he became the vampire Count {{Dracula}}, lazily empowering himself with the blood of the dead, becoming a near-unstoppable force until he was defeated and recruited by the Hellsing Organization. Their best and most loyal agent despite his rude, silly demeanor, Alucard proves their best asset in discovering and eradicating the Nazi remnant group Millennium's plot, even as he apathetically kills luckless civilians in the way.
** [[OnlySaneWoman Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing]] is the ruthless and iron-willed head of the Hellsing Organization, having taken command by [[KlingonPromotion killing her traitorous uncle]] at a young age. Commanding the fearsome Alucard through sheer respect and never hesitating to unleash him on her foes, Integra proves [[PragmaticHero clever and brutal]], convincing her financiers to continue funding her organization through intimidation, trapping and killing the vampiric invader Jan Valentine, devising a method to attack an inaccessible ship via stealing resources from the British government, and keeping up with the schemes of [[GambitRoulette both her rivals the Iscariot Organization and the secret organization Millennium]], never lacking a dry quip or a display of valor, even foiling a coup with utter nonchalance. Able to constantly improvise and devise tactics to outplay her opponents, Integra personally confronts and executes Millenium's leader The Major despite Alucard temporarily dying, and goes on to rule the Hellsing Organization for years to come.
** Much as in the original story, [[BadassPreacher Alexander Anderson]] is an Iscariot agent defined by his brilliant tactical mind and being nearly unstoppable in combat. Ambushing Alucard and Seras at the start and putting a beatdown on them both, Anderson [[KnowWhenToFoldEm escapes the arriving Hellsing]] and continues to cause mischief for them and Millennium alike. Later saving Sir Integra from Millennium's forces and allying with her, Anderson [[EnemyMine helps take down his former boss]] Maxwell despite having raised Maxwell himself. After a failed attempt to forgive Alucard his sins and send him to God for judgment, Anderson accepts his own dying fate and earns Alucard's friendship, even trying to offer the vampire parting words of help in his final moments.
** The parody version of [[BadassNormal Pip Bernadotte]] remains the Wild Geese's genius mercenary captain. Pip quickly shows his skills to Hellsing by killing off a group of Millennium-affiliated corrupt police officers. Later holding Zorin Blitz's vampires at bay, Pip outwits the psychopath and even [[DefiantToTheend dies empowering his lover]] to massacre his killer and her remaining forces.
** [[BigBad The Major]] is the insidious head of the Millennium Organization, and a much more comical character than his canon counterpart. Spending countless years in the shadows and organizing a vicious attack by using vampiric Nazi soldiers merely as a means to end, [[EvenEvilHasStandards finding the Nazi ideology distasteful]], the Major tests the waters with multiple agents before sending out his lieutenant Rip van Winkle, [[BatmanGambit knowing Hellsing will send Alucard with no way to return him to London]]. Once Alucard is gone, the Major sends his army upon London with dramatic flair, orchestrating the invasion brilliantly and dismissing the mass casualties on every side when Alucard arrives, even using Schrodinger to temporarily kill the vampire. When confronted on his zeppelin, the Major tells Integra and Seras that he did as he did to snap a warlike humanity out of their complacency and challenge his own tactical skill, dying happy to have achieved his goals.
* ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'' {{Fanfic}}s:
** ''Fanfic/MastermindStrategistForHire'': [[Characters/MyHeroAcademiaIzukuMidoriya Izuku Midoriya]], aka [[VillainProtagonist Mastermind]], was once a Quirkless teenager with dreams of becoming a Pro Hero but a combination of his dreams being crushed by All Might and [[FantasticRacism discrimination against the Quirkless]] preventing him from getting a legitimate job ultimately drive him to become the title character, selling plans to other villains to make a living. His [[AwesomenessByAnalysis excellent analytical abilities]] and the high-quality plans he provides to villains via said abilities quickly make him into TheDreaded within months, becoming responsible for the deaths of hundreds, including more than a dozen Pro Heroes. He takes full advantage of his public life to throw off the police, letting him evade capture for more than two years. On top of that, he made plans in the event he does end up captured and incarcerated in [[TheAlcatraz Tartarus]].
** ''Fanfic/NemesisMHA'': Two years after faking his suicide, [[Characters/MyHeroAcademiaIzukuMidoriya Izuku Midoriya]], aka Mischief, calls Bakugou out as his nemesis, and ropes him into a [[DeadlyGame "game" of Heroes and Villains]] with nearly a dozen hostages' lives on the line, remaining one step ahead of him all the way and psychologically tormenting him all the while. In the end, he gets his revenge, not just by breaking Bakugou's psyche, but by exploiting his InferioritySuperiorityComplex to strip any pride he could feel from achieving his life-long dream of becoming the number one Hero.
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' {{Fanfic}}s:
** ''Fanfic/{{Echoes}}'': In a fanfiction full of characters and universes, these characters have distinguished themselves through their morally dubious, but brilliant feats:
*** [[TokenEvilTeammate Sasori]], eclipsing his canon counterpart, is [[MarionetteMaster "The Puppet Master"]] in more ways than one. Promoted to chunin as a child after single-handedly killing 50 enemies by poisoning their water supplies, Sasori, in adulthood, joined the [[Characters/EchoesTheArashiClan Arashi clan]] with his student Chibaku and his subordinate Kabuto. Sasori proved to be valuable; in Kitsune's world, he effortlessly blackmailed the Hokage into handing the Kyuubi-possessed Naruto over to him. Through quick thinking, he forces Tsukiyomi to reveal more of his techniques even though he was losing, which proved to be useful when fighting Amaterasu, who has similar abilities, in the Wave-Verse, briefly crippling him. When most of the Arashi clan was imprisoned in a [[TheAlcatraz nigh-inescapable prison]] in the Cloud-Verse, he and Chibaku successfully broke out the entire group from the prison with their plan. He discovered most of the truth about the Dystopia-Verse by spying on an ANBU and had the perfect seal to defeat its dictator. When the Third Kazekage tries to use Sasori's body against Chibaku, Sasori self-destructed to save Chibaku. Called a [[TitleDrop Magnificent Bastard]] by Chibaku, Sasori has more than lived up to the name.
*** [[BloodKnight Amaterasu]], AKA Kitsune's world's [[Characters/NarutoMadaraUchiha Madara Uchiha]], promised to his dying little brother he would remain a samurai and follow the Bushido code to his last breath. Desiring to get back at his clan for "betraying" their former virtues and becoming ninjas, to destroy Konoha for "betraying" him and to throw the world in a state of perpetual warfare to supposedly help mankind improve, Amaterasu orchestrated the Kyuubi's attack on Konoha. Despite the attack's failure, Amaterasu manipulated Fugaku and Mikoto, counting on their coup attempt in Konoha to fulfill his objectives throughout the ensuing chaos. When he discovers Shisui spying on them, Amaterasu gives him a BreakingLecture, leading Shisui to foil the coup by killing the clan, but still giving a victory to Amaterasu. Recruited by his counterparts Susanoo and Tsukiyomi, Amaterasu formed with them [[Characters/EchoesTheMadaraGuys the Madara Trio]]. In the trio's attempts to harness Kazama's power, Amaterasu shined through his sheer strength, honor, adaptability and contingency plans, [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu killing the Wave-Verse Kyuubi]] and knowing which one of his 100 weapons he had to use to adapt to his enemies' techniques. When finally defeated, [[FaceDeathWithDignity he congratulated his killers, acknowledged his mistakes and peacefully passed on]].
*** [[TheSocialExpert Tsukiyomi]], AKA Kazama's world's [[Characters/NarutoMadaraUchiha Madara Uchiha]], deserves his name of "The Deceiver". Wanting to harness Kazama's power and to destroy Konoha for "betraying" him, Tsukiyomi formed the Madara Trio and successfully destroyed Kazama's devotion to Konoha through {{Half Truth}}s, also implanting Amatsu-Mikaboshi inside Kazama to further corrupt him. When Kazama was separated from his friends and ended up in the Ame-Verse alongside Susanoo and Tsukiyomi, the latter pulled an EnemyMine with Kazama and both trained and manipulated him, resulting in both Kazama taking over Ame and finally snapping and destroying Konoha, [[TheBadGuyWins thus fulfilling Tsukiyomi's life-long objective]]. Having grown to sincerely care for Kazama, he followed him in the "Road to Ninja" world and sacrificed himself to help Kazama overcome Amatsu-Mikaboshi. Willing to negotiate, affable, polite and ruthless, Tsukiyomi was the most successful villain in the entire fanfiction.
** ''[[Fanfic/RedemptionNaruto Redemption (Naruto)]]'' ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13928692/1/Redemption link]]): [[DarkActionGirl Muraki Nikko]], a former Kusa kunoichi, [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge swore revenge]] against the five great shinobi villages after their neglect led to the death of her family. Testing her Kekkei Tota, Blossom Style, Muraki uses it as a drug to infect her former village with a mysterious illness, aware of her old village's status as the smallest ninja village to avoid unwanted attention. When [[Characters/NarutoSasukeUchiha Sasuke Uchiha]] and [[Characters/NarutoSakuraHaruno Sakura Haruno]] come to investigate, Muraki attempts to infect the two through different ploys, succeeding twice with Sasuke before leaving to Suna, planning to infect the five major shinobi villages and let them blame each other, starting a world-wide conflict she'll then take advantage of by revealing an antidote she'll sell to the highest bidder, thus controlling them and [[PayEvilUntoEvil making them go through the pain her and her village went through]]. When Sasuke and Sakura manage to catch up to her in Suna and fight her, Muraki manages to paralyze them, nearly killing Sakura by the time Sasuke defeats her. After Sasuke and Sakura convince her to stop, Muraki accepts her defeat and starts making up for her crimes by working in Suna's medical unit.
** ''Fanfic/WhiteEyes'':
*** [[Characters/NarutoItachiUchiha Itachi Uchiha]] and [[AdaptationalBadass Neji Hyuuga]] keep their canon genius and go much further. Ordered to massacre the Hyuuga clan, with the exception of Hinata, to prevent the Uchiha coup attempt, with Neji taking the sole blame for it and subsequently leaving Konoha, Itachi and Neji launch Operation: White Eyes to [[WellIntentionedExtremist protect Konoha and the world in the long run]]. For this purpose, they manipulate their own loved ones, various nations and politics all over the world, successfully [[TheMole infiltrating and spying on Akatsuki for Konoha]], and defeat potential Akatsuki recruits. When Fugaku attempts to become Hokage, Itachi helps Hinata stall him long enough for Tsunade to return and take the set instead. When Hinata gives up on vengeance against Neji, the latter kidnaps her summon and forces her to fight and kill him in a location away from Konoha, keeping her safe from Pain's assault on the village. By the time it was completed, Operation: White Eyes left a long-lasting impact on the entire world, leading to the Toneri threat being neutralized, Hanabi surviving the Hyuuga massacre, Danzo's death, Kabuto and Edo Tensei's defeat and helping Team 7 defeat Madara and prevent the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
*** [[Characters/NarutoMadaraUchiha Madara Uchiha]] retains much of his canon counterpart's backstory and motives, but proves to be more powerful, brilliant and [[NoNonsenseNemesis ruthless]]. Successfully reviving the Ten-Tails despite Obito Uchiha's attempts to slow down Madara's [[LotusEaterMachine Eye of the Moon Plan]], Madara--as an Edo Tensei--also [[OutGambitted out-gambits]] Obito by not immediately sealing Kurama's Yang half, contrary to what the latter expected, leading to Obito going berserk when the latter absorbed the Ten-Tails in an attempt to outsmart Madara. After the Ten-Tails' extraction from Obito's body, leading the latter to fully resurrect Madara in an attempt to blind and weaken him, Madara uses Hashirama's Sage chakra and Black Zetsu to keep fighting. Sending Black Zetsu to distract Hinata, Madara becomes the Ten-Tails' jinchuriki in the meantime. Keeping the advantage against Team 7 through a combination of sheer power and smarts, Madara is only defeated when Team 7 proves to be just as resourceful. Every bit the WellIntentionedExtremist he was in canon, Madara ultimately agrees to resurrect all of the Fourth Shinobi World War's victims at the cost of his own life.
* ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/AgentsOfLight'' ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13049548/1/ link]]): Professor Lyman Banner is [[AdaptationalBadass even more cunning and devious than in canon]]. Seeking the power of the Sacred Beasts to create the PhilosophersStone, Banner teams up with Kagemaru. Hiding his allegiance with the Shadow Riders from Duel Academy, Banner orchestrates the disappearance of several students, including Atticus. Needing Jaden for his strong duel energy, Banner foils every attempt the protagonists make to get him expelled. Manipulating a group of students into reviving Jinzo into the human world, he makes a deal with Jinzo to kill the protagonists. Banner lures Ghassan into a cave and holds his soul hostage to blackmail Scott and Damian into dueling Zane. Anticipating that one of them would come after him, Banner fakes his death at Jinzo's hands and leaves Jinzo behind to kill Damian. Being defeated by Zane, Banner reveals that Camula has been watching them the whole time, revealing the true method of reviving the Sacred Beasts to her, Banner calmly blackmails all of them [[FaceDeathWithDignity before gracefully accepting his death]].

[[AC:Comic Books]]

* ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'' {{Fanfic}}s
** ''Fanfic/ControlPremium'' ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5732464/1/Control-Premium link]]): [[BadassBookworm Oswald Cobblepot]], aka ComicBook/ThePenguin, is a bookkeeper and enforcer for the Wesker gang. As an expert forger and financial wizard, he plays a major role in keeping the gang solvent, also playing a role in various negotiations. Despite his ruthless criminality, Oswald has a number of humanizing qualities, such as his [[EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas care for his mentally ill mother]] and his genuine friendship with his boss's nephew Arnold. When one meeting goes south due to some members of the outfit being revealed to have been bribed to turn traitor by the leader of a rival gang, Oswald [[DoNotGoGentle resolves not to go out without a fight]], and starts thinking of ways to save himself even as he is led outside to be executed. Unexpectedly saved by Arnold, Oswald tricks the rival gang's leader, Mr. Goode, into becoming his hostage and turns his own henchmen against him. After sending Goode fleeing to Europe, Oswald and Arnold make an agreement to share power, while he [[AppropriatedAppellation resolves to make his nickname a name of fear]].
** ''Fanfic/TheGothamCitySocietyOfFireproofWomen'': [[ComicBook/{{Batgirl}} Cassandra Wayne]] is the daughter of assassins David Cain and Lady Shiva, raised since birth to be a [[OneManArmy perfect killing machine]]. Running away after her first murder, Cassandra sought redemption by joining Batman as "Orphan," getting adopted by Bruce and incarcerating her parents. Eventually chosen to be his successor, Cassandra returns the legend of the Dark Knight to its urban myth roots as a monster lurking in the shadows, leaving armies of broken mobsters in her wake. Upon learning of Ra's al Ghul and the Arkham Knight's plan to destroy Gotham, Cassandra anonymously feeds Astrid information--even allowing her to capture and brutally murder an oblivious Nightwing--to ensure the Arkham Knight won't kill the rest of her family and endanger the unknown mole, before secretly resurrecting Dick with a Lazarus Pit. Willing to leave her grieving comrades in the dark to ensure her plan's success but ultimately never swaying from her dad's [[ThouShaltNotKill one rule]], Cassandra sabotages the pair's scheme before it even gets off the ground, ruthlessly proving once and for all why she is the [[SuperiorSuccessor worthiest successor]] to the mantle of Batman.
* ''ComicBook/CivilWar'' {{Fanfic}}s:
** ''Fanfic/CivilWarHulk'': [[Characters/MarvelComicsLoki Loki]] is the puppetmaster of the events leading up to the Civil War, working with Baron Mordo to drive the Scarlet Witch insane that led to [[ComicBook/AvengersDisassembled The Avengers disbanding]], trapping the world's heroes [[LotusEaterMachine in a dream]] where [[ComicBook/HouseOfM mutants are the world’s dominant species]], and manipulating The Illuminati into [[ComicBook/PlanetHulk exiling Hulk into space]]. Using the introduction of the Superhuman Registration Act to his advantage, Loki killed and impersonates [[ObstructiveBureaucrat Maria Hill]] to drive a further wedge between the pro and anti-Registration sides, planning to take over Earth once the dust settles. Even with the unexpected arrival of Hulk and his Warbound, Loki successfully bargains with the Hulk into leaving Earth be once he gets his revenge on The Illuminati, leaving Loki with one less threat and a weakened Earth for him to conquer. Opportunistic as always, Loki [[XanatosSpeedChess adapts to any situation before him]] and is only thwarted by Thor's unexpected revival.
** ''Fanfic/NotATypicalCivilWar'' ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6470827/1/Not-a-Typical-Civil-War link]]): [[Characters/MarvelComicsDoctorDoom Doctor Doom]] is [[TheManBehindTheMan the mastermind]] behind the [[SuperRegistrationAct Superhero Registration Act]] and the resulting Civil War. Seeking to turn the world's heroes against each other, Doom hired Nitro to fight the New Warriors in Stamford, leading to the deaths of over eight-hundred civilians and causing the public to turn against the superhero community, with Doom working with Maria Hill to escalate tensions between the pro and anti-Registration sides. With the info gathered from the Registration Act, Doom learned all of the heroes' secret identities and the locations of their loved ones. Doom eventually trapped both sides of the conflict in the Negative Zone and released the supervillains from Prison 42 to kill them. He then sent ComicBook/TheSentry to attack New York City, [[EngineeredHeroics planning on killing him]] so he could be hailed as a savior and be given control of the Earth. Focused solely on his dream of world conquest, Doctor Doom nearly rid himself of the world's superheroes by turning their own ideals against them.
* Creator/DCComics and Creator/MarvelComics WebVideo ''WebVideo/ImAMarvelAndImADC'': ComicBook/LexLuthor is the mastermind behind "After Hours" and one of the craftiest supervillains in the series. After creating [[RidiculouslyHumanRobot Lance]] to spy on the heroes over at Stan's Place, Luthor kidnapped Creator/StanLee and replaced him with an Life Model Decoy. He intended on using Doctor Doom's time machine to fix all the mistakes the studios had made with the other villains' films. However, Luthor was surprised when they all refused to risk losing what little they had. Believing the heroes of the Marvel universe had created a culture content with remaining unambitious, Lex sought to travel back in time and prevent Stan Lee from creating Marvel Comics. After his plan was foiled by Superman, Luthor learned that the Joker had initiated "Plan Q"; a plan he had previously scrapped that led to Darkseid learning he was a fictional character. Believing Lance was the key to stopping him, Luthor recruited the Green Goblin to retrieve his head back from the heroes. Thanks to the warnings from his future self, Lex teamed up with the heroes to repair Lance and help them stop Darkseid's forces. [[{{Determinator}} Managing to persevere no matter the odds]], Lex Luthor proves he still is the most ambitious criminal mind among both Marvel and DC.

[[AC:Animated Film]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDameDisney'' {{Fanfic}} ''[[Fanfic/WhatReallyHappened What REALLY Happened]]'' ([[https://crazedwriter.tripod.com/revealed.html link]]): [[AdaptationalVillainy Clopin Trouillefou]] is the leader of the UsefulNotes/{{Romani}} population of Paris who seeks revenge on Claude Frollo, France's Minister of Justice, and also wishes to [[WellIntentionedExtremist end gypsy persecution]]. To this end, he makes an arrangement with an old rival of Frollo's named Jean-Michel du Champs who wants to be Minister of Justice. The night after the Feast of Fools, Clopin imprisons Frollo in his own dungeons and replaces him with a disguised Jean-Michel, who begins sullying Frollo's name by persecuting many Parisans. Learning of Jean-Michel's plans to betray him, Clopin [[OutGambitted outplays him]] by subtly getting Quasimodo and Phoebus on his side, resulting in Jean-Michel's death. Even after being paralyzed in a violent incident at the Court of Miracles, [[{{Determinator}} Clopin still refuses to give up]] and is soon working on new plans. Only failing due to things he had no reasonable way of knowing about, Clopin proves a genuinely cunning and compelling antagonist.

[[AC:Live-Action Film]]
[[folder:Examples]]
* ''Film/AvengersEndgame'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/AvengersEndgameDragonisPrime'': [[Characters/MCFFUEarth842667ThanosForces Thanos-842667]] maintains the guile of his [[Characters/MCUThanos canon counterpart]] in this alternate telling of [[Film/AvengersEndgame the film]]. After wiping out half of all life in the universe, Thanos retired to the Garden in peace. When the Avengers arrive seeking revenge, Thanos destroys all but the Reality Stone to prevent them from undoing his work. After he's killed by Thor, the Thanos of an alternate timeline learns about the history of his counterpart and sets about to assemble his Infinity Gauntlet more efficiently. He helps start Ragnarok to kill Thor, and murders Eitri before he could forge a weapon that could kill him. Thanos fails to collect the Time Stone and spends the next few years balancing worlds one at a time while crushing the rebellion led by the surviving Avengers. Realizing the main timeline would have the Time Stone he needs, Thanos travels to the Avengers Compound and [[WeCanRuleTogether tries to recruit Steve Rogers to his side]]. When that fails, he strips Carol Danvers of her powers and has Ebony Maw destroy his home dimension to keep him focused on his new goal of wiping out half of all life across the entire multiverse.
* WebVideo/{{Fanscription}}:
** "What if The Joker Was in 'The Dark Knight Rises'?" [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDkiX4tMbG0 two]]-[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vxm_cNCYPAw parter]]: ComicBook/{{Bane}} and ComicBook/TaliaAlGhul, the children of ComicBook/RasAlGhul, [[Film/TheDarkKnightRises take over the League of Shadows]] following his death. Together they seek to destroy Gotham and get revenge on [[ComicBook/{{Batman}} Bruce Wayne]] for their father's death. Bane attacks a stock exchange and costs Bruce his fortune by using his finger prints. Meanwhile Talia takes the identity of Miranda Tate in order to gain access to Bruce's fusion reactor and control of his company. Having [[ComicBook/{{Catwoman}} Selina Kyle]] lead Bruce into a trap, Bane easily bests him in a fight, breaking his back and imprisoning him in the Pit, before taking over Gotham and cutting it off from the rest of the world. When ComicBook/TheJoker is released, Bane engages him in a gang war, managing to keep him contained to the Narrows. Though ultimately defeated, Talia informs the heroes that she flooded the reactor room to prevent them from defusing the bomb. Proving worthy successors to their father, Bane and Talia come with in a hair's breadth of winning.
** " What If Harvey Dent Was In 'Batman Returns'?" & " What If Tim Burton Directed 'Batman Forever'?" [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Glzo9waqn-Y&t=786s two]]-[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sA1WU-9UVxw parter]]: [[PhantomThief Catwoman]], real name [[Characters/CatwomanSelinaKyle Selina Kyle]], once again is the slippery and smooth operator she was in her film appearance. Fulfilling all the same actions she did in [[Film/BatmanReturns the film]] in her first appearance: such as joining forces with the Penguin to frame Batman for the attack on the Ice Princess, whom Catwoman didn't plan on getting killed; undermining Max Shreck and eventually killing him too, Catwoman once again survives and ends triumphant. In her second appearance, while Selina is incognito for the majority of the story and doesn't come back until the very end, she reveals she's kept tabs on Bruce and has recently provided the evidence that officially [[ClearTheirName clears Batman of all wrong-doing]] she set him up for—"to make Gotham's nightlife a little more interesting"—before [[AndTheAdventureContinues once again slipping away into hiding]].
* ''Franchise/StarWars'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/RogerRoger'': 711 quickly proves an adept commander. Mounting a defense of the mines of Khorm, 711 baits the Republic troops into an ambush and defeats them quickly and efficiently, only losing the mines because the local warlord's failed attempt to destroy the Jedi along with Ventress and 711 allows the Jedi to destroy the weather control machine keeping Republic reinforcements at bay, which Ventress and 711 [[LaserGuidedKarma make the warlord pay dearly for]]. 711 then builds the Network, which turns the droids under his command into a frighteningly effective fighting force, and goes on a campaign of capturing Republic ships with ruthless efficiency. After 711 soundly wins the battle of Iraknya but fails to keep [[InsaneAdmiral Admiral Himler]] from destroying the Iraknian capital, 711 hands [[DoWithHimAsYouWill Himler and his men over to the Iraknians]] to convince them to join the Separatists. After being assigned to take part in the attack on Kamino, 711 mounts a highly effective siege, defeating the reinforcing Republic ships even when severely outnumbered, severely damaging Tipoca City and crippling its cloning facilities, and [[NearVillainVictory almost destroying it completely]], with only the Jedi's last-minute intervention saving the city.

[[AC:Literature]]
[[folder:Examples]]
* ''Literature/BattleRoyale'' {{Fanfics}}:
** ''Literature/{{Carrie}}'' {{Crossover}} fic: ''[[Fanfic/BattleRoyaleMaine Battle Royale, Maine]]'' ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5286938/1/ link]]): [[BullyHunter Carrietta "Carrie" White]] is a CompositeCharacter of her original canonical self and Kazuo Kiriyama, and proves to be as sympathetic as the former and as implacable and cunning as the latter. Forcibly inducted in the Battle Royale Program with her classmates and bullies, Carrie, determines to slaughter them, putting to good use the skills she developed after being tormented for so long, staying hidden from her classmates for extended periods of time and [[CrazyPrepared being prepared for several possibilities]]. These skills allowed Carrie to sneak up on her classmates on several occasions, double-tap Steve Deighan when he tries to fake his death, discover Henry Blake's bulletproof vest and take it for herself and wait for the remaining survivors to kill each other when there were few enough. When the last one, her biggest bully [[ArchEnemy Christine "Chris" Hargensen]] nearly kills her, Carrie pretends to succumb to her attack while being protected by her bulletproof vest, before taking down Chris as well, winning the Program. Taking advantage of the legal privileges granted to Program winners, Carrie then proceeds to kill her abusive mother Margaret White, fully completing her revenge.
** ''Fanfic/FolieADeux'' ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5149090/1/Folie-a-Deux link]]): [[UnholyMatrimony Kazuhiko "Kaz" Yamamoto and Sakura Ogawa]] are [[AdaptationalVillainy leagues more devious than their canon counterparts]]. Causing a crime wave through Shiroiwa, they hid their true selves behind [[BitchInSheepsClothing a friendly facade]] and framed the town's local gangs and criminals for their deeds. Forced to participate in the Program alongside their classmates, Kaz and Sakura decide to play until finding a way out and manipulate their way through the Program, teaming up with Yuka Nakagawa and Satomi Noda against Kazuo Kiriyama, [[TamperingWithFoodAndDrink poisoning the Lighthouse Girls]] and surviving an encounter with Mitsuko Souma when she saw through the latter plot. [[AwesomenessByAnalysis Figuring out how the explosive collars work by inspecting Satomi's]], Kaz and Sakura find a way to remove theirs without setting them off. When taken by surprise by Shogo Kawada, Shuya Nanahara and Noriko Nanahara, Kaz and Sakura remove their collars as well, recruiting them and escaping to the mainland after the Program was finished by creating fake identities. Assigning the trio to different jobs suiting their talents to better benefit their criminal careers and torturing Yonemi Kamon to death to avenge their deceased classmates in the Program, [[KarmaHoudini Kaz and Sakura get away with their schemes]].
** ''Fanfic/HeadsIsHeads'' ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4523722/1/Heads-is-Heads link]]): [[ImplacableMan Kazuo Kiriyama]] is a cold-hearted gangster known for his inability to feel empathy and ruthless tactics. After flipping a coin to destroy The Program, Kiriyama immediately sets to working against his captors, recruiting students, killing foes, and bonding with Izumi Kanai despite his icy demeanor toward her. Using his [[AwesomenessByAnalysis analytical talent]], Kiriyama deduces that one of his recruits, Sho Tsukioka, is a murderer who plans to pick them off one by one, and disposes of him right in front of the others. Launching an attack on The Program's headquarters, Kiriyama and his recruits destroy The Program and make off with a boat to escape the government. Always pragmatic yet never cruel, Kiriyama [[EarnYourHappyEnding ends the story safe in another country, perhaps having even regained the empathy he didn't know before]].
* ''Literature/HarryPotter'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/WishCarefully'': [[Characters/HarryPotterHarryJamesPotter Harry Potter]] himself is the architect behind the Death Eaters' downfall. Concluding he could not face [[Characters/HarryPotterLordVoldemort Lord Voldemort]] in a prolonged war, Harry cut a deal with the Death Eaters where they would be allowed to rule Wizarding Britain, free from those who did not share their beliefs, while requiring the Death Eaters to not interfere with the Muggle world as Harry personally arranged for the departure and relocation of non-Voldemort supporters. Through this deal, Harry doomed Voldemort, the Death Eaters, and their descendants to a slow death as [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor their country collapsed piece-by-piece through their own racist beliefs]], knowing that Voldemort would repulse new blood and showing the world how foolish the concept of pureblooded elitism was. It is believed that Harry is banking on Voldemort being [[BatmanGambit foolish and sadistic enough to attack a Muggle]], whereupon he would lose his power and be arrested or killed due to his body being made by magic.
* ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' {{Fanfic}}s:
** ''Fanfic/CheatingDeathThoseThatLived'':
*** [[LovableRogue Jack Tylos]] is a self-proclaimed "master thief" who engages in this trade out of necessity, thrill-seeking, and altruism at various points. He's forced to volunteer for the 21st Hunger Games after trying to steal the head peacekeeper's wallet. He steals a taser which he uses against his opponents in the arena and constantly and publicly brings up the circumstances behind his volunteering as a successful gambit to get the head peacekeeper arrested or executed. After winning, he gloatingly reveals his use of the taser, but is horrified when several innocent residents of District 7 are executed. Despite Panem's status as a heavily surveilled police state and his own open ties to the underworld, Jack continues stealing and is never caught unless it's on purpose for a BatmanGambit. He is a devoted mentor and will rob banks to get sponsor money for tributes he feels especially attached to. During the rebellion, Jack supplies the victors caught in the Capitol with a stash of guns he stole and hid over the years and goes down fighting so his allies can escape.
*** [[FunctionalAddict Porsche London]] is an orphaned District 6 tribute who survives by working as a runner for a brutal drug gang. She is a morphling addict who is underestimated in the buildup to her games, but dominates it without ever using a weapon. Porsche is a camouflage expert who hides herself in the gymnasium during the training sessions, reveals herself to the gamemakers and dictates the training score she wants-respectably high but not high enough to invoke TallPoppySyndrome--as they gape in shock. During the Games, Porsche initially tries to protect her district partner then sets out to avenge him. She spends days [[RightUnderTheirNoses using her camouflage skills to live in the Careers camp and steal or ruin their food without being found]]. She uses mathematics to monitor the train schedules of the railyard arena and diverts the train tracks at just the right time to run the Careers over. Afterward, she becomes part of the victors sequel, before being reaped for the 3rd Quarter Quell and performing a HeroicSacrifice.
** ''Fanfic/TheVictorsProject'':
*** [[GeniusBruiser Ben Cooper]] is the son of a HunterTrapper from District 9 and aides his father in protecting the District and making a good living for themselves. When Ben is reaped, he ignore the advice of his mentors, kills a Career and [[CategoryTraitor replaces his victim in the Career alliance.]] He proves his loyalty to the Careers by helping them track down and kill his district partner and four others, then poisons them during a meal. Ben then kills five wolves sent by the gamemakers, despite being injured in the process, and goes on to mercilessly hunt and kill the remaining outliers. When the last of them cuts off two of his fingers, Ben fakes being helpless before finishing her off. As a victor, Ben becomes an influential celebrity and a good mentor until he retires in favor of the first tribute he saved. Ben comes out of retirement to successfully mentor Abram Mills, who [[LukeIMightBeYourFather might be his son from a one night stand.]] Ben sides with the rebellion and dies on a mission that helps save several of his fellow victors in the Capitol.
*** [[ArcherArchetype Jade Boleyn]] grows up as a BlueBlood in a toxic environment, indirectly maims a childhood enemy and is sent to the [[=DAEYD=]. She uses a SherlockScan to deduce that a murder took place and helps Ermine violently avenge her dead friend at least partially to amuse herself. In the arena, she achieves many impressive archery kills, plays the members of her alliance against each other and kills them all singlehandedly. While Jade expresses little remorse for that part of her life, she becomes a rebel, and aids in intricate plans to win District 1's freedom. Jade does an expert job of avoiding suspicion and [[LovableAlphaBitch treats her fellow victors aloofly, but shows occasional warmth and helpfulness even to people who dislike her]], and mourns for dead friends. Jade uses her knowledge of Panem's legal code to take back some control during her KangarooCourt trial after the new regime turns on her, buying time for a CharacterWitness to arrive. Jade sacrifices a chance to kill Coin--who nevertheless tries to Jade--to ensure the safety of a friend, having one vowed not to let anymore people die when she can save them and later takes part in the mission to rescue Katniss.
*** [[CynicalMentor Halibut "Hal" Shore]] is feared both inside and outside of the arena for his ruthless, detached attitude toward killing. He poisons his closest ally in the arena, Copper, both to avoid a fight, and so that Copper's girlfriend won't be any more upset by his death than she has to be--which earlier caused Hal to assume the role of executioner for himself rather than have her watch Copper drown a helpless tribute. He defeats the rest of his alliance with additional CombatPragmatist methods and a jagged harpoon he receives as a sponsor gift. Hal is viewed as a frightening and unstable person, but he can show a friendlier side around victors like Berenice and Ares. When his son dies in the arena, Hal is devastated, but continues to mentor future tributes to the best of his ability, while showing protectiveness toward his son's district partner Annie. During the rebellion, [[DoNotGoGentle He kills half-a-dozen peacekeepers while protecting Annie, before dying form thirty stab wounds]], with his death [[InspirationalMartyr inspiring the district to fight harder]].
*** [[SexSlave Cashmere Delacroix]] attends the [=DAEYD=] with her brother to keep from being separated once their family decides one of them needs to be a victor to save the family from bankruptcy. Cashmere has to be forced into volunteering for the games. She becomes a broker of information and favors who is capable of having her tributes perform {{Mercy Kill}}s or sabotaging an arena. Cashmere helps her brother control his growing bloodlust by drugging, kidnapping, and torturing Capitolians but keeps him from killing his victims. Cashmere threatens to arrange the deaths of fifty people in a blackmailer's district to make her leave Gloss alone. Upon finding out about the Rebellion's plan to save Katniss and Peeta, Cashmere audaciously forces her way into the rebellion to get revenge on Snow and end his reign of evil. When asked to play the role of a villain rather than openly aide the rebellion, she agrees and reluctantly asks for a list of expendable victor-tributes who can be killed without jeopardizing the plan before requesting that the rebels kill her and Gloss to sell the charade and keep her brother from completely losing his humanity.
* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/OfGoldAndIron'':
** [[Characters/GameOfThronesTywinLannister Tywin Lannister]], lacking his canon counterpart's unsavory acts, remains just as brilliant and ruthless. During his time as a soldier, Tywin engaged in shady tactics like burning crop fields to destabilize enemy supplies and crashing the economy of Braavos to prevent them from interfering. When [[Characters/GameOfThronesAryaStark Arya Stark]] arrives in his manor disguised as "Beth Rivers", Tywin sees through her within weeks and begins unraveling the Faceless Men's conspiracy, even allowing the Brotherhood Without Banners to [[LetsYouAndHimFight attack his train]] to see what she's capable of. After defeating [[Characters/GameOfThronesPetyrBaelish Petyr Baelish]] and torturing him for any information he can get, Tywin deduces the source of the conspiracy and arranges for his company to succeed when he resigns. When Jaqen then tries to kill him in spite of their deal, Tywin is able to negotiate with the Iron Bank for a lower price, ending the series in the best possible position even when the conspiracy killed [[SoleSurvivor all of his former allies]].
** [[KnowledgeBroker The Spider]] is the name of a brilliant hacker who knows everything there is to know within King's Landing. Reaching out to Bran Stark following Joffrey's death, the Spider soon helps them find [[Characters/GameOfThronesSansaStark Sansa Stark]] in exchange for a way to contact the Faceless Men, keeping his identity secret all the while and even throwing in more information than he promised as a reward. Reappearing during the [[HatePlague Long Night]] crisis, the Spider uses Oberyn Martell as a middle man to put Bran in contact with Mance Rayder, sending all of them into a battle with the Night King in order to kill the drug lord. When Bran demands a favor in return, the Spider concedes that he went above the call of duty and [[PetTheDog rewards him with Arya's true location]], not only circumventing the Faceless Men but ensuring their final defeat before helping Bran and Oberyn guard the city for the foreseeable future.

[[AC:Live-Action TV]]
[[folder:Examples]]
* ''Series/{{Arrowverse}}'' fanfic ''Fanfic/ToHellAndBackArrowverse'':
** [[Characters/ArrowverseMalcolmMerlyn Malcolm Merlyn]], aka the [[EvilCounterpart Dark Archer]], is a former member of the League of Assassins who fled the League following a massacre by Talia al Ghul. Endeavoring to better Starling City and avenge his wife's death, Malcolm masterminded the Undertaking, an attempt to destroy the Glades and make the city better. Upon coming into conflict with the [[Characters/ArrowverseOliverQueen Green Arrow]], Malcolm schemes against him, yet ultimately proves to be little threat to the fellow archer before the Undertaking's failure. However, upon being captured by Talia and [[IHaveYourWife having Tommy's life threatened]], he proves his manipulative abilities: first by convincing Tommy that Talia had his lover Isabel murdered, including leaving out his correct assumption that they were working together because Tommy would never believe him, then turning Tommy to his side and having him murder Talia, passing control of the League of Shadows onto him. After killing those who helped him because they might betray him as well, Malcolm then plants a BodyDouble so effective that even ARGUS is fooled, faking his death so he can lay low while Tommy helps him scheme against the Green Arrow further.
** ComicBook/AmandaWaller is the director of [[Characters/ArrowverseARGUSAndTaskForceX ARGUS]] and the true leader of the ComicBook/JusticeLeague. Quickly deducing the heroes' identities, Waller blackmails all of them into working for her under the threat of exposing them. She also works with the Queens to scapegoat Frank Chen into confessing to the Undertaking, allowing them to get off scot free in exchange for stopping Malcolm Merlyn, while also revealing that she's aware of Malcolm and Oliver's relation yet is happy to keep it secret. Upon learning of the Dominator threat, Waller leads the human resistance in arming and preparing everyone capable of resisting the threat, later proving vital to repelling the invasion with her scientists. Upon becoming aware of Zoom's threat, Waller tortures Killer Frost to learn everything she can, making Deathstorm cave within moments. She then unleashes her signature creation, [[ComicBook/SuicideSquad Task Force X]], to rescue Barry and save his father from Zoom. Lacking any powers yet brave enough to insult Zoom to his face, Waller is one of the few people able to control the various heroes that work for her with nothing but [[BadassNormal her intelligence and information]].
* ''Series/{{Victorious}}'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/DiamondEyes'' ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8729865/1/Diamond-Eyes link]]): Jade West, desiring to make her and her friends rich, decides to form a gang after reading books about the old ways of crime. Deducing that the local guards won't be able to handle a form of crime they are unfamiliar with, Jade has the Stonehearts start off small by robbing banks before moving on to robbing a museum and casino to [[FromNobodyToNightmare get the Council to acknowledge them as a threat]]. Letting her friend out of the gang when it gets to be too much for her, Jade makes sure to have a way to monitor her to keep her safe. Later wiping out a part of the army, Jade swears revenge on the Council and two government assassins when the latter kill Cat Valentine, calling the Chairmen to intimate him before blowing up the Las Vegas sign. Jade later tracks down and kills one of the assassins in his safe house before killing the other in a fair fight. Later killing the Council, Jade ends the story continuing her quest to make money and getting engaged to her girlfriend, Tori Vega.

[[AC:Video Games]]
[[folder:Examples]]

* ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys''
** {{Fanfic}}s:
*** ''Fanfic/JoyOfCreation'' ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10677673/1/Joy-of-Creation link]]): [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe Goldie Fazbear]] was the titular star of ''The Amazing Goldie Show'' until he was decommissioned and left wandering Freddy Fazbear's Pizza as a spirit. Once [[AdaptationalVillainy Freddy Fazbear and his friends]] try to kill five children so Goldie won't be alone, the bear saves one of the kids, Mike Schmidt, and lets him escape the animatronics. Decades later, Mike would become the night guard at Freddy's, leaving Goldie to take the identity of "the Phone Guy" to teach Mike how to survive, while scaring him about the dangers of the job and faking his death. Once Mike destroys Freddy, Goldie reveals that he kept saving Mike because the boy called him his best friend on his final show, and says that he wants Mike to reconstruct the animatronics and bring the "Joy of Creation" to everyone, all while comforting him about how he will get over the horrors he experienced and become happy again soon. The epilogue shows that Goldie was right and Mike would help in building [[VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys2 the Toy Animatronics]], although not without [[SanitySlippage losing some of his sanity]].
*** ''FanFic/MikesNewGhostlyFamily'': [[DemonLordsAndArchdevils Nightmare]] is a ruthless Hell Lord and the leader of the Nightmare demons. Exploiting his status as one of the more "Moral" demons, which allows him more access to Earth, he uses it to secretly advance his goals of [[TakeOverTheWorld corrupting the world]], while also taking wagers with his victims in exchange for sparring them of torture. Taking one such bet with [[Characters/FiveNightsAtFreddysWilliamAfton William Afton]] to corrupt the Schmidt family, his [[EvenEvilHasStandards disgust of how he treats his own family]] leads him to intentionally tighten the bond of the family via his [[BreakThemByTalking brutally accurate speeches]] and winning the bet. Gaining a genuine respect towards Mike Schmidt after being bested by him, he later willingly aids the family on occasion, from organizing the brutal defeat of an escaped Afton alongside Mike to helping destroy Glitchtrap's copies while locating the one that escaped via manipulating Fazbear Entertainment, all while subtly advancing his own agenda.
** {{Fan Game}}s:
*** ''VideoGame/FinalNights4FatesEntwined'': In the past, the Puppet Master was just one of the animatronics at Fredbear's Family Diner. However, the Puppet Master is the mastermind behind all the events in the franchise that seeks to bring about the downfall of [[Characters/FiveNightsAtFreddysWilliamAfton William Afton]]. The Puppet Master was the one who gave life to the murdered children and sent the [[VideoGame/FinalNights3NightmaresAwaken reaper animatronics to the hurricane hospital]] which ended up failing. However, in 2017, The Puppet Master finally gets his chance to complete his mission by controlling a paranormal investigator named [[PlayerCharacter Max Donavan]]. The Puppet Master uses him to one-by-one free the spirits of the remaining animatronics, learn the truth of what happened, and undo his mistake. After everything is done, the Puppet Master orders Max Donovan to burn down Fazbear's Fright and kill Afton inside Springtrap, which he does, but at the [[SuicideMission cost of his life]].
*** ''VideoGame/{{POPGOES}}'': [[HiddenVillain Simon]] is a intelligent robot made by Jeremy "Fritz" Fitzgerald to revive his brother, only to be locked away by fear, causing Simon to hatch an escape plan to take revenge and gain freedom. Practicing his skills by setting up puzzles for the robotic night guard Strings, he tricks Fritz into connecting him to the mainframe by promising to bring back his daughter that Fritz accidentally killed, using it to rebuild [[RocksFallEveryoneDies The Blackrabbit]], killing him and freeing Simon. He then makes his escape, but not before thanking Strings for his help, shutting down the guard in the process.
** {{Fanvid}} ''[[WebAnimation/TheHottestDogSpecialStrikeSeries TheHottest Dog Special Strike Series]]'' ([[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqVDFs2-ZV5HVd6hiiDZ8gg link]]): [[HumanoidAbomination Glitchtrap]] is reimagined as TheDragon to The_End, who seeks to turn the entire multiverse into meme-spouting puppets. Under his masters orders, he sets up Golden Freddy's transformation into "The Chief", secretly kidnapping characters while spying on the main cast undetected. Upon a chunk of the cast being killed by the resulting battle, he searches for the Chief's corpse to revive him into a powerful minion, adapting to being ambushed by the survivors by convincing them that he's another survivor. When a slip up results in Chester and the Penguin arriving with reinforcements, Glitchtrap uses the resulting chaos to retrieve his syringe and control the Chief with it, willingly mutating himself with it to aid him in the fight.

* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' {{Fan Work}}s:
** {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/PokemonResetBloodlines'':
*** [[AntiVillain Belladonna Tyrian]] is a [[PoisonousPerson Poison]] heart bloodliner whose primary interests lie in living the way she wants to and helping those she cares for, primarily her girlfriends and Pokemon. After being turned out by her homophobic mother, she began wandering around the world and supporting herself through crime. When she learns how her girlfriend Aurora was disowned by her father, she comes up with a plan to kill the hospitalized man while making it look like an indirect consequence of a wild Pokemon attack. When Ash attempts to interfere, she quickly captures him, only sparing him because she suspects they may be [[LongLostSibling long-lost half siblings]]. Once she knows Aurora's father is dead, she discovers evidence of more half-siblings and begins an investigation into her father's identity, temporarily pausing her search for information to help save Ash from Sabrina's clutches. Doing as she pleases and [[{{ubermensch}} marching to the beat of her own drum]], Belladonna provides a compelling look at [[ShadowArchetype how Ash might have turned out]] had things been different.
*** [[TheSocialDarwinist Sabrina]] is a ruthless {{Psychic|Powers}} heart bloodliner who operates as Saffron City's Gym Leader and is known for [[SparingTheAces sparing challengers who prove their worth]]. As a child, she came to the conclusion that people needed some kind of incentive for improvement, so she terrorized her hometown to test her theory. Considering her ideas vindicated when a previously complacent young bug catcher finally stood up to her, she spent the next several years embarking on various schemes to improve or eliminate various people, all for her eventual goal to build [[VisionaryVillain a truly meritocratic world]]. She eventually kidnaps Ash and forces him to fight his way through her gym with the intention of forcing him to shed his reluctance to go all-out. She proves an extremely capable opponent during this fight, adjusting to virtually every new development and constantly keeping Ash on his toes. Very persuasive when she wants to be and balancing her villainy with [[EvenEvilHasStandards genuine moral standards]], Sabrina proves to be one of the most brilliant and dangerous adversaries Ash has to deal with on his second journey.
** {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/TheSunSoul'': [[UltimateLifeform Mewtwo]] is a powerful Psychic-type Pokémon and the true mastermind behind the entire story. Initially created by Team Rocket to retrieve the Sun Soul, Mewtwo rebelled when he learned he was designed to die within a year. Believing humanity was too selfish to share the world with Pokémon, Mewtwo decided to [[KillAllHumans wipe out humankind]]. Using the Sun Soul to amplify his powers, Mewtwo modified millions of Pokémon to serve as his personal army. Reaching out to Professor Elm, Mewtwo convinced him that he would be spared if he amassed an army to help wipe out the Kanto region. Although he was opposed at every turn by Team Rocket, Mewtwo was able to manipulate Ash Ketchum into dismantling their operations. By convincing Ash to free Sabrina from captivity, Mewtwo was able to break her hold over [[OlympusMons Zapdos]] and used it to devastate the armies gathered to stop him. Mewtwo managed to concentrate Kanto's forces to more easily wipe them out and offered to spare Ash due to his fascination his Savant powers. Eventually, Ash used the Sun Soul to [[MentalFusion fuse his consciousness with Mewtwo's]], and the two agreed to work together to help restore balance to the world.
** ''VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue'' FanGame ''VideoGame/PokemonKantoOrigins'' ([[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYselOxqr5srzLhOgKHgEe2Vpkv1cYxoF link]]): [[TheDon Giovanni]] is the Boss of the Team Rocket and leader of the Viridian City Gym. Part of the AncientConspiracy of the Elite Four to control the region, Giovanni wishes to restore Kanto's former glory by any means. Creating Mewtwo as the first step of a series of experiments to create stronger Pokemon, Giovanni manipulates the PlayerCharacter to be his beta-tester while slowly becoming fond of him. Intending to overthrow the Elite Four, Giovanni invades the Indigo Plateau with his most loyal followers, dedicated to slowing the player as much as possible. A GracefulLoser as in the original games, Giovanni is partially aware of the fictional nature of the Protagonist and congratulates him for his victory against him, allowing the player character to defy the ultimate being, the Kanto Spirit.

[[AC:Web Animation]]
[[folder:''RWBY'']]
* ''Fanfic/ChildrenOfRemnant'': [[Characters/RWBYCinderFall Cinder Fall]] is Queen Salem's chief strategist, put in charge of ensuring her war with humanity begins. To that end, she manipulates the Claimed to earn their trust, whispering in Jaune's ear to attempt to [[TreacherousAdvisor trick him into war]]. Behind the scenes, she hires Dr. Merlot to trick the Schnees and Belladonnas into attempting to assassinate Jaune, utilizing her [[TheMole spies]] to ensure they go through with the plan; simultaneously, she raises public tensions against the Claimed by assassinating anti-Grimm speakers and advocating for war. When her plan ultimately fails and she learns of how she was manipulated by Salem, she [[HeelFaceTurn turns against her former master]] and tells Jaune the truth of their "mother", ultimately dying while defeating Tyrian and [[SecretSecretKeeper taking the identity of the Summer Maiden to the grave]].
* ''Fanfic/DestiniesOfRemnant'':
** "The Wolves and the Soulless": [[VillainProtagonist Roman Torchwick]], surviving his canonical death, remains as skillfully charming as ever. Released from prison to serve [[Characters/RWBYJamesIronwood James Ironwood]]'s ends, Roman recruits Team RWBY and Sun to his cause, rescuing Weiss from her home and tracking Blake to Menagerie along the way. Coming up with the plan to secure Sienna Khan's aid against [[Characters/RWBYAdamTaurus Adam Taurus]], Roman keeps up a charade of helping Sienna throughout the subsequent battle and helps ensure Adam's defeat. Following the battle, Roman detonates a bomb in the headquarters, killing both Sienna and Adam as well as wiping out the White Fang in one fell swoop, giving Ironwood the reason he needs to conquer Menagerie while Roman himself [[TheBadGuyWins retires to a quiet life in Mantle]].
** "Be Glad You Existed": [[Characters/RWBYCinderFall Cinder Fall]], though on the side of the heroes, remains no less ruthless than always. After learning of [[EvilGenius Arthur Watts']] plan to invade Beacon with the White Fang, Cinder spends weeks studying [[Characters/RWBYRubyRose Ruby Rose's]] methods and skills, eventually intervening to invite her to Beacon herself. After gathering both Team RWBY and her own team, Cinder orchestrates the plan to take the CCT back from Watts, further ingratiating herself to Ruby while [[FalseFriend pretending to be her friend]]. After they encounter Watts himself, she takes Ruby hostage, engaging in a BattleOfWits with her enemy that she ultimately wins when she reveals that not only did his ally already cave, but she had already rooted out his spies within Beacon Academy, leaving his plan a complete failure before she kills him herself.
** "This World Will Have No Peace": [[Characters/RWBYAdamTaurus Adam Taurus]], while no less vengeful than in canon, funnels that nature into [[AmbitionIsEvil a dangerous level of ambition]]. Seeking to strike straight at the top of humanity, Adam targets [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Jacques Schnee himself]], intending to steal everything the man built. Through a series of EngineeredHeroics and framing others for his crimes, Adam ingratiates himself to the man, all the while plotting with Sienna Khan behind his back. After orchestrating a riot that kills multiple innocents and framing Weiss for an assassination attempt on him, Adam successfully convinces Jacques to give him control of the company, saving Atlas when Jacques then tries to destroy it out of spite. Though originally intending to tear society down out of vengeance, Adam decides to give hope a chance once he gains his power, yet [[TheBadGuyWins remains vigilant for the day the world proves undeserving]].
** "Even Brilliant Lights":
*** [[ExperiencedProtagonist Roman Torchwick]] remains as dastardly brilliant as ever. After taking Ruby in, Roman begins [[EvilMentor teaching her the art of criminality]], gradually molding her into a successor for his chaotic cause while granting him a mole within Beacon. After approving of Ruby's peaceful strategy to blackmail Ozpin, he uses his [[AwesomenessByAnalysis analytical mind]] to disarm Adam Taurus, taking the opportunity to bug his sword. When Ruby tries to bring him into the side of good, he rejects her offer and gives her a brutal and pragmatic fight, beginning by pretending to have assassinated Ozpin in order to provoke her to go all out. When she wins the fight, Roman reveals the facade and keeps his deal to give her Neopolitan as a partner, dying [[TheBadGuyWins confident that Ruby will carry on his legacy]].
*** [[Characters/RWBYRubyRose Ruby Rose]] takes to Roman's teachings and proves she will be a worthy successor. Entering Beacon and weakening her team's abilities from day one, Ruby comes up with the plan to peacefully blackmail Ozpin, using a meeting with him to stealthily bug his office. When she comes into conflict with her team, Ruby uses her analytical abilities to take down all three at once, including [[CombatPragmatist tricking Yang into attacking Blake]], before giving Roman an all-out fight. When she successfully kills him, Ruby utilizes his plan to leave the country, yet [[BatmanGambit correctly predicts that Cinder will attempt to kill her]] for leaving; to circumvent this, she tricks two travelers into taking her place, faking her death and successfully fleeing to Mistral.
** "Born Indicted": [[ALighterShadeOfBlack Sienna Khan]], surviving her [[SparedByTheAdaptation canon death]], learns that her life is short and she must make the most of what time she has to correct his path. To this end, she hatches one final scheme, beginning by decapitating Adam Taurus and presenting the head at a rally. Using her charisma and strength to lure Blake into a meeting and convince her to attend that rally, Sienna then forces a sit-down with several prominent figures, including [[Characters/RWBYJamesIronwood General Ironwood]] and Jacques Schnee, in order to demand equality. However, after a bomb kills everyone present, Blake discovers that Sienna was actually [[FalseFlagOperation gathering targets in one space to kill all of them at once]], not only making herself into a martyr but also uniting humanity and Faunus for the first time. Her plan succeeds, beginning to [[WellIntentionedExtremist mend the rift between humans and Faunus]] even at the cost of her own life.
* ''Fanfic/KnightOfSalem'': [[OnlySaneMan Doctor Arthur Watts]], shedding his usual petty and sadistic nature, is instead the only reason why [[Characters/RWBYCinderFall Cinder]] remains a threat. While Cinder focuses on gaining power no matter the cost, Watts focuses on [[HypercompetentSidekick keeping her mission afloat]], managing to keep her alive in spite of the damage the Grimm pools do to her and even serving as a successful {{spymaster}} to give her intel from her former allies and from Atlas. When she finally loses any shred of sanity or intelligence and attacks Vale, Watts takes advantage and sneaks back to [[Characters/RWBYJauneArc Jaune]], giving him the means to kill Cinder by preying on her predictable and power-hungry nature and happily returning to his former queen's service once she's dead.
* ''Fanfic/{{Null}}'': [[Characters/RWBYJamesIronwood General James Ironwood]] may have originally been too idealistic for his post, but once he makes his deal with Jaune Arc, he proves just how much of a strategic genius he really is. After learning that Ozpin has Amber Arc hostage, he responds by informing Blake Belladonna of the situation, causing her to ally with Jaune and kill Matthew Fields, [[BatmanGambit just as he intended for her to do]]. Meanwhile, predicting a betrayal from his own forces, he has Clover empty out his own airship's weaponry, preventing the Council from framing him for mass murder and allowing him to blackmail them for his investigative powers back. To deal with Ozpin, he strikes a deal with Qrow and Glynda to lead Jaune straight to him and his sister; the resulting battle kills Ozpin and Cinder, ridding Ironwood of his two biggest enemies, and following the battle, he [[FakingTheDead helps Jaune fake his death]] so that he, Jaune, and Neopolitan can continue killing anyone who tries to resurrect the conspiracy, as well as giving him a permanent method of balancing his idealistic self with his ruthless Semblance.
* ''Fanfic/ProfessorArc'': [[Characters/RWBYJauneArc Professor Jaune Arc]], through a mountain of lies and the power of his reputation, gradually proves himself as a genuine manipulator and strategist as time goes on. Coming into his own by forcing Roman Torchwick and Neopolitan to obey him, Jaune grows exponentially upon becoming Headmaster, managing to defeat [[Characters/RWBYCinderFall Cinder Fall]] and place her powers into Pyrrha. Later pulling a similar gambit to defeat [[Characters/RWBYAdamTaurus Adam Taurus]] by exploiting his rage, Jaune even gives the go-ahead for Cinder to steal the Winter Maiden powers, putting her under his control in the process. When Salem then tries to advance on Vale, Jaune manages to bluff her into a complete retreat with [[DidYouJustScamCthulhu only a broom and a box of cigarettes]], simultaneously tricking Cinder into compliance through [[CrazyPrepared a mountain of pre-written letters predicting her actions]]. After pulling a series of gambits to get Salem inside and convince her to spare humanity, Jaune later combats Hazel Rainart's usage of the Relics with his own, destroying him and saving all of humanity.
* ''Fanfic/RelicOfTheFuture'':
** [[Characters/RWBYJauneArc Jaune Ashari]], determined to prevent the BadFuture no matter the cost, becomes far more intelligent and ruthless than in the original timeline. Originally wandering the planet trying to bide his time for the future, Jaune begins taking active steps against Salem and proves himself her greatest opponent, not only taking out her forces one by one but sabotaging her future plans to prevent her from getting a foothold on Remnant. From uniting Vale's gangs under his own banner, destroying the White Fang in a single evening, using Hazel Rainart's death to [[FalseFlagOperation pose as a mole for Salem's organization]], converting Cinder to his side through promises of power, and even creating a new energy source out of Aura along the way, Jaune's resolve carries him for years, even when he learns that defeating Salem will kill him as well. Managing to steal and unite the Relics, Jaune [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu defeats Salem once again]] despite her attempts to subvert Emerald, returning to the timeline he once abandoned and resolving to continue fixing the world once more.
** [[NeutralNoLonger Raven Branwen]], after [[CowardlyLion confronting her cowardice]] and throwing her lot in with Jaune, proves to be just as intelligent as her partner. After using Jaune's mission to render the Relic of Knowledge inert to learn just who he is, Raven begins working both with him and independently to subvert Salem's plans, primarily by training his younger self in her brutal method of combat. [[BigDamnHeroes Saving Jaune's life multiple times with her portals]], Raven consistently plays her part in Jaune's plans to perfection and adds her own ideas, such as giving herself and Jaune [[PlausibleDeniability alibis for Hazel's death]], convincing Ozpin's forces that Nora Valkyrie is the Spring Maiden, using the Maiden powers on Atlas soldiers to provide cover for Watts' kidnapping, and summoning Summer to kill Oscar. Despite her emotional struggles and original cowardly nature, Raven is Jaune's most useful ally and contributes just as much to their partnership as he does.
** [[Characters/RWBYAdamTaurus Adam Taurus]] is the OnlySaneMan of the [[Characters/RWBYWhiteFang White Fang]] who genuinely believes in the cause he's fighting for. After witnessing Jaune protect them from a mob with the threat of violence, Adam is inspired and helps radicalize the Fang, yet when he sees how far they've fallen, he [[TokenGoodTeammate refuses to sink to their level]]. Becoming the Fang's most useful operative despite his distaste for killing, Adam sees the writing on the wall and concludes the Fang will collapse on itself, seeking a way out for himself. After [[AwesomenessByAnalysis psychoanalyzing Jaune]] and attempting to save him in Menagerie, Adam later conspires with Winter Schnee to wipe out the Fang, preemptively betraying his soldiers before they can kill him and intending to lure the Atlas military to the Fang. Though Jaune kills them first, Adam gets out alive and un-captured with Blake, becoming Chieftan of Menagerie and working with Ironwood to make equality the law.
* ''Fanfic/{{Resurgence}}'': [[Characters/RWBYAnima Raven Branwen]] is a huntress and a former member of Team STRQ. Upon discovering a mystical pool that allowed her to see various possible futures, Raven realized that desperate measures would have to be taken to ensure the one future where humanity survived. To this end Raven made the painful decision to abandon her family so that they could achieve their full potential. Taking the alias Krymsen, Raven approached [[Characters/RWBYCinderFall Cinder Fall]] and used her access to the Pool of Life to help her carry out her plans, all the while manipulating her to ensure that the heroes of Remnant had a fighting chance. Upon deciding that the pieces were in place Raven reveals her true intentions to [[Characters/RWBYTheHeroes Team RWBY]] before mortally wounding Cinder with the aid of Neo. When Salem is defeated, Raven absorbs her power and decides to stay in the netherworld, both to ensure the balance and to serve penance for her crimes.

[[AC:Web Videos]]
* ''WebAnimation/MysterySkullsAnimated'' FanAnimatic ''WebAnimation/RevengeCreatesMoreRevenge'' ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPwFbWUWh00 link]]): [[MyNameIsQuestionMarks ???]] is a mysterious, [[GhastlyGhost malevolent ghost]] with unknown ties to [[{{Youkai}} Mystery and Shiromori]], the latter of whom he wants his hands on. Seeing an opportunity when the Mystery Skulls explore a cave he's taken residence in, ??? possesses Arthur and pushes Lewis to his death, knowing Mystery would unleash his full power to save him, unintentionally drawing Shiromori out. After a forceful exorcism, ??? covertly tails the gang, waiting for either Shiromori to find them or for Lewis' ghost to come and kill Arthur, believing he could again prove useful as a spirit. Upon Arthur's death, ??? [[WeCanRuleTogether offers to join with him]] to take revenge against Lewis, reminding him of the many sleepless nights he spent searching for his supposed "best friend", then telling him Lewis left Vivi to die when Arthur falters. Arthur snaps and vows to tear Lewis apart, too angry to care when ??? tells him they'll be going for his own target afterward, ??? gladly waiting a little longer for what he wants now that he has a powerful wraith at his side.

[[AC:Western Animation]]
[[folder:Examples]]
* ''WesternAnimation/CodeLyoko'' {{Fanfic}}s:
** ''[[Fanfic/BataillePourlespoir Bataille pour l'espoir]]'' ([[https://forum.codelyoko.fr/viewtopic.php?t=5821&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 link]]): [[WellIntentionedExtremist Andrew Streep]] was originally one of many young graduates hired by the French government to work in Project Carthage on quantum mechanics. When Youbakou Senja took over the project for his nefarious purposes and attempted to kill Streep, the latter found help within the French government who protected him in exchange for total cooperation, leading to Streep becoming the [[AntiHero General Alexandre Hussinger]]. Hussinger then engaged in multiple schemes to stop Senja, such as killing the Prime Minister and staging a coup to take over France and use it's resources against Carthage and save the captured Lyoko-warriors, faking his death, send Léopold to rescue the Lyoko-warriors and using the Lyoko-warrior Jérémie as TheMole to kill Senja — a near success —, and figuring out how the [[KillSat Grande Arche]] works and telling his subordinate Kiichi how to breach it. [[DyingMomentOfAwesome Even when mortally wounded by Senja]], Hussinger remained unshakable and determined to stop Carthage at all costs, successfully killing Senja and ordering the Eiffel Tower's destruction, [[BatmanGambit aware it could cause a city-wide blackout disorienting Carthage's planes now unable to see their targets]].
** ''Fanfic/TheGamesOfMoriarty'' ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7740418/1/The-Games-of-Moriarty link]]):
*** [[FallenHero Jérémie The Eternal and Omnipotent]] is the result of [[BigBad Moriarty]]'s mind-rape of Jérémie in the first chapter and Jérémie being kicked out of the group for releasing XANA from William's mind. Becoming obsessed with destroying Moriarty at all costs, Jérémie creates the "Holmes" program to do so. When he realizes Holmes is also damaging the entire Internet (thus causing bugs and damaging the nations' relations with each other), he reasons that he must become [[AGodAmI humanity's guide/god/master]] to ensure [[WellIntentionedExtremist that they stop fighting each other]]. As such, when Holmes is on the brink of starting a nuclear war, Jérémie plans to virtualize himself in the Network, destroy Holmes, Moriarty and Odd (Moriarty's [[BrainwashedAndCrazy unwilling minion]]), and then conquer the world as he would be seen as humanity's savior, all of this while remaining under the radar. When his former teammates discover his evil plan, Jérémie uses the power he previously gave himself to easily defeat them, despite them having Moriarty's help. His failure was only caused by errors he made dues to his insanity. As smart as he was unstoppable, Jérémie's short villainous moments left a permanent mark on his teammates, the entire world and Moriarty's plans.
*** [[AIIsACrapshoot XANA]], the main villain of the original series, was not only created by Franz Hopper to destroy Carthage, but also [[BigBad Moriarty]]. Long after Season 4, after barely escaping death by hiding inside William, XANA is still obsessed with destroying Moriarty. Manipulating William and Jérémie into freeing it from the former's body, XANA easily defeated [[EnemyMine the Lyoko-warriors and Moriarty]], and would've killed them if it wasn't for William FightingFromTheInside. Despite being depowered and stuck inside William, it made an alliance with William, and proved to be a valuable, if evil, ally, giving him pixelized human powers to take on Moriarty on Earth, and often saving him from death through sheer power or quick thinking, such as when it noticed a high-voltage metal box that was used to kill Dark Yumi, who was about to kill a depowered William. Defeating the Dark Lyoko-warriors with William, XANA played an important role in Moriarty's defeat. Ruthless, brutal, [[TheUnfettered unfettered]] and above all, [[NoNonsenseNemesis efficient]], XANA was the most competent character of the entire fanfiction.
** ''[[Fanfic/TrenteDegres Trente Degrés]]'' ([[https://forum.codelyoko.fr/viewtopic.php?t=8806 link]]): Aelita Schäffer, after losing her fellow Lyoko-warriors Jérémie, Ulrich, Odd and Yumi to the XANA-possessed William, decides to destroy any remnant of XANA by killing William. When she learns he's in Melbourne, Australia, she goes there and befriends him once again. When she realizes he's amnesiac, she decides to jog his memory by committing two murders in front of him, before fleeing with him to her place, where she leaves him alone, since she kept all of the Lyoko-warriors' belongings, allowing William to remember what happened by inspecting them. Luring him to a beach, she revealed the truth to him before shooting him dead, killing XANA at the same occasion. Upon succeeding in her mission, Aelita commits suicide by swallowing a cyanide pill.
** ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls'' Crossover ''Fanfic/CodeLyokoEG'': [[Characters/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsSunsetShimmer Sunset Shimmer]], while a CompositeCharacter of her original canon self and William Dunbar, eclipses them both in dastardly brilliance. Joining an hacktivist group in her youth, Sunset worked with it to hack into large corporations, driving one to bankruptcy and nearly giving the same fate to 12 of the biggest government-funded companies. On the run after the group was sold out to the police, Sunset hacked into wealthy people's bank accounts for a living. [[SixthRanger Recruited]] by the Lyoko 6 after proving her worth, Sunset proves to be an invaluable member of the team, an effective leader during Twilight Sparkle's absence, [[BatmanGambit tricking XANA into revealing to her his IP address and thus his Replikas]], figuring out XANA's ''modus operandi'', [[HeroicSeductress using her own crush on one of the Dazzlings to keep an eye on them when they infiltrate the Lyoko 7]], and sending a hidden mail containing the anti-XANA program to Twilight while tricking XANA into stealing a fake, securing his final defeat in the long run.

* ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'' {{Fanfic}}s
** ''Fanfic/DespairIsland'': [[TheHeavy Justin, the "Eye Candy"]], is [[AdaptationalBadass significantly more cunning than in canon]]. A model born into the Serbian mafia, Justin aims to win ''[[DeadlyGame Total Drama Island]]'' and reunite with his family by any means necessary. To that end, he [[ObfuscatingStupidity cultivates the image of a dumb pretty boy obsessed with his looks]] to make the others underestimate him, charms several female contestants into doing what he wants, and manipulates events to get several contestants eliminated. Proceeding to lay low and slip beneath suspicion, Justin beats fellow manipulator Alejandro, forms friendships with other campers for his benefit, and eventually manages to [[TheBadGuyWins win the competition]]. Despite this, he feels regret for his heinous deeds and forms genuine bonds with his allies, especially Geoff whom he apologizes to. When the Canadian military saves the remaining campers, Justin amiably parts with Geoff and the others and goes on the run from the Serbian mafia, remaining untouchable to the end.
** ''Fanfic/TotalShuffledIslandSeries'': [[AgentProvocateur Noah]] is [[AdaptationalIntelligence considerably more devious and manipulative than in canon]]. Serving as the BigBad of the fourth season, ''Revenge of the Island'', Noah keeps a low profile while subtlety sabotaging the competition. He causes Leonard and Justin's eliminations by writing them anonymous notes, stroking the former's ego and making the latter butt heads with Lindsay throughout the challenge. Upon Courtney being given the power to decide who to eliminate, Noah gets Zoey eliminated by her by forging a diary [[FrameUp framing Zoey]] as a two-faced hypocrite planning to betray everyone. Successfully eliminating Courtney and Jasmine and making it to the finale, Noah becomes the [[TheBadGuyWins first villain to win a season]] by using a variety of traps and weapons to wear down Harold's PoweredArmor and defeat him.

[[AC:Multimedia]]
[[folder:Examples]]
* ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm''[[note]]MassiveMultiplayerCrossover including Franchise/DCUniverse, ''Franchise/HarryPotter'', Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/XMenEvolution''[[/note]]: [[ComicBook/DoctorStrange Doctor Stephen Strange]] aka Taliesin is the Sorcerer Supreme whose PurposeDrivenImmortality is based on defeating ComicBook/{{Thanos}} and will take any means necessary to save as many people as he possibly can. Carefully crafting a "reputation for omniscience" over millennia, he uses his inability to lie, abilities a Seer, and [[ExactWords careful word choice]] to ensure people will react as he intends, Strange plays heroes and villains alike, even breaking Lucius Malfoy, a dangerous mastermind who had brought the world to its knees, in a single speech. Setting up his pieces perfectly, Strange has the world organized exactly as he needs for his plans and even tricks Chthon into taking the worst possible host, purging him from the universe. In the sequel, Strange adapts to the temporary loss of his seer powers and manages to destroy various threats to himself and the world, while making amends and earning a happy ending for Maddie Pryor, whom he believes he failed more than anyone else. Regretful of his own [[NecessarilyEvil necessary evil]] but resolved to defeat Thanos no matter what it takes, Strange showcases remarkable ingenuity and charm through all his appearances.

* ''Manga/ElfenLied'' and ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/{{Purpose}}'' ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4788341/1/Purpose link]]): [[Characters/SawJohnKramer John Kramer]] and his apprentice Lucy, aka Kaede, are the philosophical Jigsaw Killers:

* ''Franchise/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' and ''Literature/PippiLongstocking'' {{Fanfic}} ''[[Fanfic/KiraYoshikagesLittleSister Kira Yoshikage's Little Sister]]'' ([[https://m.fanfiction.net/s/13862327/1/Kira-Yoshikage-s-Little-Sister link]]): [[LittleSisterInstinct Pippi Longstocking]] is [[AdaptationalVillainy reimagined]] as Koichi Hirose's former classmate and [[Characters/JoJosBizarreAdventureYoshikageKira Yoshikage Kira]]'s little sister, consequently renamed Pippi Kira. Well aware and supportive of her older brother's true nature as a serial killer, Pippi helps him cover up his crimes to ensure he continues living the peaceful life he strives for. When Yoshikage is forced to become Kosaku Kawajiri, Pippi tasks her father Yoshihiro Kira to look after her brother before waiting for [[Characters/JoJosBizarreAdventureDiamondIsUnbreakableHeroes Josuke Higashikata, Okuyasu Nijimura, Koichi and Jotaro Kujo]] to come to the Kira house to investigate. Keeping hidden her Stand Black Queen's versatile abilities unless she's gradually forced to reveal them, [[LastStand Pippi manages to keep up with the group despite being aware she has little chances of winning]], nearly killing her classmate and Okuyasu on separate occasions. Even when defeated and mortally wounded by Jotaro, Pippi refuses to tell him any information about Yoshikage and takes advantage of her opponents dropping their guard to transfer part of her power to her brother, empowering him.
* ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventure''[=/=]''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' fanfic ''Fanfic/RemnantsBizarreAdventure'':

* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' and ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/{{Sleepy}}'' ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12999877/1/Sleepy link]]): [[Characters/BleachEspadas1To5 Tier Harribel, the Tres Espada]], becomes King of Hueco Mondo after [[Characters/BleachSosukeAizen Sosuke Aizen]]'s defeat and shines through her leadership, becoming one of [[Characters/RWBYRubyRose Ruby Rose]], Coyote Starrk and Lilynette Gingerbuck's most brilliant allies. Using fellow Arrancar Ruby Rose to establish links with Remnant, she has her collect Grimm as the newest Hollow food instead of the Hollows' cannibalism and establishes a ceasefire with Soul Society by sending Ruby there – risking the latter's life in the process – with a record of Mayuri Kurotsuchi and Zaraki Kenpachi's incursion within Soul Society, using that same record to fasten the negociations with Atlas by convincing them to build shared defenses against Soul Society. Establishing secret alliances with Remnant in several aspects such as soul research, transportation and Grimm harvesting, Harribel and several Arrancars assist Vale during the Fall of Beacon, making hers and Hueco Mondo's existence public as heroes after successfully foiling [[Characters/RWBYCinderFall Cinder Fall]]'s plans.
* ''Series/OnceUponATime''[=/=]''Film/MrRight'' fanfic ''Fanfic/LoveAtFirstSightOnceUponATime'': [[Characters/OnceUponATimeEmmaSwan Emma Swan]] is a quirky ex-CIA agent and ex-assassin who went rogue and now kills her clients out of both boredom and belief that they are bad people. Introduced killing a woman who hired her to kill said woman's husband and easily taking out a group sent to kill her, Emma eventually meets [[Characters/OnceUponATimeRegina Regina Mills]] and instantly falls in love with her. During her relationship with Regina, Emma is constantly dodging assassination attempts and killing those sent to kill her, all the while being completely honest with Regina about her profession. Emma later easily takes out most of Jekyll and Hyde's men, even befriending some, before letting Regina join her in her assassination business, even promising to help Regina kill her cheating ex-boyfriend, Robin.
* ''Fanfic/HeroesSeries'': [[Characters/MoonKnightMarcSpector Moon Knight]] is simultaneously a billionaire philanthropist, a brilliant detective, and a [[GoodIsNotNice brutal vigilante]]. Called in by Daredevil to investigate Gwen Stacy's disappearance, Moon Knight tracks down Rhino and tortures him for her location, even threatening Rhino's mother to make him sell out [[Characters/MarvelComicsNormanOsborn Norman Osborn]]. Using a business meeting to plant a bug on him and later defeating Silver Sable in one-on-one combat, Moon Knight then holds off Osborn long enough for the other heroes to defeat him. Later repeating his brutal techniques on [[AmoralAttorney Lindsey McDonald]], Moon Knight gathers information on the entire Circle of the Black Thorn, proving instrumental to its downfall in the process. Despite his eccentric nature, Moon Knight is a dangerous man to cross, both intellectually and physically.
* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible''[=/=]''Film/BramStokersDracula'' fanfiction ''Fanfic/{{Drakigo}}'': [[FallenHero Once the leader of the Transylvanian knights]], Shego Dracula [[RageAgainstTheHeavens forsakes god]] and willingly becomes a vampire after her beloved Elizabeta kills herself. Years after killing the vampire that turned her, Shego tricks Ronald Stoppable into selling her a house. Turning him over to her brides, Shego journeys to London and runs into Stoppable's fiance, Kimberly. Determined to woo Kimberly, Shego takes her on dates and eventually turns her friend Monique into a vampire after feeding on her. Upon being betrayed and wounded, Shego is prepared to fight to the death. [[DeadpanSnarker Snarky]] and clever, Shego manages to live the rest of her life with her beloved.
* ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney''/''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/NoMoreTurnabout'' ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10849348/1/No-More-Turnabout link]]): The [[AffablyEvil polite]] and playful Henry Cooldown is the true murderer behind the crime that his twin brother, Travis Touchdown, finds himself framed for. Worried that Travis's relationship with Henry's ex-wife, Sylvia Christel, will lead Travis down to ruin, Henry formulates a plan to make Travis believe Sylvia was the one who framed him for the murder, and lead to the end of their relationship. Henry hires renowned assassin, Shelly de Killer, to attack Diane Heifer at the cemetery and make it seem as if the true crime scene occurred there before having him bring her body to the video store for Henry to murder. Henry then poses as an assistant and bodyguard to Phoenix Wright after saving his life from hitmen who Henry himself hired, and subtly leads Phoenix and Maya to misleading pieces of evidence. Henry successfully manages to put Sylvia under suspicion by having de Killer fake a slip-up about his client's identity. Even after Phoenix discovers that Henry is the murderer, Henry nearly gets away with his crimes by presenting proof of an alibi at the time the murder was thought to occur at the cemetery. When finally defeated, Henry [[GracefulLoser accepts defeat with dignity]] and openly admits to being wrong when he finds out that Sylvia truly cares for his brother.

** ''Fanfic/NotATypicalCivilWar'' ([[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6470827/1/Not-a-Typical-Civil-War link]]): ComicBook/DoctorDoom is [[TheManBehindTheMan the mastermind]] behind the [[SuperRegistrationAct Superhero Registration Act]] and the resulting Civil War. Seeking to turn the world's heroes against each other, Doom hired Nitro to fight the New Warriors in Stamford, leading to the deaths of over eight-hundred civilians and causing the public to turn against the superhero community, with Doom working with Maria Hill to escalate tensions between the pro and anti-Registration sides. With the info gathered from the Registration Act, Doom learned all of the heroes' secret identities and the locations of their loved ones. Doom eventually trapped both sides of the conflict in the Negative Zone and released the supervillains from Prison 42 to kill them. He then sent ComicBook/TheSentry to attack New York City, [[EngineeredHeroics planning on killing him]] so he could be hailed as a savior and be given control of the Earth. Focused solely on his dream of world conquest, Doctor Doom nearly rid himself of the world's superheroes by turning their own ideals against them.

** ''Fanfic/CheatingDeathThoseThatLived'': [[LovableRogue Jack Tylos]] is a self-proclaimed "master thief" who engages in this trade out of necessity, thrill-seeking, and altruism at various points. He's forced to volunteer for the 21st Hunger Games after trying to steal the head peacekeeper's wallet. He steals a taser which he uses against his opponents in the arena and constantly and publicly brings up the circumstances behind his volunteering as a successful gambit to get the head peacekeeper arrested or executed. After winning, he gloatingly reveals his use of the taser, but is horrified when several innocent residents of District 7 are executed. Despite Panem's status as a heavily surveilled police state and his own open ties to the underworld, Jack continues stealing and is never caught unless it's on purpose for a BatmanGambit. He is a devoted mentor and will rob banks to get sponsor money for tributes he feels especially attached to. During the rebellion, Jack supplies the victors caught in the Capitol with a stash of guns he stole and hid over the years and goes down fighting so his allies can escape.

* ''Manga/DeathNote'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/{{Liability}}'' ([[https://archiveofourown.org/works/26486137/chapters/64545175 link]]): [[BewareTheSillyOnes Misa Amane]], once given her memories back via the Death Note, decides to take the chess match between [[Characters/DeathNoteLightYagami Light Yagami]] and [[Characters/DeathNoteLLawliet L Lawliet]] and "flip the board over". To that end, she begins by forcing Mikami to call the Task Force and confess to being Kira before committing suicide, simultaneously subjecting Light and Takada to death by fire so that they can take the Death Note with them. Immediately afterwards, she relinquishes her ownership and hence memories of the Death Note, ensuring that [[MemoryGambit she can't incriminate herself as the 2nd Kira]]. With Soichiro forces to save his wife and daughter from a house fire, L investigates Mikami's death and finds two notes: one supposedly written by Mikami confessing to all of Light's crimes, and another for L's eyes only in which Misa details her plan, not identifying herself but warning L that going after her [[ImpliedDeathThreat won't end well for him]]. With the power of Kira gone from Earth and herself left blissfully unaware, Misa retires with L to Wammy's House.

** ''Fanfic/TheGothamCitySocietyOfFireproofWomen'': [[ComicBook/{{Batgirl}} Cassandra Wayne]] is the daughter of assassins David Cain and Lady Shiva, raised since birth to be a [[OneManArmy perfect killing machine]]. Running away after her first murder, Cassandra sought redemption by joining Batman as "Orphan," getting adopted by Bruce and incarcerating her parents. Eventually chosen to be his successor, Cassandra returns the legend of the Dark Knight to its urban myth routes as a monster lurking in the shadows, leaving armies of broken mobsters in her wake. Upon learning of Ra's al Ghul and the Arkham Knight's plan to destroy Gotham, Cassandra anonymously feeds Astrid information--even allowing her to capture and brutally murder an oblivious Nightwing--to ensure the Arkham Knight won't kill the rest of her family and endanger the unknown mole, before secretly resurrecting Dick with a Lazarus Pit. Willing to leave her grieving comrades in the dark to ensure her plan's success but ultimately never swaying from her dad's [[ThouShaltNotKill one rule]], Cassandra sabotages the pair's scheme before it even gets off the ground, ruthlessly proving once and for all why she is the [[SuperiorSuccessor worthiest successor]] to the mantle of Batman.

* ''Fanfic/TotalShuffledIslandSeries'': [[AgentProvocateur Noah]] is [[AdaptationalIntelligence considerably more devious and manipulative than in canon]]. Serving as the BigBad of the fourth season, ''Revenge of the Island'', Noah keeps a low profile while subtlety sabotaging the competition. He causes Leonard and Justin's eliminations by writing them anonymous notes, stroking the former's ego and making the latter butt heads with Lindsay throughout the challenge. Upon Courtney being given the power to decide who to eliminate, Noah gets Zoey eliminated by her by forging a diary [[FrameUp framing Zoey]] as a two-faced hypocrite planning to betray everyone. Successfully eliminating Courtney and Jasmine and making it to the finale, Noah becomes the [[TheBadGuyWins first villain to win a season]] by using a variety of traps and weapons to wear down Harold's PoweredArmor and defeat him.

* ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/DespairIsland'': [[TheHeavy Justin, the "Eye Candy"]], is [[AdaptationalBadass significantly more cunning than in canon]]. A model born into the Serbian mafia, Justin aims to win ''[[DeadlyGame Total Drama Island]]'' and reunite with his family by any means necessary. To that end, he [[ObfuscatingStupidity cultivates the image of a dumb pretty boy obsessed with his looks]] to make the others underestimate him, charms several female contestants into doing what he wants, and manipulates events to get several contestants eliminated. Proceeding to lay low and slip beneath suspicion, Justin beats fellow manipulator Alejandro, forms friendships with other campers for his benefit, and eventually manages to [[TheBadGuyWins win the competition]]. Despite this, he feels regret for his heinous deeds and forms genuine bonds with his allies, especially Geoff whom he apologizes to. When the Canadian military saves the remaining campers, Justin amiably parts with Geoff and the others and goes on the run from the Serbian mafia, remaining untouchable to the end.

* ''Manga/DeathNote'' {{Fanfic}} ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/26486137/chapters/64545175 Liability]]'': [[BewareTheSillyOnes Misa Amane]], once given her memories back via the Death Note, decides to take the chess match between [[Characters/DeathNoteLightYagami Light Yagami]] and [[Characters/DeathNoteLLawliet L Lawliet]] and "flip the board over". To that end, she begins by forcing Mikami to call the Task Force and confess to being Kira before committing suicide, simultaneously subjecting Light and Takada to death by fire so that they can take the Death Note with them. Immediately afterwards, she relinquishes her ownership and hence memories of the Death Note, ensuring that [[MemoryGambit she can't incriminate herself as the 2nd Kira]]. With Soichiro forces to save his wife and daughter from a house fire, L investigates Mikami's death and finds two notes: one supposedly written by Mikami confessing to all of Light's crimes, and another for L's eyes only in which Misa details her plan, not identifying herself but warning L that going after her [[ImpliedDeathThreat won't end well for him]]. With the power of Kira gone from Earth and herself left blissfully unaware, Misa retires with L to Wammy's House.

** {{Fanfic}} ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11434583/1/In-Pursuit-Of-Vengeance In Pursuit Of Vengeance]]'': [[DragonWithAnAgenda Dodoria]] proves to be [[AdaptationalIntelligence significantly more intelligent]] than his canon counterpart. Tasked by Frieza to watch over the forcibly recruited Goku, Dodoria tricks him into purging a helpless alien race by taking advantage of Goku's grudge against Raditz. Over time, Dodoria begins to form a bond with Goku, and when the Saiyans betray Frieza, Dodoria deduces the existence of the Namekian Dragon Balls, intending to use them as a way to persuade Frieza to spare Goku for his treachery. Attacking Namek alongside Zarbon for its Dragon Balls, when Dodoria discovers Goku intends to use them to revive the purged Earthlings, [[HeelFaceTurn he turns against Frieza and kills Zarbon by surprise]]. After shielding Goku from Captain Ginyu's [[GrandTheftMe body swap technique]], Dodoria impersonates Ginyu to trick Frieza into thinking the Saiyans are still on Namek, buying Goku time to resurrect everyone on Earth. Dodoria then goes to Earth to train the revived Z-Fighters, allowing them to grow strong enough to protect the planet from Frieza's forces.

* ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'' {{Fanfic}} ''[[https://m.fanfiction.net/s/13049548/1/ Agents of Light]]'': Professor Lyman Banner is [[AdaptationalBadass even more cunning and devious than in canon]]. Seeking the power of the Sacred Beasts to create the PhilosophersStone, Banner teams up with Kagemaru. Hiding his allegiance with the Shadow Riders from Duel Academy, Banner orchestrates the disappearance of several students, including Atticus. Needing Jaden for his strong duel energy, Banner foils every attempt the protagonists make to get him expelled. Manipulating a group of students into reviving Jinzo into the human world, he makes a deal with Jinzo to kill the protagonists. Banner lures Ghassan into a cave and holds his soul hostage to blackmail Scott and Damian into dueling Zane. Anticipating that one of them would come after him, Banner fakes his death at Jinzo's hands and leaves Jinzo behind to kill Damian. Being defeated by Zane, Banner reveals that Camula has been watching them the whole time, revealing the true method of reviving the Sacred Beasts to her, Banner calmly blackmails all of them [[FaceDeathWithDignity before gracefully accepting his death]].

* ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'':
** {{Fanfic}}s
*** ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5732464/1/Control-Premium Control Premium]]'': [[BadassBookworm Oswald Cobblepot]], aka ComicBook/ThePenguin, is a bookkeeper and enforcer for the Wesker gang. As an expert forger and financial wizard, he plays a major role in keeping the gang solvent, also playing a role in various negotiations. Despite his ruthless criminality, Oswald has a number of humanizing qualities, such as his [[EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas care for his mentally ill mother]] and his genuine friendship with his boss's nephew Arnold. When one meeting goes south due to some members of the outfit being revealed to have been bribed to turn traitor by the leader of a rival gang, Oswald [[DoNotGoGentle resolves not to go out without a fight]], and starts thinking of ways to save himself even as he is led outside to be executed. Unexpectedly saved by Arnold, Oswald tricks the rival gang's leader, Mr. Goode, into becoming his hostage and turns his own henchmen against him. After sending Goode fleeing to Europe, Oswald and Arnold make an agreement to share power, while he [[AppropriatedAppellation resolves to make his nickname a name of fear]].
*** ''Fanfic/TheGothamCitySocietyOfFireproofWomen'': [[ComicBook/{{Batgirl}} Cassandra Wayne]] is the daughter of assassins David Cain and Lady Shiva, raised since birth to be a [[OneManArmy perfect killing machine]]. Running away after her first murder, Cassandra sought redemption by joining Batman as "Orphan," getting adopted by Bruce and incarcerating her parents. Eventually chosen to be his successor, Cassandra returns the legend of the Dark Knight to its urban myth routes as a monster lurking in the shadows, leaving armies of broken mobsters in her wake. Upon learning of Ra's al Ghul and the Arkham Knight's plan to destroy Gotham, Cassandra anonymously feeds Astrid information--even allowing her to capture and brutally murder an oblivious Nightwing--to ensure the Arkham Knight won't kill the rest of her family and endanger the unknown mole, before secretly resurrecting Dick with a Lazarus Pit. Willing to leave her grieving comrades in the dark to ensure her plan's success but ultimately never swaying from her dad's [[ThouShaltNotKill one rule]], Cassandra sabotages the pair's scheme before it even gets off the ground, ruthlessly proving once and for all why she is the [[SuperiorSuccessor worthiest successor]] to the mantle of Batman.

** ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6470827/1/Not-a-Typical-Civil-War Not a Typical Civil War]]'': ComicBook/DoctorDoom is [[TheManBehindTheMan the mastermind]] behind the [[SuperRegistrationAct Superhero Registration Act]] and the resulting Civil War. Seeking to turn the world's heroes against each other, Doom hired Nitro to fight the New Warriors in Stamford, leading to the deaths of over eight-hundred civilians and causing the public to turn against the superhero community, with Doom working with Maria Hill to escalate tensions between the pro and anti-Registration sides. With the info gathered from the Registration Act, Doom learned all of the heroes' secret identities and the locations of their loved ones. Doom eventually trapped both sides of the conflict in the Negative Zone and released the supervillains from Prison 42 to kill them. He then sent ComicBook/TheSentry to attack New York City, [[EngineeredHeroics planning on killing him]] so he could be hailed as a savior and be given control of the Earth. Focused solely on his dream of world conquest, Doctor Doom nearly rid himself of the world's superheroes by turning their own ideals against them.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDameDisney'' {{Fanfic}} ''[[https://crazedwriter.tripod.com/revealed.html What REALLY Happened]]'': [[AdaptationalVillainy Clopin Trouillefou]] is the leader of the UsefulNotes/{{Romani}} population of Paris who seeks revenge on Claude Frollo, France's Minister of Justice, and also wishes to [[WellIntentionedExtremist end gypsy persecution]]. To this end, he makes an arrangement with an old rival of Frollo's named Jean-Michel du Champs who wants to be Minister of Justice. The night after the Feast of Fools, Clopin imprisons Frollo in his own dungeons and replaces him with a disguised Jean-Michel, who begins sullying Frollo's name by persecuting many Parisans. Learning of Jean-Michel's plans to betray him, Clopin [[OutGambitted outplays him]] by subtly getting Quasimodo and Phoebus on his side, resulting in Jean-Michel's death. Even after being paralyzed in a violent incident at the Court of Miracles, [[{{Determinator}} Clopin still refuses to give up]] and is soon working on new plans. Only failing due to things he had no reasonable way of knowing about, Clopin proves a genuinely cunning and compelling antagonist.

** ''Literature/{{Carrie}}'' {{Crossover}} fic: ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5286938/1/ Battle Royale, Maine]]'': [[BullyHunter Carrietta "Carrie" White]] is a CompositeCharacter of her original canonical self and Kazuo Kiriyama, and proves to be as sympathetic as the former and as implacable and cunning as the latter. Forcibly inducted in the Battle Royale Program with her classmates and bullies, Carrie, determines to slaughter them, putting to good use the skills she developed after being tormented for so long, staying hidden from her classmates for extended periods of time and [[CrazyPrepared being prepared for several possibilities]]. These skills allowed Carrie to sneak up on her classmates on several occasions, double-tap Steve Deighan when he tries to fake his death, discover Henry Blake's bulletproof vest and take it for herself and wait for the remaining survivors to kill each other when there were few enough. When the last one, her biggest bully [[ArchEnemy Christine "Chris" Hargensen]] nearly kills her, Carrie pretends to succumb to her attack while being protected by her bulletproof vest, before taking down Chris as well, winning the Program. Taking advantage of the legal privileges granted to Program winners, Carrie then proceeds to kill her abusive mother Margaret White, fully completing her revenge.
** ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5149090/1/Folie-a-Deux Folie a Deux]]'': [[UnholyMatrimony Kazuhiko "Kaz" Yamamoto and Sakura Ogawa]] are [[AdaptationalVillainy leagues more devious than their canon counterparts]]. Causing a crime wave through Shiroiwa, they hid their true selves behind [[BitchInSheepsClothing a friendly facade]] and framed the town's local gangs and criminals for their deeds. Forced to participate in the Program alongside their classmates, Kaz and Sakura decide to play until finding a way out and manipulate their way through the Program, teaming up with Yuka Nakagawa and Satomi Noda against Kazuo Kiriyama, [[TamperingWithFoodAndDrink poisoning the Lighthouse Girls]] and surviving an encounter with Mitsuko Souma when she saw through the latter plot. [[AwesomenessByAnalysis Figuring out how the explosive collars work by inspecting Satomi's]], Kaz and Sakura find a way to remove theirs without setting them off. When taken by surprise by Shogo Kawada, Shuya Nanahara and Noriko Nanahara, Kaz and Sakura remove their collars as well, recruiting them and escaping to the mainland after the Program was finished by creating fake identities. Assigning the trio to different jobs suiting their talents to better benefit their criminal careers and torturing Yonemi Kamon to death to avenge their deceased classmates in the Program, [[KarmaHoudini Kaz and Sakura get away with their schemes]].
** ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4523722/1/Heads-is-Heads Heads is Heads]]'': [[ImplacableMan Kazuo Kiriyama]] is a cold-hearted gangster known for his inability to feel empathy and ruthless tactics. After flipping a coin to destroy The Program, Kiriyama immediately sets to working against his captors, recruiting students, killing foes, and bonding with Izumi Kanai despite his icy demeanor toward her. Using his [[AwesomenessByAnalysis analytical talent]], Kiriyama deduces that one of his recruits, Sho Tsukioka, is a murderer who plans to pick them off one by one, and disposes of him right in front of the others. Launching an attack on The Program's headquarters, Kiriyama and his recruits destroy The Program and make off with a boat to escape the government. Always pragmatic yet never cruel, Kiriyama [[EarnYourHappyEnding ends the story safe in another country, perhaps having even regained the empathy he didn't know before]].

* ''Series/{{Victorious}}'' {{Fanfic}} ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8729865/1/Diamond-Eyes Diamond Eyes]]'': Jade West, desiring to make her and her friends rich, decides to form a gang after reading books about the old ways of crime. Deducing that the local guards won't be able to handle a form of crime they are unfamiliar with, Jade has the Stonehearts start off small by robbing banks before moving on to robbing a museum and casino to [[FromNobodyToNightmare get the Council to acknowledge them as a threat]]. Letting her friend out of the gang when it gets to be too much for her, Jade makes sure to have a way to monitor her to keep her safe. Later wiping out a part of the army, Jade swears revenge on the Council and two government assassins when the latter kill Cat Valentine, calling the Chairmen to intimate him before blowing up the Las Vegas sign. Jade later tracks down and kills one of the assassins in his safe house before killing the other in a fair fight. Later killing the Council, Jade ends the story continuing her quest to make money and getting engaged to her girlfriend, Tori Vega.

* ''VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}}'' {{Fan Webcomic|s}} ''[[https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/bloodborne-lady-maria-and-the-old-hunters/list?title_no=138725&page=1 Lady Maria and the Old Hunters]]'': Alice of Cainhurst is the childhood friend of Maria. Left behind in the hellish domain of Cainhurst, Alice becomes a Hunter for the monstrous Queen Annalise and relies on her old friendship with Maria to gain access to Byrgenwerth. Playing the part of a sweet and kind, curious girl, Alice steals the blood of Queen Yharnam for Queen Annalise and sets up a duel with Maria while intending to force Maria to liberate her through death. Using the lives of innocents as leverage to pressure Maria into using her true power, Alice secures her duty to the Queen and achieves her freedom, dying with a final kiss and proclamation of love to Maria, saying she will never be far from her heart.

*** ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10677673/1/Joy-of-Creation Joy of Creation]]'': [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe Goldie Fazbear]] was the titular star of ''The Amazing Goldie Show'' until he was decommissioned and left wandering Freddy Fazbear's Pizza as a spirit. Once [[AdaptationalVillainy Freddy Fazbear and his friends]] try to kill five children so Goldie won't be alone, the bear saves one of the kids, Mike Schmidt, and lets him escape the animatronics. Decades later, Mike would become the night guard at Freddy's, leaving Goldie to take the identity of "the Phone Guy" to teach Mike how to survive, while scaring him about the dangers of the job and faking his death. Once Mike destroys Freddy, Goldie reveals that he kept saving Mike because the boy called him his best friend on his final show, and says that he wants Mike to reconstruct the animatronics and bring the "Joy of Creation" to everyone, all while comforting him about how he will get over the horrors he experienced and become happy again soon. The epilogue shows that Goldie was right and Mike would help in building [[VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys2 the Toy Animatronics]], although not without [[SanitySlippage losing some of his sanity]].

** {{Fanvid}} ''[[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqVDFs2-ZV5HVd6hiiDZ8gg TheHottest Dog Special Strike Series]]'': [[HumanoidAbomination Glitchtrap]] is reimagined as TheDragon to The_End, who seeks to turn the entire multiverse into meme-spouting puppets. Under his masters orders, he sets up Golden Freddy's transformation into "The Chief", secretly kidnapping characters while spying on the main cast undetected. Upon a chunk of the cast being killed by the resulting battle, he searches for the Chief's corpse to revive him into a powerful minion, adapting to being ambushed by the survivors by convincing them that he's another survivor. When a slip up results in Chester and the Penguin arriving with reinforcements, Glitchtrap uses the resulting chaos to retrieve his syringe and control the Chief with it, willingly mutating himself with it to aid him in the fight.

** ''VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue'' FanGame ''[[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYselOxqr5srzLhOgKHgEe2Vpkv1cYxoF Pokemon Kanto Origins]]'': [[TheDon Giovanni]] is the Boss of the Team Rocket and leader of the Viridian City Gym. Part of the AncientConspiracy of the Elite Four to control the region, Giovanni wishes to restore Kanto's former glory by any means. Creating Mewtwo as the first step of a series of experiments to create stronger Pokemon, Giovanni manipulates the PlayerCharacter to be his beta-tester while slowly becoming fond of him. Intending to overthrow the Elite Four, Giovanni invades the Indigo Plateau with his most loyal followers, dedicated to slowing the player as much as possible. A GracefulLoser as in the original games, Giovanni is partially aware of the fictional nature of the Protagonist and congratulates him for his victory against him, allowing the player character to defy the ultimate being, the Kanto Spirit.

* ''VideoGame/TheWalkingDeadTelltale'' {{Fanfic}} ''[[https://old.reddit.com/r/TWDGFanFic/comments/q37gxh/something_to_fight_for_round_of_16_theme_sacrifice/ Something to Fight For]]'': [[ActionSurvivor Clementine]], unlike [[Characters/TheWalkingDeadVideoGameClementine her original incarnation]], is far more cunning and pragmatic. Believing that only the strong and wise can survive in the apocalypse, Clementine resorted to killing Kenny and Jane for being a liability, and even went as far as [[WouldHurtAChild sacrificing AJ to a herd of walkers]] because he wouldn't stop crying. Upon reuniting with Lilly years later and discovering she's now in league with raiders harassing teenagers at the Ericson school, Clementine usurped the leadership of Ericson and plotted to have Lilly and her group killed. After pretending to nearly kill Tenn to convince his sister, Minerva, to give up Lilly, Clementine murders Minerva and leads the teenagers to storm Lilly's hideout. When she gets captured, Clementine distracts Lilly and her raiders in order to let the other teenagers escape, and also to prevent her from disarming the hidden bomb [[SomebodySetUpUsTheBomb that subsequently detonates and eradicates Lilly and her crew]].

* ''Fanfic/{{Resurgence}}'': [[Characters/RWBYAnima Raven Branwen]] is a huntress and a former member of Team STRQ. Upon discovering a mystical pool that allowed her to see various possible futures, Raven realized that desperate measures would have to be taken to ensure the one future where humanity survived. To this end Raven made the painful decision to abandon her family so that they could achieve their full potential. Taking the alias Krymsen, Raven approached [[Characters/RWBYCinderFall Cinder Fall]] and used her access to the Pool of Life to help her carry out her plans, all the while manipulating her to ensure that the heroes of Remnant had a fighting chance. Upon deciding that the pieces were in place Raven reveals her true intentions to [[Characters/RWBYTeamRWBY Team RWBY]] before mortally wounding Cinder with the aid of Neo. When Salem is defeated, Raven absorbs her power and decides to stay in the netherworld, both to ensure the balance and to serve penance for her crimes.

* ''WebAnimation/MysterySkullsAnimated'' FanAnimatic ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPwFbWUWh00 Revenge Creates More Revenge]]'': [[MyNameIsQuestionMarks ???]] is a mysterious, [[GhastlyGhost malevolent ghost]] with unknown ties to [[{{Youkai}} Mystery and Shiromori]], the latter of whom he wants his hands on. Seeing an opportunity when the Mystery Skulls explore a cave he's taken residence in, ??? possesses Arthur and pushes Lewis to his death, knowing Mystery would unleash his full power to save him, unintentionally drawing Shiromori out. After a forceful exorcism, ??? covertly tails the gang, waiting for either Shiromori to find them or for Lewis' ghost to come and kill Arthur, believing he could again prove useful as a spirit. Upon Arthur's death, ??? [[WeCanRuleTogether offers to join with him]] to take revenge against Lewis, reminding him of the many sleepless nights he spent searching for his supposed "best friend", then telling him Lewis left Vivi to die when Arthur falters. Arthur snaps and vows to tear Lewis apart, too angry to care when ??? tells him they'll be going for his own target afterward, ??? gladly waiting a little longer for what he wants now that he has a powerful wraith at his side.

** ''[[https://forum.codelyoko.fr/viewtopic.php?t=5821&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 Bataille pour l'espoir]]'' : [[WellIntentionedExtremist Andrew Streep]] was originally one of many young graduates hired by the French government to work in Project Carthage on quantum mechanics. When Youbakou Senja took over the project for his nefarious purposes and attempted to kill Streep, the latter found help within the French government who protected him in exchange for total cooperation, leading to Streep becoming the [[AntiHero General Alexandre Hussinger]]. Hussinger then engaged in multiple schemes to stop Senja, such as killing the Prime Minister and staging a coup to take over France and use it's resources against Carthage and save the captured Lyoko-warriors, faking his death, send Léopold to rescue the Lyoko-warriors and using the Lyoko-warrior Jérémie as TheMole to kill Senja — a near success —, and figuring out how the [[KillSat Grande Arche]] works and telling his subordinate Kiichi how to breach it. [[DyingMomentOfAwesome Even when mortally wounded by Senja]], Hussinger remained unshakable and determined to stop Carthage at all costs, successfully killing Senja and ordering the Eiffel Tower's destruction, [[BatmanGambit aware it could cause a city-wide blackout disorienting Carthage's planes now unable to see their targets]].
** ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7740418/1/The-Games-of-Moriarty The Games of Moriarty]]'':

** ''[[https://forum.codelyoko.fr/viewtopic.php?t=8806 Trente Degrés]]'': Aelita Schäffer, after losing her fellow Lyoko-warriors Jérémie, Ulrich, Odd and Yumi to the XANA-possessed William, decides to destroy any remnant of XANA by killing William. When she learns he's in Melbourne, Australia, she goes there and befriends him once again. When she realizes he's amnesiac, she decides to jog his memory by committing two murders in front of him, before fleeing with him to her place, where she leaves him alone, since she kept all of the Lyoko-warriors' belongings, allowing William to remember what happened by inspecting them. Luring him to a beach, she revealed the truth to him before shooting him dead, killing XANA at the same occasion. Upon succeeding in her mission, Aelita commits suicide by swallowing a cyanide pill.

* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' {{Fanfic}} ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/18970870/chapters/45043960 Girls Game]]'': [[AdaptationalIntelligence Bebe Stevens]] is the leader of the girls, uniting them all against the boys. Bebe assisted the child mobster Loogie in his efforts to gain more baby teeth so Bebe can obtain Loogie's loyalty. Bebe also exposed Stan Marsh's disguise by giving him a GroinAttack before ripping out his wig. Gathering everyone to the school gym, Bebe reveals her plan to use a magical fortune telling device to rid her enemies while reshaping reality and time [[InTheirOwnImage in her own image]], which she nearly succeeds until a sudden intervention of Dr. Mephesto's latest creation. The boys then decide to [[EasilyForgiven forgive Bebe]] and invite Bebe and her friends to hang out with them, because they were impressed that she pulled off such an elaborate plan.

* ''Manga/ElfenLied'' and ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'' {{Fanfic}} ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4788341/1/Purpose Purpose]]'': [[Characters/SawJohnKramer John Kramer]] and his Diclonius apprentice Lucy/Kaede are the Jigsaw Killers and prove to be as tragic, affable and cunning as John's canon counterpart. Keeping his deeds from the first four movies and abducting Lucy after she immigrates to the United States, John forces her to go through one of his many death traps to escape with her life, hoping for her to [[CruelToBeKind regain an appreciation for her life]]. Talking to her after she escapes his trap despite her lack of vectors and deconstructing her worldview, John frees Lucy from her intense self-loathing and shows his genuinely good intentions by letting her go as promised, thus earning her loyalty to him. [[LegacyCharacter Taking over the Jigsaw mantle]] and ''modus operandi'' after John's death and evading the police for five years, Lucy proves to be just as well-intentioned, if not more so, than her mentor, with several of her victims surviving her traps. Abducting Director Kakuzawa, Lucy shows a willingness to spare her former tormentor should he pass her trap and even encourages him to, only killing him when his ego caused him to fail.

* ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney''/''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes'' {{Fanfic}} ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10849348/1/No-More-Turnabout No More Turnabout]]'': The [[AffablyEvil polite]] and playful Henry Cooldown is the true murderer behind the crime that his twin brother, Travis Touchdown, finds himself framed for. Worried that Travis's relationship with Henry's ex-wife, Sylvia Christel, will lead Travis down to ruin, Henry formulates a plan to make Travis believe Sylvia was the one who framed him for the murder, and lead to the end of their relationship. Henry hires renowned assassin, Shelly de Killer, to attack Diane Heifer at the cemetery and make it seem as if the true crime scene occurred there before having him bring her body to the video store for Henry to murder. Henry then poses as an assistant and bodyguard to Phoenix Wright after saving his life from hitmen who Henry himself hired, and subtly leads Phoenix and Maya to misleading pieces of evidence. Henry successfully manages to put Sylvia under suspicion by having de Killer fake a slip-up about his client's identity. Even after Phoenix discovers that Henry is the murderer, Henry nearly gets away with his crimes by presenting proof of an alibi at the time the murder was thought to occur at the cemetery. When finally defeated, Henry [[GracefulLoser accepts defeat with dignity]] and openly admits to being wrong when he finds out that Sylvia truly cares for his brother.

----
-->-- '''Thanos-842667''', ''Fanfic/AvengersEndgameDragonisPrime''

[[FanWorks Fan creators]] have produced many [[MagnificentBastard witty, unscrupulous masterminds]], be they versions of canon characters or their own [[OriginalCharacter original inventions]].

![[Administrivia/SpoilersOff All spoilers are unmarked]]. Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned!
----
!!The following have their own pages:

* ''[[MagnificentBastard/TheNewOrderLastDaysOfEurope The New Order: Last Days of Europe]]''

!!Individual works:
[[foldercontrol]]

[[AC:Anime & Manga]]
[[folder:Examples]]
* ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'' WebVideo ''WebVideo/BerserkAbridged'': [[Characters/BerserkGriffithFemto Griffith]], charismatic leader of the Band of the Hawks, manages to press [[Characters/BerserkGuts Guts]] into the Band before taking the lead in Midland's Hundred-Year War. Using his command of tactics and the proper battle music to set them to, Griffith leads them to victory after victory before taking the impenetrable Doldrey fortress. Luring out its corrupt Governor who lusts after Griffith's place in his Escaflowne cosplay group, Griffith then [[FakingTheDead fakes his death]] to catch the Queen of Midland in a plot and burns her and her co-conspirators alive. When the time comes to sacrifice the Hawks to the Godhand, Griffith can only refuse and [[DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu tells the demon lords to leave him and his friends]] alone before recovering and setting off to become king.
* ''Anime/CowboyBebop'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/TwoDragons'': This version of [[TheDreaded Vicious]] remains a [[WarriorPoet composed, nihilistic, Darwinist assassin]]. The most effective of the Red Dragon Syndicate's agents, Vicious kills scores of their enemies and sets up a drug deal to have his own mentor assassinated, allowing him to frame Spike Spiegel and stage his best friend's "execution" to [[TheStarscream murder the Van and take control of the Syndicate]]. In the following month Vicious proves an unmatchable tactician, spreading the Red Dragon's influence across Mars and when Spike tries to flee with his girlfriend Julia, sets up a trap to force Spike to fight him, [[BloodKnight wishing to die facing the ultimate opponent]].
* ''Manga/DeathNote'' {{Fanfic}} ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/26486137/chapters/64545175 Liability]]'': [[BewareTheSillyOnes Misa Amane]], once given her memories back via the Death Note, decides to take the chess match between [[Characters/DeathNoteLightYagami Light Yagami]] and [[Characters/DeathNoteLLawliet L Lawliet]] and "flip the board over". To that end, she begins by forcing Mikami to call the Task Force and confess to being Kira before committing suicide, simultaneously subjecting Light and Takada to death by fire so that they can take the Death Note with them. Immediately afterwards, she relinquishes her ownership and hence memories of the Death Note, ensuring that [[MemoryGambit she can't incriminate herself as the 2nd Kira]]. With Soichiro forces to save his wife and daughter from a house fire, L investigates Mikami's death and finds two notes: one supposedly written by Mikami confessing to all of Light's crimes, and another for L's eyes only in which Misa details her plan, not identifying herself but warning L that going after her [[ImpliedDeathThreat won't end well for him]]. With the power of Kira gone from Earth and herself left blissfully unaware, Misa retires with L to Wammy's House.
* ''Anime/DragonBallZ'':
** {{Fanfic}} ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11434583/1/In-Pursuit-Of-Vengeance In Pursuit Of Vengeance]]'': [[DragonWithAnAgenda Dodoria]] proves to be [[AdaptationalIntelligence significantly more intelligent]] than his canon counterpart. Tasked by Frieza to watch over the forcibly recruited Goku, Dodoria tricks him into purging a helpless alien race by taking advantage of Goku's grudge against Raditz. Over time, Dodoria begins to form a bond with Goku, and when the Saiyans betray Frieza, Dodoria deduces the existence of the Namekian Dragon Balls, intending to use them as a way to persuade Frieza to spare Goku for his treachery. Attacking Namek alongside Zarbon for its Dragon Balls, when Dodoria discovers Goku intends to use them to revive the purged Earthlings, [[HeelFaceTurn he turns against Frieza and kills Zarbon by surprise]]. After shielding Goku from Captain Ginyu's [[GrandTheftMe body swap technique]], Dodoria impersonates Ginyu to trick Frieza into thinking the Saiyans are still on Namek, buying Goku time to resurrect everyone on Earth. Dodoria then goes to Earth to train the revived Z-Fighters, allowing them to grow strong enough to protect the planet from Frieza's forces.
** {{Webcomic}} ''Webcomic/DragonBallMultiverse'':
*** Captain Ginyu of Universe 8 was once the esteemed leader of the Ginyu Force, punished by Frieza for a past failure. Using his [[GrandTheftMe "Body Change" technique]] to fake his death, Ginyu goes into hiding and plots revenge against his former master. [[HijackingCthulhu Taking over King Cold's body]] and [[KillAndReplace usurping his place as leader of the Frost Demon empire]], he keeps up the masquerade for decades and trains himself to control Cold's great power, even managing to unlock two new transformations in secret. In his battle against Bra of Universe 16 during the tournament, Ginyu takes advantage of the Saiyan girl's pride and arrogance to give himself an advantage in the fight, only losing due to Bra fighting dirty herself. Ginyu uses his Body Change technique to swap bodies with Bra and leaves her trapped in his old crippled body, only narrowly thwarted by virtue of Vegito's sheer strength. Even as Babidi's thrall, Ginyu is no less competent a fighter, making unorthodox use of his Body Change technique to [[DeliberateInjuryGambit make his enemies mutilate themselves]] before swapping them into one another's dying bodies.
*** Bardock of Universe 3 shows himself to be more than a [[FromNobodyToNightmare low-class Saiyan thug]]. After foreseeing Frieza's genocide of the Saiyan race, Bardock successfully rallied the Saiyans to rebel against Frieza by overthrowing King Vegeta. The Saiyans under Bardock's new leadership then seized control of Frieza's empire, with Bardock using his [[{{Seers}} precognitive powers]] to devise [[CrazyPrepared long-term plans]] to eliminate any competitors. To avoid any power struggles that would undo his work, Bardock willingly [[AbdicateTheThrone stepped down as king]], instead becoming one of the empire's chief advisors to continue [[TheManBehindTheMan running affairs from behind the scenes]], all the while adapting his plans to whichever Saiyan ascends to the throne.
*** ''Hanasia, Queen of the Saiyans'': Snower is the second son of Emperor Blizzard of the [[GalacticSuperpower Frost Demon Empire]]. Snower acts as the Empire's administrator to appoint his followers to important positions, while his efficiency makes him a trusted figure even as he [[TheStarscream secretly plots to seize total control in the future]]. When his brothers leave to seek revenge on Hanasia for the death of their brother Chilled, Snower takes advantage of their absence to enact his long-awaited coup. Snower covertly aids a group of rebels seeking to break free from the Empire, assassinating his father and older brother as well as Hanasia. Victorious, he offers the rebels a chance to join his ranks, or return home with their newly earned independence only to [[ExactWords withhold any assistance to the independent planets]] unless they let themselves be annexed by his new empire.
** WebVideo ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged:''
*** ''[[Recap/DragonBallZAbridgedM2 The Christmas Tree of Might]]'': [[TheGrinch Turles]] is a Saiyan survivor who leads a band of loyal criminals, whom he [[BenevolentBoss rescued from the Planet of Misfit Minions]]. Turles developed a burning hatred for Christmas, due to [[FreudianExcuse Santa Claus never visiting Planet Vegeta]] and robbing him of the joys of Christmas. As a result, Turles made it his life's mission to [[HowTheCharacterStoleChristmas ruin Christmas on other planets]] by planting the Christmas Tree of Might, which would absorb all of the planet's Christmas joy, intending to do so on Earth. Meeting Gohan, Turles recognizes the boy as a Saiyan, where Turles pushes a PressurePoint to make Gohan's tail regrow, then tricks him into looking at an Artificial Moon he created. Gohan transforms into a Great Ape, with Turles pitting him against Goku, though when Goku halts his son's rampage by cutting off his tail, Turles [[VillainRespect commends Goku for this move]]. Fighting Goku, Turles gives himself the advantage by eating fruit from the tree, beating down and very nearly killing Goku.
*** ''[[Recap/DragonBallZAbridgedM11 Broly — The Legendary Super Saiyan]]'': [[SinsOfOurFathers Paragus]], after being stabbed and LeftForDead along with his son Broly by King Vegeta out of fear for the latter's power, desires revenge through the King's son. To do this, he recruits the Shamosians to build an infrastructure on a planet on a collision course with a comet before arriving on Earth and offering Prince Vegeta a planet to rule over, [[FlawExploitation purposely taking advantage of his egotistical personality]]. When his plans are inevitably exposed, Paragus does not descend into a VillainousBreakdown but rather confesses his plans and backstory to the Z-Fighters. Even though he did not intend to trigger Broly's transformation -- due to previously having wiped out the South Galaxy before -- Paragus nevertheless showed pride in his son while letting him kill the Z-Fighters for him. [[AdaptationalHeroism Lacking the worst traits of his original counterpart]], Paragus attempts to eliminate Vegeta not through brute strength but by knowledge and manipulations of the arrogant Prince.
** WebVideo ''Fanfic/WhatIfZamasuDidNothingWrong'': [[Characters/DragonBallZamasu Zamasu]] in this fanwork still harbors some resentment for mortals but chooses a far different path upon being brought to Barbari by Gowasu. Instead of believing that [[FantasticRacism mortals are universally irredeemable]], he instead decides to prove his own worth as well as his belief that the gods should have a hands-on approach with mortals by civilizing them himself to his own standards. Using cunning and trickery, he's able to convince the Barbarians that he's an omnipotent being who created their world, all the while remaining hidden except from his chosen prophet. Through his guidance and teachings, [[{{Tomorrowland}} the Barbarians' civilization grows considerably in only a few centuries]]. When the Barbarians split into two warring factions, Zamasu finds a new prophet in a ki-possessing Barbarian named Decraf, and together they are able to build an army strong enough to defeat the current prophet and [[ReconcileTheBitterFoes unify the Barbarians]]. In the present day, Zamasu finds that his plan has worked and Barbari has become a space-age marvel. Deciding to replace the stubborn Rumsshi with Decraf, Zamasu manages to restore the latter's youth and convince Rumsshi to train him. In the end, having a new appreciation for mortals, Zamasu [[HeroicSacrifice sacrifices himself]] in exchange for repairing the damage caused by his main timeline counterparts.
* ''Manga/{{Hellsing}} Ultimate'' WebVideo ''WebVideo/HellsingUltimateAbridged'':
** The witty, rambunctious [[ImmortalityImmorality Alucard]] was once UsefulNotes/VladTheImpaler, abandoning God after his childhood rape at the hands of his Turkish captors. Offering his soul to {{Satan}}, he became the vampire Count {{Dracula}}, lazily empowering himself with the blood of the dead, becoming a near-unstoppable force until he was defeated and recruited by the Hellsing Organization. Their best and most loyal agent despite his rude, silly demeanor, Alucard proves their best asset in discovering and eradicating the Nazi remnant group Millennium's plot, even as he apathetically kills luckless civilians in the way.
** [[OnlySaneWoman Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing]] is the ruthless and iron-willed head of the Hellsing Organization, having taken command by [[KlingonPromotion killing her traitorous uncle]] at a young age. Commanding the fearsome Alucard through sheer respect and never hesitating to unleash him on her foes, Integra proves [[PragmaticHero clever and brutal]], convincing her financiers to continue funding her organization through intimidation, trapping and killing the vampiric invader Jan Valentine, devising a method to attack an inaccessible ship via stealing resources from the British government, and keeping up with the schemes of [[GambitRoulette both her rivals the Iscariot Organization and the secret organization Millennium]], never lacking a dry quip or a display of valor, even foiling a coup with utter nonchalance. Able to constantly improvise and devise tactics to outplay her opponents, Integra personally confronts and executes Millenium's leader The Major despite Alucard temporarily dying, and goes on to rule the Hellsing Organization for years to come.
** Much as in the original story, [[BadassPreacher Alexander Anderson]] is an Iscariot agent defined by his brilliant tactical mind and being nearly unstoppable in combat. Ambushing Alucard and Seras at the start and putting a beatdown on them both, Anderson [[KnowWhenToFoldEm escapes the arriving Hellsing]] and continues to cause mischief for them and Millennium alike. Later saving Sir Integra from Millennium's forces and allying with her, Anderson [[EnemyMine helps take down his former boss]] Maxwell despite having raised Maxwell himself. After a failed attempt to forgive Alucard his sins and send him to God for judgment, Anderson accepts his own dying fate and earns Alucard's friendship, even trying to offer the vampire parting words of help in his final moments.
** The parody version of [[BadassNormal Pip Bernadotte]] remains the Wild Geese's genius mercenary captain. Pip quickly shows his skills to Hellsing by killing off a group of Millennium-affiliated corrupt police officers. Later holding Zorin Blitz's vampires at bay, Pip outwits the psychopath and even [[DefiantToTheend dies empowering his lover]] to massacre his killer and her remaining forces.
* ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'' {{Fanfic}}s:
** ''Fanfic/MastermindStrategistForHire'': [[Characters/MyHeroAcademiaIzukuMidoriya Izuku Midoriya]], aka [[VillainProtagonist Mastermind]], was once a Quirkless teenager with dreams of becoming a Pro Hero but a combination of his dreams being crushed by All Might and [[FantasticRacism discrimination against the Quirkless]] preventing him from getting a legitimate job ultimately drive him to become the title character, selling plans to other villains to make a living. His [[AwesomenessByAnalysis excellent analytical abilities]] and the high-quality plans he provides to villains via said abilities quickly make him into TheDreaded within months, becoming responsible for the deaths of hundreds, including more than a dozen Pro Heroes. He takes full advantage of his public life to throw off the police, letting him evade capture for more than two years. On top of that, he made plans in the event he does end up captured and incarcerated in [[TheAlcatraz Tartarus]].
** ''Fanfic/NemesisMHA'': Two years after faking his suicide, [[Characters/MyHeroAcademiaIzukuMidoriya Izuku Midoriya]], aka Mischief, calls Bakugou out as his nemesis, and ropes him into a [[DeadlyGame "game" of Heroes and Villains]] with nearly a dozen hostages' lives on the line, remaining one step ahead of him all the way and psychologically tormenting him all the while. In the end, he gets his revenge, not just by breaking Bakugou's psyche, but by exploiting his InferioritySuperiorityComplex to strip any pride he could feel from achieving his life-long dream of becoming the number one Hero.
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' {{Fanfic}}s:
** ''Fanfic/{{Echoes}}'': In a fanfiction full of characters and universes, these characters have distinguished themselves through their morally dubious, but brilliant feats:
*** [[TokenEvilTeammate Sasori]], eclipsing his canon counterpart, is [[MarionetteMaster "The Puppet Master"]] in more ways than one. Promoted to chunin as a child after single-handedly killing 50 enemies by poisoning their water supplies, Sasori, in adulthood, joined the [[Characters/EchoesTheArashiClan Arashi clan]] with his student Chibaku and his subordinate Kabuto. Sasori proved to be valuable; in Kitsune's world, he effortlessly blackmailed the Hokage into handing the Kyuubi-possessed Naruto over to him. Through quick thinking, he forces Tsukiyomi to reveal more of his techniques even though he was losing, which proved to be useful when fighting Amaterasu, who has similar abilities, in the Wave-Verse, briefly crippling him. When most of the Arashi clan was imprisoned in a [[TheAlcatraz nigh-inescapable prison]] in the Cloud-Verse, he and Chibaku successfully broke out the entire group from the prison with their plan. He discovered most of the truth about the Dystopia-Verse by spying on an ANBU and had the perfect seal to defeat its dictator. When the Third Kazekage tries to use Sasori's body against Chibaku, Sasori self-destructed to save Chibaku. Called a [[TitleDrop Magnificent Bastard]] by Chibaku, Sasori has more than lived up to the name.
*** [[BloodKnight Amaterasu]], AKA Kitsune's world's [[Characters/NarutoMadaraUchiha Madara Uchiha]], promised to his dying little brother he would remain a samurai and follow the Bushido code to his last breath. Desiring to get back at his clan for "betraying" their former virtues and becoming ninjas, to destroy Konoha for "betraying" him and to throw the world in a state of perpetual warfare to supposedly help mankind improve, Amaterasu orchestrated the Kyuubi's attack on Konoha. Despite the attack's failure, Amaterasu manipulated Fugaku and Mikoto, counting on their coup attempt in Konoha to fulfill his objectives throughout the ensuing chaos. When he discovers Shisui spying on them, Amaterasu gives him a BreakingLecture, leading Shisui to foil the coup by killing the clan, but still giving a victory to Amaterasu. Recruited by his counterparts Susanoo and Tsukiyomi, Amaterasu formed with them [[Characters/EchoesTheMadaraGuys the Madara Trio]]. In the trio's attempts to harness Kazama's power, Amaterasu shined through his sheer strength, honor, adaptability and contingency plans, [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu killing the Wave-Verse Kyuubi]] and knowing which one of his 100 weapons he had to use to adapt to his enemies' techniques. When finally defeated, [[FaceDeathWithDignity he congratulated his killers, acknowledged his mistakes and peacefully passed on]].
*** [[TheSocialExpert Tsukiyomi]], AKA Kazama's world's [[Characters/NarutoMadaraUchiha Madara Uchiha]], deserves his name of "The Deceiver". Wanting to harness Kazama's power and to destroy Konoha for "betraying" him, Tsukiyomi formed the Madara Trio and successfully destroyed Kazama's devotion to Konoha through {{Half Truth}}s, also implanting Amatsu-Mikaboshi inside Kazama to further corrupt him. When Kazama was separated from his friends and ended up in the Ame-Verse alongside Susanoo and Tsukiyomi, the latter pulled an EnemyMine with Kazama and both trained and manipulated him, resulting in both Kazama taking over Ame and finally snapping and destroying Konoha, [[TheBadGuyWins thus fulfilling Tsukiyomi's life-long objective]]. Having grown to sincerely care for Kazama, he followed him in the "Road to Ninja" world and sacrificed himself to help Kazama overcome Amatsu-Mikaboshi. Willing to negotiate, affable, polite and ruthless, Tsukiyomi was the most successful villain in the entire fanfiction.
** ''Fanfic/WhiteEyes'':
*** [[Characters/NarutoItachiUchiha Itachi Uchiha]] and [[AdaptationalBadass Neji Hyuuga]] keep their canon genius and go much further. Ordered to massacre the Hyuuga clan, with the exception of Hinata, to prevent the Uchiha coup attempt, with Neji taking the sole blame for it and subsequently leaving Konoha, Itachi and Neji launch Operation: White Eyes to [[WellIntentionedExtremist protect Konoha and the world in the long run]]. For this purpose, they manipulate their own loved ones, various nations and politics all over the world, successfully [[TheMole infiltrating and spying on Akatsuki for Konoha]], and defeat potential Akatsuki recruits. When Fugaku attempts to become Hokage, Itachi helps Hinata stall him long enough for Tsunade to return and take the set instead. When Hinata gives up on vengeance against Neji, the latter kidnaps her summon and forces her to fight and kill him in a location away from Konoha, keeping her safe from Pain's assault on the village. By the time it was completed, Operation: White Eyes left a long-lasting impact on the entire world, leading to the Toneri threat being neutralized, Hanabi surviving the Hyuuga massacre, Danzo's death, Kabuto and Edo Tensei's defeat and helping Team 7 defeat Madara and prevent the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
*** [[Characters/NarutoMadaraUchiha Madara Uchiha]] retains much of his canon counterpart's backstory and motives, but proves to be more powerful, brilliant and [[NoNonsenseNemesis ruthless]]. Successfully reviving the Ten-Tails despite Obito Uchiha's attempts to slow down Madara's [[LotusEaterMachine Eye of the Moon Plan]], Madara--as an Edo Tensei--also [[OutGambitted out-gambits]] Obito by not immediately sealing Kurama's Yang half, contrary to what the latter expected, leading to Obito going berserk when the latter absorbed the Ten-Tails in an attempt to outsmart Madara. After the Ten-Tails' extraction from Obito's body, leading the latter to fully resurrect Madara in an attempt to blind and weaken him, Madara uses Hashirama's Sage chakra and Black Zetsu to keep fighting. Sending Black Zetsu to distract Hinata, Madara becomes the Ten-Tails' jinchuriki in the meantime. Keeping the advantage against Team 7 through a combination of sheer power and smarts, Madara is only defeated when Team 7 proves to be just as resourceful. Every bit the WellIntentionedExtremist he was in canon, Madara ultimately agrees to resurrect all of the Fourth Shinobi World War's victims at the cost of his own life.
* ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'' {{Fanfic}} ''[[https://m.fanfiction.net/s/13049548/1/ Agents of Light]]'': Professor Lyman Banner is [[AdaptationalBadass even more cunning and devious than in canon]]. Seeking the power of the Sacred Beasts to create the PhilosophersStone, Banner teams up with Kagemaru. Hiding his allegiance with the Shadow Riders from Duel Academy, Banner orchestrates the disappearance of several students, including Atticus. Needing Jaden for his strong duel energy, Banner foils every attempt the protagonists make to get him expelled. Manipulating a group of students into reviving Jinzo into the human world, he makes a deal with Jinzo to kill the protagonists. Banner lures Ghassan into a cave and holds his soul hostage to blackmail Scott and Damian into dueling Zane. Anticipating that one of them would come after him, Banner fakes his death at Jinzo's hands and leaves Jinzo behind to kill Damian. Being defeated by Zane, Banner reveals that Camula has been watching them the whole time, revealing the true method of reviving the Sacred Beasts to her, Banner calmly blackmails all of them [[FaceDeathWithDignity before gracefully accepting his death]].
[[/folder]]

[[AC:Comic Books]]
[[folder:Examples]]
* ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'':
** {{Fanfic}}s
*** ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5732464/1/Control-Premium Control Premium]]'': [[BadassBookworm Oswald Cobblepot]], aka ComicBook/ThePenguin, is a bookkeeper and enforcer for the Wesker gang. As an expert forger and financial wizard, he plays a major role in keeping the gang solvent, also playing a role in various negotiations. Despite his ruthless criminality, Oswald has a number of humanizing qualities, such as his [[EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas care for his mentally ill mother]] and his genuine friendship with his boss's nephew Arnold. When one meeting goes south due to some members of the outfit being revealed to have been bribed to turn traitor by the leader of a rival gang, Oswald [[DoNotGoGentle resolves not to go out without a fight]], and starts thinking of ways to save himself even as he is led outside to be executed. Unexpectedly saved by Arnold, Oswald tricks the rival gang's leader, Mr. Goode, into becoming his hostage and turns his own henchmen against him. After sending Goode fleeing to Europe, Oswald and Arnold make an agreement to share power, while he [[AppropriatedAppellation resolves to make his nickname a name of fear]].
*** ''Fanfic/TheGothamCitySocietyOfFireproofWomen'': [[ComicBook/{{Batgirl}} Cassandra Wayne]] is the daughter of assassins David Cain and Lady Shiva, raised since birth to be a [[OneManArmy perfect killing machine]]. Running away after her first murder, Cassandra sought redemption by joining Batman as "Orphan," getting adopted by Bruce and incarcerating her parents. Eventually chosen to be his successor, Cassandra returns the legend of the Dark Knight to its urban myth routes as a monster lurking in the shadows, leaving armies of broken mobsters in her wake. Upon learning of Ra's al Ghul and the Arkham Knight's plan to destroy Gotham, Cassandra anonymously feeds Astrid information--even allowing her to capture and brutally murder an oblivious Nightwing--to ensure the Arkham Knight won't kill the rest of her family and endanger the unknown mole, before secretly resurrecting Dick with a Lazarus Pit. Willing to leave her grieving comrades in the dark to ensure her plan's success but ultimately never swaying from her dad's [[ThouShaltNotKill one rule]], Cassandra sabotages the pair's scheme before it even gets off the ground, ruthlessly proving once and for all why she is the [[SuperiorSuccessor worthiest successor]] to the mantle of Batman.
* ''ComicBook/CivilWar'' {{Fanfic}}s:
** ''Fanfic/CivilWarHulk'': [[Characters/MarvelComicsLoki Loki]] is the puppetmaster of the events leading up to the Civil War, working with Baron Mordo to drive the Scarlet Witch insane that led to [[ComicBook/AvengersDisassembled The Avengers disbanding]], trapping the world's heroes [[LotusEaterMachine in a dream]] where [[ComicBook/HouseOfM mutants are the world’s dominant species]], and manipulating The Illuminati into [[ComicBook/PlanetHulk exiling Hulk into space]]. Using the introduction of the Superhuman Registration Act to his advantage, Loki killed and impersonates [[ObstructiveBureaucrat Maria Hill]] to drive a further wedge between the pro and anti-Registration sides, planning to take over Earth once the dust settles. Even with the unexpected arrival of Hulk and his Warbound, Loki successfully bargains with the Hulk into leaving Earth be once he gets his revenge on The Illuminati, leaving Loki with one less threat and a weakened Earth for him to conquer. Opportunistic as always, Loki [[XanatosSpeedChess adapts to any situation before him]] and is only thwarted by Thor's unexpected revival.
** ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6470827/1/Not-a-Typical-Civil-War Not a Typical Civil War]]'': ComicBook/DoctorDoom is [[TheManBehindTheMan the mastermind]] behind the [[SuperRegistrationAct Superhero Registration Act]] and the resulting Civil War. Seeking to turn the world's heroes against each other, Doom hired Nitro to fight the New Warriors in Stamford, leading to the deaths of over eight-hundred civilians and causing the public to turn against the superhero community, with Doom working with Maria Hill to escalate tensions between the pro and anti-Registration sides. With the info gathered from the Registration Act, Doom learned all of the heroes' secret identities and the locations of their loved ones. Doom eventually trapped both sides of the conflict in the Negative Zone and released the supervillains from Prison 42 to kill them. He then sent ComicBook/TheSentry to attack New York City, [[EngineeredHeroics planning on killing him]] so he could be hailed as a savior and be given control of the Earth. Focused solely on his dream of world conquest, Doctor Doom nearly rid himself of the world's superheroes by turning their own ideals against them.
* Creator/DCComics and Creator/MarvelComics WebVideo ''WebVideo/ImAMarvelAndImADC'': ComicBook/LexLuthor is the mastermind behind "After Hours" and one of the craftiest supervillains in the series. After creating [[RidiculouslyHumanRobot Lance]] to spy on the heroes over at Stan's Place, Luthor kidnapped Creator/StanLee and replaced him with an Life Model Decoy. He intended on using Doctor Doom's time machine to fix all the mistakes the studios had made with the other villains' films. However, Luthor was surprised when they all refused to risk losing what little they had. Believing the heroes of the Marvel universe had created a culture content with remaining unambitious, Lex sought to travel back in time and prevent Stan Lee from creating Marvel Comics. After his plan was foiled by Superman, Luthor learned that the Joker had initiated "Plan Q"; a plan he had previously scrapped that led to Darkseid learning he was a fictional character. Believing Lance was the key to stopping him, Luthor recruited the Green Goblin to retrieve his head back from the heroes. Thanks to the warnings from his future self, Lex teamed up with the heroes to repair Lance and help them stop Darkseid's forces. [[{{Determinator}} Managing to persevere no matter the odds]], Lex Luthor proves he still is the most ambitious criminal mind among both Marvel and DC.
[[/folder]]

[[AC:Animated Film]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDameDisney'' {{Fanfic}} ''[[https://crazedwriter.tripod.com/revealed.html What REALLY Happened]]'': [[AdaptationalVillainy Clopin Trouillefou]] is the leader of the UsefulNotes/{{Romani}} population of Paris who seeks revenge on Claude Frollo, France's Minister of Justice, and also wishes to [[WellIntentionedExtremist end gypsy persecution]]. To this end, he makes an arrangement with an old rival of Frollo's named Jean-Michel du Champs who wants to be Minister of Justice. The night after the Feast of Fools, Clopin imprisons Frollo in his own dungeons and replaces him with a disguised Jean-Michel, who begins sullying Frollo's name by persecuting many Parisans. Learning of Jean-Michel's plans to betray him, Clopin [[OutGambitted outplays him]] by subtly getting Quasimodo and Phoebus on his side, resulting in Jean-Michel's death. Even after being paralyzed in a violent incident at the Court of Miracles, [[{{Determinator}} Clopin still refuses to give up]] and is soon working on new plans. Only failing due to things he had no reasonable way of knowing about, Clopin proves a genuinely cunning and compelling antagonist.

[[AC:Live-Action Film]]
[[folder:Examples]]
* ''Film/AvengersEndgame'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/AvengersEndgameDragonisPrime'': [[Characters/MCFFUEarth842667ThanosForces Thanos-842667]] maintains the guile of his [[Characters/MCUThanos canon counterpart]] in this alternate telling of [[Film/AvengersEndgame the film]]. After wiping out half of all life in the universe, Thanos retired to the Garden in peace. When the Avengers arrive seeking revenge, Thanos destroys all but the Reality Stone to prevent them from undoing his work. After he's killed by Thor, the Thanos of an alternate timeline learns about the history of his counterpart and sets about to assemble his Infinity Gauntlet more efficiently. He helps start Ragnarok to kill Thor, and murders Eitri before he could forge a weapon that could kill him. Thanos fails to collect the Time Stone and spends the next few years balancing worlds one at a time while crushing the rebellion led by the surviving Avengers. Realizing the main timeline would have the Time Stone he needs, Thanos travels to the Avengers Compound and [[WeCanRuleTogether tries to recruit Steve Rogers to his side]]. When that fails, he strips Carol Danvers of her powers and has Ebony Maw destroy his home dimension to keep him focused on his new goal of wiping out half of all life across the entire multiverse.
* WebVideo/{{Fanscription}}:
** "What if The Joker Was in 'The Dark Knight Rises'?" [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDkiX4tMbG0 two]]-[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vxm_cNCYPAw parter]]: ComicBook/{{Bane}} and ComicBook/TaliaAlGhul, the children of ComicBook/RasAlGhul, [[Film/TheDarkKnightRises take over the League of Shadows]] following his death. Together they seek to destroy Gotham and get revenge on [[ComicBook/{{Batman}} Bruce Wayne]] for their father's death. Bane attacks a stock exchange and costs Bruce his fortune by using his finger prints. Meanwhile Talia takes the identity of Miranda Tate in order to gain access to Bruce's fusion reactor and control of his company. Having [[ComicBook/{{Catwoman}} Selina Kyle]] lead Bruce into a trap, Bane easily bests him in a fight, breaking his back and imprisoning him in the Pit, before taking over Gotham and cutting it off from the rest of the world. When ComicBook/TheJoker is released, Bane engages him in a gang war, managing to keep him contained to the Narrows. Though ultimately defeated, Talia informs the heroes that she flooded the reactor room to prevent them from defusing the bomb. Proving worthy successors to their father, Bane and Talia come with in a hair's breadth of winning.
** " What If Harvey Dent Was In 'Batman Returns'?" & " What If Tim Burton Directed 'Batman Forever'?" [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Glzo9waqn-Y&t=786s two]]-[[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sA1WU-9UVxw parter]]: [[PhantomThief Catwoman]], real name [[Characters/CatwomanSelinaKyle Selina Kyle]], once again is the slippery and smooth operator she was in her film appearance. Fulfilling all the same actions she did in [[Film/BatmanReturns the film]] in her first appearance: such as joining forces with the Penguin to frame Batman for the attack on the Ice Princess, whom Catwoman didn't plan on getting killed; undermining Max Shreck and eventually killing him too, Catwoman once again survives and ends triumphant. In her second appearance, while Selina is incognito for the majority of the story and doesn't come back until the very end, she reveals she's kept tabs on Bruce and has recently provided the evidence that officially [[ClearTheirName clears Batman of all wrong-doing]] she set him up for—"to make Gotham's nightlife a little more interesting"—before [[AndTheAdventureContinues once again slipping away into hiding]].
[[/folder]]

[[AC:Literature]]
[[folder:Examples]]
* ''Literature/BattleRoyale'' {{Fanfics}}:
** ''Literature/{{Carrie}}'' {{Crossover}} fic: ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5286938/1/ Battle Royale, Maine]]'': [[BullyHunter Carrietta "Carrie" White]] is a CompositeCharacter of her original canonical self and Kazuo Kiriyama, and proves to be as sympathetic as the former and as implacable and cunning as the latter. Forcibly inducted in the Battle Royale Program with her classmates and bullies, Carrie, determines to slaughter them, putting to good use the skills she developed after being tormented for so long, staying hidden from her classmates for extended periods of time and [[CrazyPrepared being prepared for several possibilities]]. These skills allowed Carrie to sneak up on her classmates on several occasions, double-tap Steve Deighan when he tries to fake his death, discover Henry Blake's bulletproof vest and take it for herself and wait for the remaining survivors to kill each other when there were few enough. When the last one, her biggest bully [[ArchEnemy Christine "Chris" Hargensen]] nearly kills her, Carrie pretends to succumb to her attack while being protected by her bulletproof vest, before taking down Chris as well, winning the Program. Taking advantage of the legal privileges granted to Program winners, Carrie then proceeds to kill her abusive mother Margaret White, fully completing her revenge.
** ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5149090/1/Folie-a-Deux Folie a Deux]]'': [[UnholyMatrimony Kazuhiko "Kaz" Yamamoto and Sakura Ogawa]] are [[AdaptationalVillainy leagues more devious than their canon counterparts]]. Causing a crime wave through Shiroiwa, they hid their true selves behind [[BitchInSheepsClothing a friendly facade]] and framed the town's local gangs and criminals for their deeds. Forced to participate in the Program alongside their classmates, Kaz and Sakura decide to play until finding a way out and manipulate their way through the Program, teaming up with Yuka Nakagawa and Satomi Noda against Kazuo Kiriyama, [[TamperingWithFoodAndDrink poisoning the Lighthouse Girls]] and surviving an encounter with Mitsuko Souma when she saw through the latter plot. [[AwesomenessByAnalysis Figuring out how the explosive collars work by inspecting Satomi's]], Kaz and Sakura find a way to remove theirs without setting them off. When taken by surprise by Shogo Kawada, Shuya Nanahara and Noriko Nanahara, Kaz and Sakura remove their collars as well, recruiting them and escaping to the mainland after the Program was finished by creating fake identities. Assigning the trio to different jobs suiting their talents to better benefit their criminal careers and torturing Yonemi Kamon to death to avenge their deceased classmates in the Program, [[KarmaHoudini Kaz and Sakura get away with their schemes]].
** ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4523722/1/Heads-is-Heads Heads is Heads]]'': [[ImplacableMan Kazuo Kiriyama]] is a cold-hearted gangster known for his inability to feel empathy and ruthless tactics. After flipping a coin to destroy The Program, Kiriyama immediately sets to working against his captors, recruiting students, killing foes, and bonding with Izumi Kanai despite his icy demeanor toward her. Using his [[AwesomenessByAnalysis analytical talent]], Kiriyama deduces that one of his recruits, Sho Tsukioka, is a murderer who plans to pick them off one by one, and disposes of him right in front of the others. Launching an attack on The Program's headquarters, Kiriyama and his recruits destroy The Program and make off with a boat to escape the government. Always pragmatic yet never cruel, Kiriyama [[EarnYourHappyEnding ends the story safe in another country, perhaps having even regained the empathy he didn't know before]].
* ''Literature/HarryPotter'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/WishCarefully'': [[Characters/HarryPotterHarryJamesPotter Harry Potter]] himself is the architect behind the Death Eaters' downfall. Concluding he could not face [[Characters/HarryPotterLordVoldemort Lord Voldemort]] in a prolonged war, Harry cut a deal with the Death Eaters where they would be allowed to rule Wizarding Britain, free from those who did not share their beliefs, while requiring the Death Eaters to not interfere with the Muggle world as Harry personally arranged for the departure and relocation of non-Voldemort supporters. Through this deal, Harry doomed Voldemort, the Death Eaters, and their descendants to a slow death as [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor their country collapsed piece-by-piece through their own racist beliefs]], knowing that Voldemort would repulse new blood and showing the world how foolish the concept of pureblooded elitism was. It is believed that Harry is banking on Voldemort being [[BatmanGambit foolish and sadistic enough to attack a Muggle]], whereupon he would lose his power and be arrested or killed due to his body being made by magic.
* ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' {{Fanfic}}s:
** ''Fanfic/CheatingDeathThoseThatLived'': [[LovableRogue Jack Tylos]] is a self-proclaimed "master thief" who engages in this trade out of necessity, thrill-seeking, and altruism at various points. He's forced to volunteer for the 21st Hunger Games after trying to steal the head peacekeeper's wallet. He steals a taser which he uses against his opponents in the arena and constantly and publicly brings up the circumstances behind his volunteering as a successful gambit to get the head peacekeeper arrested or executed. After winning, he gloatingly reveals his use of the taser, but is horrified when several innocent residents of District 7 are executed. Despite Panem's status as a heavily surveilled police state and his own open ties to the underworld, Jack continues stealing and is never caught unless it's on purpose for a BatmanGambit. He is a devoted mentor and will rob banks to get sponsor money for tributes he feels especially attached to. During the rebellion, Jack supplies the victors caught in the Capitol with a stash of guns he stole and hid over the years and goes down fighting so his allies can escape.
** ''Fanfic/TheVictorsProject'':
*** [[GeniusBruiser Ben Cooper]] is the son of a HunterTrapper from District 9 and aides his father in protecting the District and making a good living for themselves. When Ben is reaped, he ignore the advice of his mentors, kills a Career and [[CategoryTraitor replaces his victim in the Career alliance.]] He proves his loyalty to the Careers by helping them track down and kill his district partner and four others, then poisons them during a meal. Ben then kills five wolves sent by the gamemakers, despite being injured in the process, and goes on to mercilessly hunt and kill the remaining outliers. When the last of them cuts off two of his fingers, Ben fakes being helpless before finishing her off. As a victor, Ben becomes an influential celebrity and a good mentor until he retires in favor of the first tribute he saved. Ben comes out of retirement to successfully mentor Abram Mills, who [[LukeIMightBeYourFather might be his son from a one night stand.]] Ben sides with the rebellion and dies on a mission that helps save several of his fellow victors in the Capitol.
*** [[ArcherArchetype Jade Boleyn]] grows up as a BlueBlood in a toxic environment, indirectly maims a childhood enemy and is sent to the [[=DAEYD=]. She uses a SherlockScan to deduce that a murder took place and helps Ermine violently avenge her dead friend at least partially to amuse herself. In the arena, she achieves many impressive archery kills, plays the members of her alliance against each other and kills them all singlehandedly. While Jade expresses little remorse for that part of her life, she becomes a rebel, and aids in intricate plans to win District 1's freedom. Jade does an expert job of avoiding suspicion and [[LovableAlphaBitch treats her fellow victors aloofly, but shows occasional warmth and helpfulness even to people who dislike her]], and mourns for dead friends. Jade uses her knowledge of Panem's legal code to take back some control during her KangarooCourt trial after the new regime turns on her, buying time for a CharacterWitness to arrive. Jade sacrifices a chance to kill Coin--who nevertheless tries to Jade--to ensure the safety of a friend, having one vowed not to let anymore people die when she can save them and later takes part in the mission to rescue Katniss.
*** [[CynicalMentor Halibut "Hal" Shore]] is feared both inside and outside of the arena for his ruthless, detached attitude toward killing. He poisons his closest ally in the arena, Copper, both to avoid a fight, and so that Copper's girlfriend won't be any more upset by his death than she has to be--which earlier caused Hal to assume the role of executioner for himself rather than have her watch Copper drown a helpless tribute. He defeats the rest of his alliance with additional CombatPragmatist methods and a jagged harpoon he receives as a sponsor gift. Hal is viewed as a frightening and unstable person, but he can show a friendlier side around victors like Berenice and Ares. When his son dies in the arena, Hal is devastated, but continues to mentor future tributes to the best of his ability, while showing protectiveness toward his son's district partner Annie. During the rebellion, [[DoNotGoGentle He kills half-a-dozen peacekeepers while protecting Annie, before dying form thirty stab wounds]], with his death [[InspirationalMartyr inspiring the district to fight harder]].
*** [[SexSlave Cashmere Delacroix]] attends the [=DAEYD=] with her brother to keep from being separated once their family decides one of them needs to be a victor to save the family from bankruptcy. Cashmere has to be forced into volunteering for the games. She becomes a broker of information and favors who is capable of having her tributes perform {{Mercy Kill}}s or sabotaging an arena. Cashmere helps her brother control his growing bloodlust by drugging, kidnapping, and torturing Capitolians but keeps him from killing his victims. Cashmere threatens to arrange the deaths of fifty people in a blackmailer's district to make her leave Gloss alone. Upon finding out about the Rebellion's plan to save Katniss and Peeta, Cashmere audaciously forces her way into the rebellion to get revenge on Snow and end his reign of evil. When asked to play the role of a villain rather than openly aide the rebellion, she agrees and reluctantly asks for a list of expendable victor-tributes who can be killed without jeopardizing the plan before requesting that the rebels kill her and Gloss to sell the charade and keep her brother from completely losing his humanity.
* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/OfGoldAndIron'':
** [[Characters/GameOfThronesTywinLannister Tywin Lannister]], lacking his canon counterpart's unsavory acts, remains just as brilliant and ruthless. During his time as a soldier, Tywin engaged in shady tactics like burning crop fields to destabilize enemy supplies and crashing the economy of Braavos to prevent them from interfering. When [[Characters/GameOfThronesAryaStark Arya Stark]] arrives in his manor disguised as "Beth Rivers", Tywin sees through her within weeks and begins unraveling the Faceless Men's conspiracy, even allowing the Brotherhood Without Banners to [[LetsYouAndHimFight attack his train]] to see what she's capable of. After defeating [[Characters/GameOfThronesPetyrBaelish Petyr Baelish]] and torturing him for any information he can get, Tywin deduces the source of the conspiracy and arranges for his company to succeed when he resigns. When Jaqen then tries to kill him in spite of their deal, Tywin is able to negotiate with the Iron Bank for a lower price, ending the series in the best possible position even when the conspiracy killed [[SoleSurvivor all of his former allies]].
** [[KnowledgeBroker The Spider]] is the name of a brilliant hacker who knows everything there is to know within King's Landing. Reaching out to Bran Stark following Joffrey's death, the Spider soon helps them find [[Characters/GameOfThronesSansaStark Sansa Stark]] in exchange for a way to contact the Faceless Men, keeping his identity secret all the while and even throwing in more information than he promised as a reward. Reappearing during the [[HatePlague Long Night]] crisis, the Spider uses Oberyn Martell as a middle man to put Bran in contact with Mance Rayder, sending all of them into a battle with the Night King in order to kill the drug lord. When Bran demands a favor in return, the Spider concedes that he went above the call of duty and [[PetTheDog rewards him with Arya's true location]], not only circumventing the Faceless Men but ensuring their final defeat before helping Bran and Oberyn guard the city for the foreseeable future.
[[/folder]]

[[AC:Live-Action TV]]
[[folder:Examples]]
* ''Series/{{Arrowverse}}'' fanfic ''Fanfic/ToHellAndBackArrowverse'':
** [[Characters/ArrowverseMalcolmMerlyn Malcolm Merlyn]], aka the [[EvilCounterpart Dark Archer]], is a former member of the League of Assassins who fled the League following a massacre by Talia al Ghul. Endeavoring to better Starling City and avenge his wife's death, Malcolm masterminded the Undertaking, an attempt to destroy the Glades and make the city better. Upon coming into conflict with the [[Characters/ArrowverseOliverQueen Green Arrow]], Malcolm schemes against him, yet ultimately proves to be little threat to the fellow archer before the Undertaking's failure. However, upon being captured by Talia and [[IHaveYourWife having Tommy's life threatened]], he proves his manipulative abilities: first by convincing Tommy that Talia had his lover Isabel murdered, including leaving out his correct assumption that they were working together because Tommy would never believe him, then turning Tommy to his side and having him murder Talia, passing control of the League of Shadows onto him. After killing those who helped him because they might betray him as well, Malcolm then plants a BodyDouble so effective that even ARGUS is fooled, faking his death so he can lay low while Tommy helps him scheme against the Green Arrow further.
** ComicBook/AmandaWaller is the director of [[Characters/ArrowverseARGUSAndTaskForceX ARGUS]] and the true leader of the ComicBook/JusticeLeague. Quickly deducing the heroes' identities, Waller blackmails all of them into working for her under the threat of exposing them. She also works with the Queens to scapegoat Frank Chen into confessing to the Undertaking, allowing them to get off scot free in exchange for stopping Malcolm Merlyn, while also revealing that she's aware of Malcolm and Oliver's relation yet is happy to keep it secret. Upon learning of the Dominator threat, Waller leads the human resistance in arming and preparing everyone capable of resisting the threat, later proving vital to repelling the invasion with her scientists. Upon becoming aware of Zoom's threat, Waller tortures Killer Frost to learn everything she can, making Deathstorm cave within moments. She then unleashes her signature creation, [[ComicBook/SuicideSquad Task Force X]], to rescue Barry and save his father from Zoom. Lacking any powers yet brave enough to insult Zoom to his face, Waller is one of the few people able to control the various heroes that work for her with nothing but [[BadassNormal her intelligence and information]].
* ''Series/{{Victorious}}'' {{Fanfic}} ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8729865/1/Diamond-Eyes Diamond Eyes]]'': Jade West, desiring to make her and her friends rich, decides to form a gang after reading books about the old ways of crime. Deducing that the local guards won't be able to handle a form of crime they are unfamiliar with, Jade has the Stonehearts start off small by robbing banks before moving on to robbing a museum and casino to [[FromNobodyToNightmare get the Council to acknowledge them as a threat]]. Letting her friend out of the gang when it gets to be too much for her, Jade makes sure to have a way to monitor her to keep her safe. Later wiping out a part of the army, Jade swears revenge on the Council and two government assassins when the latter kill Cat Valentine, calling the Chairmen to intimate him before blowing up the Las Vegas sign. Jade later tracks down and kills one of the assassins in his safe house before killing the other in a fair fight. Later killing the Council, Jade ends the story continuing her quest to make money and getting engaged to her girlfriend, Tori Vega.
[[/folder]]

[[AC:Video Games]]
[[folder:Examples]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}}'' {{Fan Webcomic|s}} ''[[https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/bloodborne-lady-maria-and-the-old-hunters/list?title_no=138725&page=1 Lady Maria and the Old Hunters]]'': Alice of Cainhurst is the childhood friend of Maria. Left behind in the hellish domain of Cainhurst, Alice becomes a Hunter for the monstrous Queen Annalise and relies on her old friendship with Maria to gain access to Byrgenwerth. Playing the part of a sweet and kind, curious girl, Alice steals the blood of Queen Yharnam for Queen Annalise and sets up a duel with Maria while intending to force Maria to liberate her through death. Using the lives of innocents as leverage to pressure Maria into using her true power, Alice secures her duty to the Queen and achieves her freedom, dying with a final kiss and proclamation of love to Maria, saying she will never be far from her heart.
* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemRadiantDawn'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/QueenOfSorrow''
** [[SilkHidingSteel Elincia]], [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen Queen of Crimea]], was [[FallenHero once a kind princess]] who became a jaded and ruthless ruler after suffering tragedies, desiring to protect her kingdom by any means. Losing Lucia, Elincia determines to become a strong queen to prevent tragedy from ever happening again, reluctantly dirtying her hands when forced by others for her kingdom's future, having Bastian assassinated, holding former friends as political hostages and even using her broken uncle as a [[PersonOfMassDestruction living weapon]]. Embracing her inner evil, Elincia begins holding control over her own fate, having her enemies crushed with underhanded tactics, gambits, and massacres or kneeling to her with the Blood Pacts, culminating in a final battle against Begnion, Gallia, and Ike where she singlehandedly wins with her cunning use of Lehran's Medallion. [[OneWorldOrder Forcing every nation under the Blood Pacts]], Elincia uses her new power as Queen of Tellius to enforce peace and reformation to end war and prejudice with intent to destroy the Blood Pacts when it's all over. Even knowing she would be remembered as evil as her tormentors, Elincia doesn't stray as long as she can be a strong queen for her people.
** [[ProfessionalKiller Volke]] is an infamous assassin known as the "Fireman" who can kill [[TheDreaded even the most powerful people in the world]]. Hired by Elincia to kill his regular client Bastian, Volke shows his mastery over the world of cloak and dagger and easily becomes a hire of Elincia thanks to his ruthlessness on the job. Hired once more by Elincia to kill Lekain and steal his Blood Pacts, Volke manages to successfully infiltrate one of the most secured bases in the land and kill one of the most powerful men in the world through his repertoire of special equipment and pure talent, finishing the job and unlocking the door for Elincia to take over the whole nation to protect Crimea.
* ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys''
** {{Fanfic}}s:
*** ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10677673/1/Joy-of-Creation Joy of Creation]]'': [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe Goldie Fazbear]] was the titular star of ''The Amazing Goldie Show'' until he was decommissioned and left wandering Freddy Fazbear's Pizza as a spirit. Once [[AdaptationalVillainy Freddy Fazbear and his friends]] try to kill five children so Goldie won't be alone, the bear saves one of the kids, Mike Schmidt, and lets him escape the animatronics. Decades later, Mike would become the night guard at Freddy's, leaving Goldie to take the identity of "the Phone Guy" to teach Mike how to survive, while scaring him about the dangers of the job and faking his death. Once Mike destroys Freddy, Goldie reveals that he kept saving Mike because the boy called him his best friend on his final show, and says that he wants Mike to reconstruct the animatronics and bring the "Joy of Creation" to everyone, all while comforting him about how he will get over the horrors he experienced and become happy again soon. The epilogue shows that Goldie was right and Mike would help in building [[VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys2 the Toy Animatronics]], although not without [[SanitySlippage losing some of his sanity]].
*** ''FanFic/MikesNewGhostlyFamily'': [[DemonLordsAndArchdevils Nightmare]] is a ruthless Hell Lord and the leader of the Nightmare demons. Exploiting his status as one of the more "Moral" demons, which allows him more access to Earth, he uses it to secretly advance his goals of [[TakeOverTheWorld corrupting the world]], while also taking wagers with his victims in exchange for sparring them of torture. Taking one such bet with [[Characters/FiveNightsAtFreddysWilliamAfton William Afton]] to corrupt the Schmidt family, his [[EvenEvilHasStandards disgust of how he treats his own family]] leads him to intentionally tighten the bond of the family via his [[BreakThemByTalking brutally accurate speeches]] and winning the bet. Gaining a genuine respect towards Mike Schmidt after being bested by him, he later willingly aids the family on occasion, from organizing the brutal defeat of an escaped Afton alongside Mike to helping destroy Glitchtrap's copies while locating the one that escaped via manipulating Fazbear Entertainment, all while subtly advancing his own agenda.
** {{Fan Game}}s:
*** ''VideoGame/FinalNights4FatesEntwined'': In the past, the Puppet Master was just one of the animatronics at Fredbear's Family Diner. However, the Puppet Master is the mastermind behind all the events in the franchise that seeks to bring about the downfall of [[Characters/FiveNightsAtFreddysWilliamAfton William Afton]]. The Puppet Master was the one who gave life to the murdered children and sent the [[VideoGame/FinalNights3NightmaresAwaken reaper animatronics to the hurricane hospital]] which ended up failing. However, in 2017, The Puppet Master finally gets his chance to complete his mission by controlling a paranormal investigator named [[PlayerCharacter Max Donavan]]. The Puppet Master uses him to one-by-one free the spirits of the remaining animatronics, learn the truth of what happened, and undo his mistake. After everything is done, the Puppet Master orders Max Donovan to burn down Fazbear's Fright and kill Afton inside Springtrap, which he does, but at the [[SuicideMission cost of his life]].
*** ''VideoGame/{{POPGOES}}'': [[HiddenVillain Simon]] is a intelligent robot made by Jeremy "Fritz" Fitzgerald to revive his brother, only to be locked away by fear, causing Simon to hatch an escape plan to take revenge and gain freedom. Practicing his skills by setting up puzzles for the robotic night guard Strings, he tricks Fritz into connecting him to the mainframe by promising to bring back his daughter that Fritz accidentally killed, using it to rebuild [[RocksFallEveryoneDies The Blackrabbit]], killing him and freeing Simon. He then makes his escape, but not before thanking Strings for his help, shutting down the guard in the process.
** {{Fanvid}} ''[[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqVDFs2-ZV5HVd6hiiDZ8gg TheHottest Dog Special Strike Series]]'': [[HumanoidAbomination Glitchtrap]] is reimagined as TheDragon to The_End, who seeks to turn the entire multiverse into meme-spouting puppets. Under his masters orders, he sets up Golden Freddy's transformation into "The Chief", secretly kidnapping characters while spying on the main cast undetected. Upon a chunk of the cast being killed by the resulting battle, he searches for the Chief's corpse to revive him into a powerful minion, adapting to being ambushed by the survivors by convincing them that he's another survivor. When a slip up results in Chester and the Penguin arriving with reinforcements, Glitchtrap uses the resulting chaos to retrieve his syringe and control the Chief with it, willingly mutating himself with it to aid him in the fight.
* ''VideoGame/HalfLife'' FanGame ''VideoGame/HuntDownTheFreeman'': The G-Man is portrayed as a powerful trickster. During Black Mesa incident he has Adam beat Mitchell up with a crowbar and frame Gordon Freeman for this. Afterwards he makes a deal with a gravely wounded Mitchell, promising him authority, power and time in exchange for killing Gordon. During the Seven Hour War the G-Man indirectly kills anyone with a rank higher than Mitchell's. Twenty years later, he coerces Mitchell into starting the hunt and joining the Combine. Later on, the G-Man orders Adam to kill Sasha and frame Mitchell up. When confronted, the G-Man reveals that since Mitchell is wanted by the Combine, Gordon Freeman will have much less trouble to deal with in City 17 and leaves Mitchell to his fate. [[AffablyEvil Always keeping his charm]], the G-Man manages to intertwine the deals he made with others to get the outcome he and his employers wanted.
* ''VideoGame/HeartsOfIron'' GameMod ''VideoGame/KaiserreichLegacyOfTheWeltkrieg'':
** [[TheEmperor Emperor Pedro III]] is the emperor of Brazil, ascending to power after the way was cleared for his ascent to the throne by the Brazilian Integralists. Upon taking power he launches a massive [[ThePurge purge]] of the Syndicalists and establishes the paramilitary Imperial Green Guards to suppress the far left and enforce religious fundamentalism, while indoctrinating the population through the distribution of Integralist propaganda and the creation of youth movements to indoctrinate the youth. Despite these measures however, Pedro III stands out as one of the more benevolent [[DayOfTheJackboot National Populist]] dictators in the setting, using his powers to weaken the powers of local governors and oligarchs in order to give the population as much individual rights and freedoms as possible; ruling through charisma and . Emperor Pedro is also noteworthy for his anti-racist policies, as he institutes laws protecting indigenous tribes and Afro-Brazilians from racial discrimination within Brazil in order to create a new cosmopolitian culture blending both Portuguese and Afro-Brazilian traditions.
** UsefulNotes/HueyLong--also known as [[RedBaron The Kingfish]]--is a populist from Louisiana who despises syndicalists while also desiring to save the American economy with his "Share the Wealth" program, which he perceives as America's only defense against Syndicalism. Popular in the American South due to his bombastic style, Long allies with the far right Silver Legion and the War Powers Committee in order to create a anti-syndicalist power bloc in the form of the America First Party despite his relatively tolerant views for his time, being so charismatic that his death would mean its dissolution. When the Second American Civil War starts, as either due to him either using Reed's assassination to his advantage, rebelling against either a social democratic Progressive government or a Reed presidency, or due to UsefulNotes/DouglasMacArthur's military coup against him in office, Long serves as the face of the American Union State. If the AUS wins, Long declares himself PresidentForLife and purges his more despicable allies, while allowing his [[BlackShirt Minutemen]] to harass Syndicalists. Despite being a dictator struggling between his own altruism and his growing authoritarianism, Long's charisma and relative benevolence made him stand out from most dictators.
** [[IntrepidReporter John "Jack" Reed]] is the candidate of the American Socialist Party in the 1936 presidential elections. In the leadup to the elections, Reed takes advantage of the political chaos in the US to consolidate his own support; effectively flipping the state of Minnesota to the Socialist side if the Progressives collapse. Assuming Reed wins the 1936 elections, he either tries to enact his policies via court packing and executive orders or he tries to suppress the American First movement via the use of the national guard before he's ousted by a military coup. If he loses the election however, Reed continues to agitate against the US government; taking advantage of Huey Long's assassination assuming it occurs to turn public opinion against the US government and launch an uprising. Once the Second American Civil War begins, Reed can enact measures such as War Syndicalism as well as enact ruthless means to deal with political opponents in order to bolster the war effort of the [[CommieLand Combined Syndicates of America]]. If the Combined Syndiates are victorious, Reed steps down in favor of the next generation of socialists, content with leading the revolution to victory and letting new leadership decide the future of the a Socialist America.
* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' {{Fan Work}}s:
** {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/PokemonResetBloodlines'':
*** [[AntiVillain Belladonna Tyrian]] is a [[PoisonousPerson Poison]] heart bloodliner whose primary interests lie in living the way she wants to and helping those she cares for, primarily her girlfriends and Pokemon. After being turned out by her homophobic mother, she began wandering around the world and supporting herself through crime. When she learns how her girlfriend Aurora was disowned by her father, she comes up with a plan to kill the hospitalized man while making it look like an indirect consequence of a wild Pokemon attack. When Ash attempts to interfere, she quickly captures him, only sparing him because she suspects they may be [[LongLostSibling long-lost half siblings]]. Once she knows Aurora's father is dead, she discovers evidence of more half-siblings and begins an investigation into her father's identity, temporarily pausing her search for information to help save Ash from Sabrina's clutches. Doing as she pleases and [[{{ubermensch}} marching to the beat of her own drum]], Belladonna provides a compelling look at [[ShadowArchetype how Ash might have turned out]] had things been different.
*** [[TheSocialDarwinist Sabrina]] is a ruthless {{Psychic|Powers}} heart bloodliner who operates as Saffron City's Gym Leader and is known for [[SparingTheAces sparing challengers who prove their worth]]. As a child, she came to the conclusion that people needed some kind of incentive for improvement, so she terrorized her hometown to test her theory. Considering her ideas vindicated when a previously complacent young bug catcher finally stood up to her, she spent the next several years embarking on various schemes to improve or eliminate various people, all for her eventual goal to build [[VisionaryVillain a truly meritocratic world]]. She eventually kidnaps Ash and forces him to fight his way through her gym with the intention of forcing him to shed his reluctance to go all-out. She proves an extremely capable opponent during this fight, adjusting to virtually every new development and constantly keeping Ash on his toes. Very persuasive when she wants to be and balancing her villainy with [[EvenEvilHasStandards genuine moral standards]], Sabrina proves to be one of the most brilliant and dangerous adversaries Ash has to deal with on his second journey.
** {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/TheSunSoul'': [[UltimateLifeform Mewtwo]] is a powerful Psychic-type Pokémon and the true mastermind behind the entire story. Initially created by Team Rocket to retrieve the Sun Soul, Mewtwo rebelled when he learned he was designed to die within a year. Believing humanity was too selfish to share the world with Pokémon, Mewtwo decided to [[KillAllHumans wipe out humankind]]. Using the Sun Soul to amplify his powers, Mewtwo modified millions of Pokémon to serve as his personal army. Reaching out to Professor Elm, Mewtwo convinced him that he would be spared if he amassed an army to help wipe out the Kanto region. Although he was opposed at every turn by Team Rocket, Mewtwo was able to manipulate Ash Ketchum into dismantling their operations. By convincing Ash to free Sabrina from captivity, Mewtwo was able to break her hold over [[OlympusMons Zapdos]] and used it to devastate the armies gathered to stop him. Mewtwo managed to concentrate Kanto's forces to more easily wipe them out and offered to spare Ash due to his fascination his Savant powers. Eventually, Ash used the Sun Soul to [[MentalFusion fuse his consciousness with Mewtwo's]], and the two agreed to work together to help restore balance to the world.
** ''VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue'' FanGame ''[[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYselOxqr5srzLhOgKHgEe2Vpkv1cYxoF Pokemon Kanto Origins]]'': [[TheDon Giovanni]] is the Boss of the Team Rocket and leader of the Viridian City Gym. Part of the AncientConspiracy of the Elite Four to control the region, Giovanni wishes to restore Kanto's former glory by any means. Creating Mewtwo as the first step of a series of experiments to create stronger Pokemon, Giovanni manipulates the PlayerCharacter to be his beta-tester while slowly becoming fond of him. Intending to overthrow the Elite Four, Giovanni invades the Indigo Plateau with his most loyal followers, dedicated to slowing the player as much as possible. A GracefulLoser as in the original games, Giovanni is partially aware of the fictional nature of the Protagonist and congratulates him for his victory against him, allowing the player character to defy the ultimate being, the Kanto Spirit.
* ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/MegamiNoHanabira'': [[LouisCypher Cypher]] is the mysterious guide of the heroines, helping Demon Tamers by unlocking new functions of the Demon Summoning Program to help them to survive the demon outbreak in the city of Kazamino, while also causing the Flock's [[MonsterProtectionRacket controlled outbreak]] to become uncontrollable. Guiding the protagonists to the server hosting the Demon Summoning Program, Cypher later contacts with the protagonist disguised as Sister Danica, telling them about the real nature of the Flock. Actually Lucifer, he also summons the Fiends (apocalyptic demons) and unleashes them in Kazamino, hoping to find Tamers strong enough to defeat them. Revealing the real nature of the Flock to the world with the heroines, Danica tests them to give them the power to defeat The Flock. Saving the heroines from Sister Collete after they defeat [[BigBad Father Phillips]], Danica breaks her remaining convictions in [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech a speech]] before closing the server and revealing herself as Lucifer to the heroines, offering them the privilege of being his Godslayers and fighting God's Servants throughout the many worlds. After they refuse, Lucifer accepts their choice, leaving their world and taking pleasure in the fact that--at least in that world--God has lost.
* ''VideoGame/TheWalkingDeadTelltale'' {{Fanfic}} ''[[https://old.reddit.com/r/TWDGFanFic/comments/q37gxh/something_to_fight_for_round_of_16_theme_sacrifice/ Something to Fight For]]'': [[ActionSurvivor Clementine]], unlike [[Characters/TheWalkingDeadVideoGameClementine her original incarnation]], is far more cunning and pragmatic. Believing that only the strong and wise can survive in the apocalypse, Clementine resorted to killing Kenny and Jane for being a liability, and even went as far as [[WouldHurtAChild sacrificing AJ to a herd of walkers]] because he wouldn't stop crying. Upon reuniting with Lilly years later and discovering she's now in league with raiders harassing teenagers at the Ericson school, Clementine usurped the leadership of Ericson and plotted to have Lilly and her group killed. After pretending to nearly kill Tenn to convince his sister, Minerva, to give up Lilly, Clementine murders Minerva and leads the teenagers to storm Lilly's hideout. When she gets captured, Clementine distracts Lilly and her raiders in order to let the other teenagers escape, and also to prevent her from disarming the hidden bomb [[SomebodySetUpUsTheBomb that subsequently detonates and eradicates Lilly and her crew]].
[[/folder]]

[[AC:Web Animation]]
[[folder:''RWBY'']]
* ''Fanfic/ChildrenOfRemnant'': [[Characters/RWBYCinderFall Cinder Fall]] is Queen Salem's chief strategist, put in charge of ensuring her war with humanity begins. To that end, she manipulates the Claimed to earn their trust, whispering in Jaune's ear to attempt to [[TreacherousAdvisor trick him into war]]. Behind the scenes, she hires Dr. Merlot to trick the Schnees and Belladonnas into attempting to assassinate Jaune, utilizing her [[TheMole spies]] to ensure they go through with the plan; simultaneously, she raises public tensions against the Claimed by assassinating anti-Grimm speakers and advocating for war. When her plan ultimately fails and she learns of how she was manipulated by Salem, she [[HeelFaceTurn turns against her former master]] and tells Jaune the truth of their "mother", ultimately dying while defeating Tyrian and [[SecretSecretKeeper taking the identity of the Summer Maiden to the grave]].
* ''Fanfic/DestiniesOfRemnant'':
** "The Wolves and the Soulless": [[VillainProtagonist Roman Torchwick]], surviving his canonical death, remains as skillfully charming as ever. Released from prison to serve [[Characters/RWBYJamesIronwood James Ironwood]]'s ends, Roman recruits Team RWBY and Sun to his cause, rescuing Weiss from her home and tracking Blake to Menagerie along the way. Coming up with the plan to secure Sienna Khan's aid against [[Characters/RWBYAdamTaurus Adam Taurus]], Roman keeps up a charade of helping Sienna throughout the subsequent battle and helps ensure Adam's defeat. Following the battle, Roman detonates a bomb in the headquarters, killing both Sienna and Adam as well as wiping out the White Fang in one fell swoop, giving Ironwood the reason he needs to conquer Menagerie while Roman himself [[TheBadGuyWins retires to a quiet life in Mantle]].
** "Be Glad You Existed": [[Characters/RWBYCinderFall Cinder Fall]], though on the side of the heroes, remains no less ruthless than always. After learning of [[EvilGenius Arthur Watts']] plan to invade Beacon with the White Fang, Cinder spends weeks studying [[Characters/RWBYRubyRose Ruby Rose's]] methods and skills, eventually intervening to invite her to Beacon herself. After gathering both Team RWBY and her own team, Cinder orchestrates the plan to take the CCT back from Watts, further ingratiating herself to Ruby while [[FalseFriend pretending to be her friend]]. After they encounter Watts himself, she takes Ruby hostage, engaging in a BattleOfWits with her enemy that she ultimately wins when she reveals that not only did his ally already cave, but she had already rooted out his spies within Beacon Academy, leaving his plan a complete failure before she kills him herself.
** "This World Will Have No Peace": [[Characters/RWBYAdamTaurus Adam Taurus]], while no less vengeful than in canon, funnels that nature into [[AmbitionIsEvil a dangerous level of ambition]]. Seeking to strike straight at the top of humanity, Adam targets [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Jacques Schnee himself]], intending to steal everything the man built. Through a series of EngineeredHeroics and framing others for his crimes, Adam ingratiates himself to the man, all the while plotting with Sienna Khan behind his back. After orchestrating a riot that kills multiple innocents and framing Weiss for an assassination attempt on him, Adam successfully convinces Jacques to give him control of the company, saving Atlas when Jacques then tries to destroy it out of spite. Though originally intending to tear society down out of vengeance, Adam decides to give hope a chance once he gains his power, yet [[TheBadGuyWins remains vigilant for the day the world proves undeserving]].
** "Even Brilliant Lights":
*** [[ExperiencedProtagonist Roman Torchwick]] remains as dastardly brilliant as ever. After taking Ruby in, Roman begins [[EvilMentor teaching her the art of criminality]], gradually molding her into a successor for his chaotic cause while granting him a mole within Beacon. After approving of Ruby's peaceful strategy to blackmail Ozpin, he uses his [[AwesomenessByAnalysis analytical mind]] to disarm Adam Taurus, taking the opportunity to bug his sword. When Ruby tries to bring him into the side of good, he rejects her offer and gives her a brutal and pragmatic fight, beginning by pretending to have assassinated Ozpin in order to provoke her to go all out. When she wins the fight, Roman reveals the facade and keeps his deal to give her Neopolitan as a partner, dying [[TheBadGuyWins confident that Ruby will carry on his legacy]].
*** [[Characters/RWBYRubyRose Ruby Rose]] takes to Roman's teachings and proves she will be a worthy successor. Entering Beacon and weakening her team's abilities from day one, Ruby comes up with the plan to peacefully blackmail Ozpin, using a meeting with him to stealthily bug his office. When she comes into conflict with her team, Ruby uses her analytical abilities to take down all three at once, including [[CombatPragmatist tricking Yang into attacking Blake]], before giving Roman an all-out fight. When she successfully kills him, Ruby utilizes his plan to leave the country, yet [[BatmanGambit correctly predicts that Cinder will attempt to kill her]] for leaving; to circumvent this, she tricks two travelers into taking her place, faking her death and successfully fleeing to Mistral.
** "Born Indicted": [[ALighterShadeOfBlack Sienna Khan]], surviving her [[SparedByTheAdaptation canon death]], learns that her life is short and she must make the most of what time she has to correct his path. To this end, she hatches one final scheme, beginning by decapitating Adam Taurus and presenting the head at a rally. Using her charisma and strength to lure Blake into a meeting and convince her to attend that rally, Sienna then forces a sit-down with several prominent figures, including [[Characters/RWBYJamesIronwood General Ironwood]] and Jacques Schnee, in order to demand equality. However, after a bomb kills everyone present, Blake discovers that Sienna was actually [[FalseFlagOperation gathering targets in one space to kill all of them at once]], not only making herself into a martyr but also uniting humanity and Faunus for the first time. Her plan succeeds, beginning to [[WellIntentionedExtremist mend the rift between humans and Faunus]] even at the cost of her own life.
* ''Fanfic/{{Null}}'': [[Characters/RWBYJamesIronwood General James Ironwood]] may have originally been too idealistic for his post, but once he makes his deal with Jaune Arc, he proves just how much of a strategic genius he really is. After learning that Ozpin has Amber Arc hostage, he responds by informing Blake Belladonna of the situation, causing her to ally with Jaune and kill Matthew Fields, [[BatmanGambit just as he intended for her to do]]. Meanwhile, predicting a betrayal from his own forces, he has Clover empty out his own airship's weaponry, preventing the Council from framing him for mass murder and allowing him to blackmail them for his investigative powers back. To deal with Ozpin, he strikes a deal with Qrow and Glynda to lead Jaune straight to him and his sister; the resulting battle kills Ozpin and Cinder, ridding Ironwood of his two biggest enemies, and following the battle, he [[FakingTheDead helps Jaune fake his death]] so that he, Jaune, and Neopolitan can continue killing anyone who tries to resurrect the conspiracy, as well as giving him a permanent method of balancing his idealistic self with his ruthless Semblance.
* ''Fanfic/ProfessorArc'': [[Characters/RWBYJauneArc Professor Jaune Arc]], through a mountain of lies and the power of his reputation, gradually proves himself as a genuine manipulator and strategist as time goes on. Coming into his own by forcing Roman Torchwick and Neopolitan to obey him, Jaune grows exponentially upon becoming Headmaster, managing to defeat [[Characters/RWBYCinderFall Cinder Fall]] and place her powers into Pyrrha. Later pulling a similar gambit to defeat [[Characters/RWBYAdamTaurus Adam Taurus]] by exploiting his rage, Jaune even gives the go-ahead for Cinder to steal the Winter Maiden powers, putting her under his control in the process. When Salem then tries to advance on Vale, Jaune manages to bluff her into a complete retreat with [[DidYouJustScamCthulhu only a broom and a box of cigarettes]], simultaneously tricking Cinder into compliance through [[CrazyPrepared a mountain of pre-written letters predicting her actions]]. After pulling a series of gambits to get Salem inside and convince her to spare humanity, Jaune later combats Hazel Rainart's usage of the Relics with his own, destroying him and saving all of humanity.
* ''Fanfic/RelicOfTheFuture'':
** [[Characters/RWBYJauneArc Jaune Ashari]], determined to prevent the BadFuture no matter the cost, becomes far more intelligent and ruthless than in the original timeline. Originally wandering the planet trying to bide his time for the future, Jaune begins taking active steps against Salem and proves himself her greatest opponent, not only taking out her forces one by one but sabotaging her future plans to prevent her from getting a foothold on Remnant. From uniting Vale's gangs under his own banner, destroying the White Fang in a single evening, using Hazel Rainart's death to [[FalseFlagOperation pose as a mole for Salem's organization]], converting Cinder to his side through promises of power, and even creating a new energy source out of Aura along the way, Jaune's resolve carries him for years, even when he learns that defeating Salem will kill him as well. Managing to steal and unite the Relics, Jaune [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu defeats Salem once again]] despite her attempts to subvert Emerald, returning to the timeline he once abandoned and resolving to continue fixing the world once more.
** [[NeutralNoLonger Raven Branwen]], after [[CowardlyLion confronting her cowardice]] and throwing her lot in with Jaune, proves to be just as intelligent as her partner. After using Jaune's mission to render the Relic of Knowledge inert to learn just who he is, Raven begins working both with him and independently to subvert Salem's plans, primarily by training his younger self in her brutal method of combat. [[BigDamnHeroes Saving Jaune's life multiple times with her portals]], Raven consistently plays her part in Jaune's plans to perfection and adds her own ideas, such as giving herself and Jaune [[PlausibleDeniability alibis for Hazel's death]], convincing Ozpin's forces that Nora Valkyrie is the Spring Maiden, using the Maiden powers on Atlas soldiers to provide cover for Watts' kidnapping, and summoning Summer to kill Oscar. Despite her emotional struggles and original cowardly nature, Raven is Jaune's most useful ally and contributes just as much to their partnership as he does.
** [[Characters/RWBYAdamTaurus Adam Taurus]] is the OnlySaneMan of the [[Characters/RWBYWhiteFang White Fang]] who genuinely believes in the cause he's fighting for. After witnessing Jaune protect them from a mob with the threat of violence, Adam is inspired and helps radicalize the Fang, yet when he sees how far they've fallen, he [[TokenGoodTeammate refuses to sink to their level]]. Becoming the Fang's most useful operative despite his distaste for killing, Adam sees the writing on the wall and concludes the Fang will collapse on itself, seeking a way out for himself. After [[AwesomenessByAnalysis psychoanalyzing Jaune]] and attempting to save him in Menagerie, Adam later conspires with Winter Schnee to wipe out the Fang, preemptively betraying his soldiers before they can kill him and intending to lure the Atlas military to the Fang. Though Jaune kills them first, Adam gets out alive and un-captured with Blake, becoming Chieftan of Menagerie and working with Ironwood to make equality the law.
* ''Fanfic/{{Resurgence}}'': [[Characters/RWBYAnima Raven Branwen]] is a huntress and a former member of Team STRQ. Upon discovering a mystical pool that allowed her to see various possible futures, Raven realized that desperate measures would have to be taken to ensure the one future where humanity survived. To this end Raven made the painful decision to abandon her family so that they could achieve their full potential. Taking the alias Krymsen, Raven approached [[Characters/RWBYCinderFall Cinder Fall]] and used her access to the Pool of Life to help her carry out her plans, all the while manipulating her to ensure that the heroes of Remnant had a fighting chance. Upon deciding that the pieces were in place Raven reveals her true intentions to [[Characters/RWBYTeamRWBY Team RWBY]] before mortally wounding Cinder with the aid of Neo. When Salem is defeated, Raven absorbs her power and decides to stay in the netherworld, both to ensure the balance and to serve penance for her crimes.
[[/folder]]

[[AC:Web Videos]]
* ''WebAnimation/MysterySkullsAnimated'' FanAnimatic ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPwFbWUWh00 Revenge Creates More Revenge]]'': [[MyNameIsQuestionMarks ???]] is a mysterious, [[GhastlyGhost malevolent ghost]] with unknown ties to [[{{Youkai}} Mystery and Shiromori]], the latter of whom he wants his hands on. Seeing an opportunity when the Mystery Skulls explore a cave he's taken residence in, ??? possesses Arthur and pushes Lewis to his death, knowing Mystery would unleash his full power to save him, unintentionally drawing Shiromori out. After a forceful exorcism, ??? covertly tails the gang, waiting for either Shiromori to find them or for Lewis' ghost to come and kill Arthur, believing he could again prove useful as a spirit. Upon Arthur's death, ??? [[WeCanRuleTogether offers to join with him]] to take revenge against Lewis, reminding him of the many sleepless nights he spent searching for his supposed "best friend", then telling him Lewis left Vivi to die when Arthur falters. Arthur snaps and vows to tear Lewis apart, too angry to care when ??? tells him they'll be going for his own target afterward, ??? gladly waiting a little longer for what he wants now that he has a powerful wraith at his side.

[[AC:Western Animation]]
[[folder:Examples]]
* ''WesternAnimation/CodeLyoko'' {{Fanfic}}s:
** ''[[https://forum.codelyoko.fr/viewtopic.php?t=5821&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 Bataille pour l'espoir]]'' : [[WellIntentionedExtremist Andrew Streep]] was originally one of many young graduates hired by the French government to work in Project Carthage on quantum mechanics. When Youbakou Senja took over the project for his nefarious purposes and attempted to kill Streep, the latter found help within the French government who protected him in exchange for total cooperation, leading to Streep becoming the [[AntiHero General Alexandre Hussinger]]. Hussinger then engaged in multiple schemes to stop Senja, such as killing the Prime Minister and staging a coup to take over France and use it's resources against Carthage and save the captured Lyoko-warriors, faking his death, send Léopold to rescue the Lyoko-warriors and using the Lyoko-warrior Jérémie as TheMole to kill Senja — a near success —, and figuring out how the [[KillSat Grande Arche]] works and telling his subordinate Kiichi how to breach it. [[DyingMomentOfAwesome Even when mortally wounded by Senja]], Hussinger remained unshakable and determined to stop Carthage at all costs, successfully killing Senja and ordering the Eiffel Tower's destruction, [[BatmanGambit aware it could cause a city-wide blackout disorienting Carthage's planes now unable to see their targets]].
** ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7740418/1/The-Games-of-Moriarty The Games of Moriarty]]'':
*** [[FallenHero Jérémie The Eternal and Omnipotent]] is the result of [[BigBad Moriarty]]'s mind-rape of Jérémie in the first chapter and Jérémie being kicked out of the group for releasing XANA from William's mind. Becoming obsessed with destroying Moriarty at all costs, Jérémie creates the "Holmes" program to do so. When he realizes Holmes is also damaging the entire Internet (thus causing bugs and damaging the nations' relations with each other), he reasons that he must become [[AGodAmI humanity's guide/god/master]] to ensure [[WellIntentionedExtremist that they stop fighting each other]]. As such, when Holmes is on the brink of starting a nuclear war, Jérémie plans to virtualize himself in the Network, destroy Holmes, Moriarty and Odd (Moriarty's [[BrainwashedAndCrazy unwilling minion]]), and then conquer the world as he would be seen as humanity's savior, all of this while remaining under the radar. When his former teammates discover his evil plan, Jérémie uses the power he previously gave himself to easily defeat them, despite them having Moriarty's help. His failure was only caused by errors he made dues to his insanity. As smart as he was unstoppable, Jérémie's short villainous moments left a permanent mark on his teammates, the entire world and Moriarty's plans.
*** [[AIIsACrapshoot XANA]], the main villain of the original series, was not only created by Franz Hopper to destroy Carthage, but also [[BigBad Moriarty]]. Long after Season 4, after barely escaping death by hiding inside William, XANA is still obsessed with destroying Moriarty. Manipulating William and Jérémie into freeing it from the former's body, XANA easily defeated [[EnemyMine the Lyoko-warriors and Moriarty]], and would've killed them if it wasn't for William FightingFromTheInside. Despite being depowered and stuck inside William, it made an alliance with William, and proved to be a valuable, if evil, ally, giving him pixelized human powers to take on Moriarty on Earth, and often saving him from death through sheer power or quick thinking, such as when it noticed a high-voltage metal box that was used to kill Dark Yumi, who was about to kill a depowered William. Defeating the Dark Lyoko-warriors with William, XANA played an important role in Moriarty's defeat. Ruthless, brutal, [[TheUnfettered unfettered]] and above all, [[NoNonsenseNemesis efficient]], XANA was the most competent character of the entire fanfiction.
** ''[[https://forum.codelyoko.fr/viewtopic.php?t=8806 Trente Degrés]]'': Aelita Schäffer, after losing her fellow Lyoko-warriors Jérémie, Ulrich, Odd and Yumi to the XANA-possessed William, decides to destroy any remnant of XANA by killing William. When she learns he's in Melbourne, Australia, she goes there and befriends him once again. When she realizes he's amnesiac, she decides to jog his memory by committing two murders in front of him, before fleeing with him to her place, where she leaves him alone, since she kept all of the Lyoko-warriors' belongings, allowing William to remember what happened by inspecting them. Luring him to a beach, she revealed the truth to him before shooting him dead, killing XANA at the same occasion. Upon succeeding in her mission, Aelita commits suicide by swallowing a cyanide pill.
* '' WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra '' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/VariumFortune'': [[Characters/TheLegendOfKorraAsamiSato Asami Sato]] is the seductive daughter of Hiroshi Sato, and is reimagined here as a FemmeFatale. Desiring to destroy the Triads after witnessing her mother's murder years ago, Asami tricks [[Characters/TheLegendOfKorraAvatarKorra Korra]] into tracking down the murderer and kills him using Korra's gun. Travelling to Ba Sing Se, Asami tries to get the Earth Queen to lend her some Dai Li to train an army that she plans to have Korra lead. Recruiting Mako and Bolin, Asami plans to blow up a bank in Gaoling and frame the brothers for it. Even when Korra has her at gunpoint, Asami manages to calmly make peace with her and kills the Dai Li agents spying on them. Seeking to unite Republic City, Ba Sing Se and Gaoling for an impending war with the Fire Nation, Asami and Korra agree to help Suyin Beifong reconnect with her sister Lin. Every bit as smart as her canon counterpart, Asami ends the story managing to get Korra to agree to lead her revolution.
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/TheCaptainGoodkingSaga'': The silly-seeming [[TheTrickster Sacanas]] manages to be Captain Goodking's [[NotSoHarmlessVillain most competent adversary]]. Swaying his future apprentice to his side after tricking the apprentice's father into being [[TakenForGranite turned to stone]], Sacanas later uses time magic to evade guards keeping the spells he wanted to teach Sanies. Though eventually betrayed and murdered by Sanies, Sacanas returns to life with style: leading an alien invasion to act as a diversion while he traps the heroes in [[LotusEaterMachine dream worlds]] catering to their greatest desires and convinces Stygian to once again become the Pony of Shadows to become Sacanas' personal attack dog. Though eventually defeated, Sacanas shows remorse for his actions and [[GracefulLoser gracefully accepts being sent back to the time of his death, even laughing as he goes]].
* ''WesternAnimation/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPower'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/{{Hegemony}}'': [[Characters/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPowerHordak Hordak]], warlord of [[Characters/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPowerTheHorde the Horde]], is the ruler of the Fright Zone aiming to mentor [[Characters/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPowerCatra Catra]] into one day taking his spot. Through his brilliant campaigns, Hordak has become a force to be reckoned with against the Hegemony and uses clever gambits such as forcing an attack from the Hegemony, all to expose a mole in his own group. Upon finding his former "Brother", [[Characters/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPowerHordePrime Horde Prime]], Hordak sees the folly of his old plan and leaves him to his seal, opting instead to raise Catra to true leadership of the Horde.
* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' {{Fanfic}} ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/18970870/chapters/45043960 Girls Game]]'': [[AdaptationalIntelligence Bebe Stevens]] is the leader of the girls, uniting them all against the boys. Bebe assisted the child mobster Loogie in his efforts to gain more baby teeth so Bebe can obtain Loogie's loyalty. Bebe also exposed Stan Marsh's disguise by giving him a GroinAttack before ripping out his wig. Gathering everyone to the school gym, Bebe reveals her plan to use a magical fortune telling device to rid her enemies while reshaping reality and time [[InTheirOwnImage in her own image]], which she nearly succeeds until a sudden intervention of Dr. Mephesto's latest creation. The boys then decide to [[EasilyForgiven forgive Bebe]] and invite Bebe and her friends to hang out with them, because they were impressed that she pulled off such an elaborate plan.
* ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/DespairIsland'': [[TheHeavy Justin, the "Eye Candy"]], is [[AdaptationalBadass significantly more cunning than in canon]]. A model born into the Serbian mafia, Justin aims to win ''[[DeadlyGame Total Drama Island]]'' and reunite with his family by any means necessary. To that end, he [[ObfuscatingStupidity cultivates the image of a dumb pretty boy obsessed with his looks]] to make the others underestimate him, charms several female contestants into doing what he wants, and manipulates events to get several contestants eliminated. Proceeding to lay low and slip beneath suspicion, Justin beats fellow manipulator Alejandro, forms friendships with other campers for his benefit, and eventually manages to [[TheBadGuyWins win the competition]]. Despite this, he feels regret for his heinous deeds and forms genuine bonds with his allies, especially Geoff whom he apologizes to. When the Canadian military saves the remaining campers, Justin amiably parts with Geoff and the others and goes on the run from the Serbian mafia, remaining untouchable to the end.
[[/folder]]

[[AC:Multimedia]]
[[folder:Examples]]
* ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm''[[note]]MassiveMultiplayerCrossover including Franchise/DCUniverse, ''Franchise/HarryPotter'', Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/XMenEvolution''[[/note]]: [[ComicBook/DoctorStrange Doctor Stephen Strange]] aka Taliesin is the Sorcerer Supreme whose PurposeDrivenImmortality is based on defeating ComicBook/{{Thanos}} and will take any means necessary to save as many people as he possibly can. Carefully crafting a "reputation for omniscience" over millennia, he uses his inability to lie, abilities a Seer, and [[ExactWords careful word choice]] to ensure people will react as he intends, Strange plays heroes and villains alike, even breaking Lucius Malfoy, a dangerous mastermind who had brought the world to its knees, in a single speech. Setting up his pieces perfectly, Strange has the world organized exactly as he needs for his plans and even tricks Chthon into taking the worst possible host, purging him from the universe. In the sequel, Strange adapts to the temporary loss of his seer powers and manages to destroy various threats to himself and the world, while making amends and earning a happy ending for Maddie Pryor, whom he believes he failed more than anyone else. Regretful of his own [[NecessarilyEvil necessary evil]] but resolved to defeat Thanos no matter what it takes, Strange showcases remarkable ingenuity and charm through all his appearances.
* ''FanFic/GuardiansWizardsAndKungFuFighters'':
** [[KnowledgeBroker Charles Ludmoore]], [[KingOfThieves the King Smuggler]], is Meridian's most notorious trader of secrets and artifacts of power. Through his brothers Cedric and Cyrus, he manipulates both sides of the civil war for his family's LongGame. Using the [[ArtifactOfDoom Oni masks]] as distractions to cover his acquisition of even more powerful items, he shores up a great deal of power for himself that few can match. Once Cedric tracks down Phobos's sister Elyon, he has Cedric manipulate Phobos into attacking him to give himself an excuse to join the Rebellion, where he proves invaluable to many of the Rebellion's operations. When Daolon Wong betrays Phobos, Ludmoore arranges to place himself in a position to save Wong's life, taking all of Wong's magic in exchange. He later arranges the events that set Elyon against Phobos, leading to Phobos's downfall and putting him in a position to shape the future of Meridian even further.
** [[DoubleReverseQuadrupleAgent Harold Hale]], aka Arthur Pendragon, is [[GoodParents Cornelia's father]] and a member of the [[TheSyndicate Dark Hand]]. After pretending to be unaware of the Dark Hand, he betrays Jackie Chan to Bartholomew Chang, who blackmails Jackie into working for the Dark Hand. Knowing that Jackie is [[TheMole infiltrating the Dark Hand for Section 13]], Hale seemingly switches sides in order to give Section 13 control over the American branch of the Dark Hand, along with helping them arrest Chang, only to reveal to the renegade Quentin Ross that the Dark Hand and Section 13 were both created, in part by Hale himself, for the purpose of [[WellIntentionedExtremist manipulating the world's governments into using magic to protect Earth from extradimensional threats]], before killing Ross. He then meets with the other leaders of the Dark Hand, revealing to the readers that everything from his defection to his takeover of the American Dark Hand was all part of his plan.
* ''Series/OnceUponATime''[=/=]''Film/MrRight'' fanfic ''Fanfic/LoveAtFirstSightOnceUponATime'': [[Characters/OnceUponATimeEmmaSwan Emma Swan]] is a quirky ex-CIA agent and ex-assassin who went rogue and now kills her clients out of both boredom and belief that they are bad people. Introduced killing a woman who hired her to kill said woman's husband and easily taking out a group sent to kill her, Emma eventually meets [[Characters/OnceUponATimeRegina Regina Mills]] and instantly falls in love with her. During her relationship with Regina, Emma is constantly dodging assassination attempts and killing those sent to kill her, all the while being completely honest with Regina about her profession. Emma later easily takes out most of Jekyll and Hyde's men, even befriending some, before letting Regina join her in her assassination business, even promising to help Regina kill her cheating ex-boyfriend, Robin.
* ''Fanfic/HeroesSeries'': [[Characters/MoonKnightMarcSpector Moon Knight]] is simultaneously a billionaire philanthropist, a brilliant detective, and a [[GoodIsNotNice brutal vigilante]]. Called in by Daredevil to investigate Gwen Stacy's disappearance, Moon Knight tracks down Rhino and tortures him for her location, even threatening Rhino's mother to make him sell out [[Characters/MarvelComicsNormanOsborn Norman Osborn]]. Using a business meeting to plant a bug on him and later defeating Silver Sable in one-on-one combat, Moon Knight then holds off Osborn long enough for the other heroes to defeat him. Later repeating his brutal techniques on [[AmoralAttorney Lindsey McDonald]], Moon Knight gathers information on the entire Circle of the Black Thorn, proving instrumental to its downfall in the process. Despite his eccentric nature, Moon Knight is a dangerous man to cross, both intellectually and physically.
* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible''[=/=]''Film/BramStokersDracula'' fanfiction ''Fanfic/{{Drakigo}}'': [[FallenHero Once the leader of the Transylvanian knights]], Shego Dracula [[RageAgainstTheHeavens forsakes god]] and willingly becomes a vampire after her beloved Elizabeta kills herself. Years after killing the vampire that turned her, Shego tricks Ronald Stoppable into selling her a house. Turning him over to her brides, Shego journeys to London and runs into Stoppable's fiance, Kimberly. Determined to woo Kimberly, Shego takes her on dates and eventually turns her friend Monique into a vampire after feeding on her. Upon being betrayed and wounded, Shego is prepared to fight to the death. [[DeadpanSnarker Snarky]] and clever, Shego manages to live the rest of her life with her beloved.
* ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney''/''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes'' {{Fanfic}} ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10849348/1/No-More-Turnabout No More Turnabout]]'': The [[AffablyEvil polite]] and playful Henry Cooldown is the true murderer behind the crime that his twin brother, Travis Touchdown, finds himself framed for. Worried that Travis's relationship with Henry's ex-wife, Sylvia Christel, will lead Travis down to ruin, Henry formulates a plan to make Travis believe Sylvia was the one who framed him for the murder, and lead to the end of their relationship. Henry hires renowned assassin, Shelly de Killer, to attack Diane Heifer at the cemetery and make it seem as if the true crime scene occurred there before having him bring her body to the video store for Henry to murder. Henry then poses as an assistant and bodyguard to Phoenix Wright after saving his life from hitmen who Henry himself hired, and subtly leads Phoenix and Maya to misleading pieces of evidence. Henry successfully manages to put Sylvia under suspicion by having de Killer fake a slip-up about his client's identity. Even after Phoenix discovers that Henry is the murderer, Henry nearly gets away with his crimes by presenting proof of an alibi at the time the murder was thought to occur at the cemetery. When finally defeated, Henry [[GracefulLoser accepts defeat with dignity]] and openly admits to being wrong when he finds out that Sylvia truly cares for his brother.
[[/folder]]

* ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'' {{Fanfic}}s

* ''Literature/BattleRoyale''[=/=]''Literature/{{Carrie]]'' {{Fanfic}} ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5286938/1/ Battle Royale, Maine]]'' : [[BullyHunter Carrietta "Carrie" White]] is a CompositeCharacter of her original canonical self and Kazuo Kiriyama, and proves to be as sympathetic as the former and as implacable and cunning as the latter. Forcibly inducted in the Battle Royale Program with her classmates and bullies, Carrie, determined to slaughter them, puts to good use the skills she developed after being bullied for so long, staying hidden from her classmates for extended periods of time and [[CrazyPrepared being prepared for several possibilities]]. These skills allowed Carrie to sneak up on her classmates on several occasions, double-tap Steve Deighan when he tries to fake his death, discover Henry Blake's bulletproof vest and take it for herself and wait for the remaining survivors to kill each other when there were few enough. When the last one, her biggest bully [[ArchEnemy Christine "Chris" Hargensen]] nearly kills her, Carrie pretends to succumb to her attack while being protected by her bulletproof vest, before taking down Chris as well, winning the Program. Taking advantage of the legal privileges granted to Program winners, Carrie then proceeds to kill her abusive mother Margaret White, fully completing her revenge.

-->-- '''[[Characters/MCFFUEarth842667Thanos Thanos-842667]]''', ''Fanfic/AvengersEndgameDragonisPrime''

* ''Film/AvengersEndgame'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/AvengersEndgameDragonisPrime'': [[Characters/MCFFUEarth842667Thanos Thanos-842667]] maintains the guile of his [[Characters/MCUThanos canon counterpart]] in this alternate telling of [[Film/AvengersEndgame the film]]. After wiping out half of all life in the universe, Thanos retired to the Garden in peace. When the Avengers arrive seeking revenge, Thanos destroys all but the Reality Stone to prevent them from undoing his work. After he's killed by Thor, the Thanos of an alternate timeline learns about the history of his counterpart and sets about to assemble his Infinity Gauntlet more efficiently. He helps start Ragnarok to kill Thor, and murders Eitri before he could forge a weapon that could kill him. Thanos fails to collect the Time Stone and spends the next few years balancing worlds one at a time while crushing the rebellion led by the surviving Avengers. Realizing the main timeline would have the Time Stone he needs, Thanos travels to the Avengers Compound and [[WeCanRuleTogether tries to recruit Steve Rogers to his side]]. When that fails, he strips Carol Danvers of her powers and has Ebony Maw destroy his home dimension to keep him focused on his new goal of wiping out half of all life across the entire multiverse.

** "Be Glad You Existed": [[Characters/RWBYCinderFall Cinder Fall]], though on the side of the heroes, remains no less ruthless than always. After learning of [[EvilGenius Arthur Watts']] plan to invade Beacon with the White Fang, Cinder spends weeks studying [[WideEyedIdealist Ruby Rose's]] methods and skills, eventually intervening to invite her to Beacon herself. After gathering both Team RWBY and her own team, Cinder orchestrates the plan to take the CCT back from Watts, further ingratiating herself to Ruby while [[FalseFriend pretending to be her friend]]. After they encounter Watts himself, she takes Ruby hostage, engaging in a BattleOfWits with her enemy that she ultimately wins when she reveals that not only did his ally already cave, but she had already rooted out his spies within Beacon Academy, leaving his plan a complete failure before she kills him herself.

*** [[BewareTheNiceOnes Ruby Rose]] takes to Roman's teachings and proves she will be a worthy successor. Entering Beacon and weakening her team's abilities from day one, Ruby comes up with the plan to peacefully blackmail Ozpin, using a meeting with him to stealthily bug his office. When she comes into conflict with her team, Ruby uses her analytical abilities to take down all three at once, including [[CombatPragmatist tricking Yang into attacking Blake]], before giving Roman an all-out fight. When she successfully kills him, Ruby utilizes his plan to leave the country, yet [[BatmanGambit correctly predicts that Cinder will attempt to kill her]] for leaving; to circumvent this, she tricks two travellers into taking her place, faking her death and successfully fleeing to Mistral.

* ''Fanfic/ProfessorArc'': [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass Professor Jaune Arc]], through a mountain of lies and the power of his reputation, gradually proves himself as a genuine manipulator and strategist as time goes on. Coming into his own by forcing Roman Torchwick and Neopolitan to obey him, Jaune grows exponentially upon becoming Headmaster, managing to defeat [[Characters/RWBYCinderFall Cinder Fall]] and place her powers into Pyrrha. Later pulling a similar gambit to defeat [[Characters/RWBYAdamTaurus Adam Taurus]] by exploiting his rage, Jaune even gives the go-ahead for Cinder to steal the Winter Maiden powers, putting her under his control in the process. When Salem then tries to advance on Vale, Jaune manages to bluff her into a complete retreat with [[DidYouJustScamCthulhu only a broom and a box of cigarettes]], simultaneously tricking Cinder into compliance through [[CrazyPrepared a mountain of pre-written letters predicting her actions]]. After pulling a series of gambits to get Salem inside and convince her to spare humanity, Jaune later combats Hazel Rainart's usage of the Relics with his own, destroying him and saving all of humanity.

** [[FutureBadass Jaune Ashari]], determined to prevent the BadFuture no matter the cost, becomes far more intelligent and ruthless than in the original timeline. Originally wandering the planet trying to bide his time for the future, Jaune begins taking active steps against Salem and proves himself her greatest opponent, not only taking out her forces one by one but sabotaging her future plans to prevent her from getting a foothold on Remnant. From uniting Vale's gangs under his own banner, destroying the White Fang in a single evening, using Hazel Rainart's death to [[FalseFlagOperation pose as a mole for Salem's organization]], converting Cinder to his side through promises of power, and even creating a new energy source out of Aura along the way, Jaune's resolve carries him for years, even when he learns that defeating Salem will kill him as well. Managing to steal and unite the Relics, Jaune [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu defeats Salem once again]] despite her attempts to subvert Emerald, returning to the timeline he once abandoned and resolving to continue fixing the world once more.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'' {{Fanfic}} ''[[https://crazedwriter.tripod.com/revealed.html What REALLY Happened]]'': [[AdaptationalVillainy Clopin Trouillefou]] is the leader of the UsefulNotes/{{Romani}} population of Paris who seeks revenge on Claude Frollo, France's Minister of Justice, and also wishes to [[WellIntentionedExtremist end gypsy persecution]]. To this end, he makes an arrangement with an old rival of Frollo's named Jean-Michel du Champs who wants to be Minister of Justice. The night after the Feast of Fools, Clopin imprisons Frollo in his own dungeons and replaces him with a disguised Jean-Michel, who begins sullying Frollo's name by persecuting many Parisans. Learning of Jean-Michel's plans to betray him, Clopin [[OutGambitted outplays him]] by subtly getting Quasimodo and Phoebus on his side, resulting in Jean-Michel's death. Even after being paralyzed in a violent incident at the Court of Miracles, [[{{Determinator}} Clopin still refuses to give up]] and is soon working on new plans. Only failing due to things he had no reasonable way of knowing about, Clopin proves a genuinely cunning and compelling antagonist.

** [[DoubleReverseQuadrupleAgent Harold Hale]], [[spoiler:aka Arthur Pendragon]], is [[GoodParents Cornelia's father]] and a member of the [[TheSyndicate Dark Hand]]. After pretending to be unaware of the Dark Hand, he betrays Jackie Chan to Bartholomew Chang, who blackmails Jackie into working for the Dark Hand. Knowing that Jackie is [[ReverseMole infiltrating the Dark Hand for Section 13]], Hale seemingly switches sides in order to give Section 13 control over the American branch of the Dark Hand, along with helping them arrest Chang, only to reveal to the renegade Quentin Ross that the Dark Hand and Section 13 were both created, in part by Hale himself, for the purpose of [[WellIntentionedExtremist manipulating the world's governments into using magic to protect Earth from extradimensional threats]], before killing Ross. He then meets with the other leaders of the Dark Hand, revealing to the readers that everything from his defection to his takeover of the American Dark Hand was all part of his plan.

*** [[SinsOfOurFathers Paragus]], after being stabbed and LeftForDead along with his son Broly by King Vegeta out of fear for the latter's power, desires revenge through the King's son. To do this, he recruits the Shamosians to build an infrastructure on a planet on a collision course with a comet before arriving on Earth and offering Prince Vegeta a planet to rule over, [[FlawExploitation purposely taking advantage of his egotistical personality]]. When his plans are inevitably exposed, Paragus does not descend into a VillainousBreakdown but rather confesses his plans and backstory to the Z-Fighters. Even though he did not intend to trigger Broly's transformation -- due to previously having wiped out the South Galaxy before -- Paragus nevertheless showed pride in his son while letting him kill the Z-Fighters for him. [[AdaptationalHeroism Lacking the worst traits of his original counterpart]], Paragus attempts to eliminate Vegeta not through brute strength but by knowledge and manipulations of the arrogant Prince.

*** ''[[Recap/DragonBallZAbridgedM11 Broly — The Legendary Super Saiyan]]'': After being stabbed and LeftForDead along with his son Broly by King Vegeta out of fear for the latter's power, [[SinsOfOurFathers Paragus desires revenge through the King's son]]. To do this, he recruits the Shamosians to build an infrastructure on a planet on a collision course with a comet before arriving on Earth and offering Prince Vegeta a planet to rule over, [[FlawExploitation purposely taking advantage of his egotistical personality]]. When his plans are inevitably exposed, Paragus does not descend into a VillainousBreakdown but rather confesses his plans and backstory to the Z-Fighters. Even though he did not intend to trigger Broly's transformation -- due to previously having wiped out the South Galaxy before -- Paragus nevertheless showed pride in his son while letting him kill the Z-Fighters for him. [[AdaptationalHeroism Lacking the worst traits of his original counterpart]], Paragus attempts to eliminate Vegeta not through brute strength but by knowledge and manipulations of the arrogant Prince.

** WebVideo ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged:'' After being stabbed and LeftForDead along with his son Broly by King Vegeta out of fear for the latter's power, [[SinsOfOurFathers Paragus desires revenge through the King's son]]. To do this, he recruits the Shamosians to build an infrastructure on a planet on a collision course with a comet before arriving on Earth and offering Prince Vegeta a planet to rule over, [[FlawExploitation purposely taking advantage of his egotistical personality]]. When his plans are inevitably exposed, Paragus does not descend into a VillainousBreakdown but rather confesses his plans and backstory to the Z-Fighters. Even though he did not intend to trigger Broly's transformation -- due to previously having wiped out the South Galaxy before -- Paragus nevertheless showed pride in his son while letting him kill the Z-Fighters for him. [[AdaptationalHeroism Lacking the worst traits of his original counterpart]], Paragus attempts to eliminate Vegeta not through brute strength but by knowledge and manipulations of the arrogant Prince.

* ''VideoGame/TheWalkingDead'' {{Fanfic}} ''[[https://old.reddit.com/r/TWDGFanFic/comments/q37gxh/something_to_fight_for_round_of_16_theme_sacrifice/ Something to Fight For]]'': [[ActionSurvivor Clementine]], unlike [[Characters/TheWalkingDeadVideoGameClementine her original incarnation]], is far more cunning and pragmatic. Believing that only the strong and wise can survive in the apocalypse, Clementine resorted to killing Kenny and Jane for being a liability, and even went as far as [[WouldHurtAChild sacrificing AJ to a herd of walkers]] because he wouldn't stop crying. Upon reuniting with Lilly years later and discovering she's now in league with raiders harassing teenagers at the Ericson school, Clementine usurped the leadership of Ericson and plotted to have Lilly and her group killed. After pretending to nearly kill Tenn to convince his sister, Minerva, to give up Lilly, Clementine murders Minerva and leads the teenagers to storm Lilly's hideout. When she gets captured, Clementine distracts Lilly and her raiders in order to let the other teenagers escape, and also to prevent her from disarming the hidden bomb [[SomebodySetUpUsTheBomb that subsequently detonates and eradicates Lilly and her crew]].

** [[SilkHidingSteel Elincia]], [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen Queen of Crimea]], was [[FallenHero once a kind princess]] who became a jaded and ruthless ruler after suffering tragedies, desiring to protect her kingdom by any means. Losing Lucia, Elincia determines to become a strong queen to prevent tragey from ever happening again, reluctantly dirtying her hands when forced by others for her kingdom's future, having Bastian assassinated, holding former friends as political hostages and even using her broken uncle as a [[PersonOfMassDestruction living weapon]]. Embracing her inner evil, Elincia begins holding control over her own fate, having her enemies crushed with underhanded tactics, gambits, and massacres or kneeling to her with the Blood Pacts, culminating in a final battle against Begnion, Gallia, and Ike where she singlehandedly wins with her cunning use of the Lekhan Medallion. [[OneWorldOrder Forcing every nation under the Blood Pacts]], Elincia uses her new power as Queen of Tellius to enforce peace and reformation to end war and prejudice with intent to destroy the Blood Pacts when it's all over. Even knowing she would be remembered as evil as her tormentors, Elincia doesn't stray as long as she can be a strong queen for her people.

* ''Manga/{{Hellsing}} Ultimate'' WebVideo ''WebVideo/HellsingUltimateAbridged'': [[OnlySaneWoman Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing]] is the ruthless and iron-willed head of the Hellsing Organization, having taken command by [[KlingonPromotion killing her traitorous uncle]] at a young age. Commanding the fearsome Alucard through sheer respect and never hesitating to unleash him on her foes, Integra proves [[PragmaticHero clever and brutal]], convincing her financiers to continue funding her organization through intimidation, trapping and killing the vampiric invader Jan Valentine, devising a method to attack an inaccessible ship via stealing resources from the British government, and keeping up with the schemes of [[GambitRoulette both her rivals the Iscariot Organization and the secret organization Millennium]], never lacking a dry quip or a display of valor, even foiling a coup with utter nonchalance. Able to constantly improvise and devise tactics to outplay her opponents, Integra personally confronts and executes Millenium's leader The Major despite Alucard temporarily dying, and goes on to rule the Hellsing Organization for years to come.

* ''Fanfic/CivilWarHulk'': [[Characters/MarvelComicsLoki Loki]] is the puppetmaster of the events leading up to the Civil War, working with Baron Mordo to drive the Scarlet Witch insane that led to [[ComicBook/AvengersDisassembled The Avengers disbanding]], trapping the world's heroes [[LotusEaterMachine in a dream]] where [[ComicBook/HouseOfM mutants are the world’s dominant species]], and manipulating The Illuminati into [[ComicBook/PlanetHulk exiling Hulk into space]]. Using the introduction of the Superhuman Registration Act to his advantage, Loki killed and impersonates [[ObstructiveBureaucrat Maria Hill]] to drive a further wedge between the pro and anti-Registration sides, planning to take over Earth once the dust settles. Even with the unexpected arrival of Hulk and his Warbound, Loki successfully bargains with the Hulk into leaving Earth be once he gets his revenge on The Illuminati, leaving Loki with one less threat and a weakened Earth for him to conquer. Opportunistic as always, Loki [[XanatosSpeedChess adapts to any situation before him]] and is only thwarted by Thor's unexpected revival.

** {{Fanfic}}s

** FanGame ''VideoGame/{{POPGOES}}'': [[HiddenVillain Simon]] is a intelligent robot made by Jeremy "Fritz" Fitzgerald to revive his brother, only to be locked away by fear, causing Simon to hatch an escape plan to take revenge and gain freedom. Practicing his skills by setting up puzzles for the robotic night guard Strings, he tricks Fritz into connecting him to the mainframe by promising to bring back his daughter that Fritz accidentally killed, using it to rebuild [[RocksFallEveryoneDies The Blackrabbit]], killing him and freeing Simon. He then makes his escape, but not before thanking Strings for his help, shutting down the guard in the process.

*** [[HandicappedBadass Itachi Uchiha]] and [[AdaptationalBadass Neji Hyuuga]] keep their canon genius and go much further. Ordered to massacre the Hyuuga clan, with the exception of Hinata, to prevent the Uchiha coup attempt, with Neji taking the sole blame for it and subsequently leaving Konoha, Itachi and Neji launch Operation: White Eyes to [[WellIntentionedExtremist protect Konoha and the world in the long run]]. For this purpose, they manipulate their own loved ones, various nations and politics all over the world, successfully [[TheMole infiltrating and spying on Akatsuki for Konoha]], and defeat potential Akatsuki recruits. When Fugaku attempts to become Hokage, Itachi helps Hinata stall him long enough for Tsunade to return and take the set instead. When Hinata gives up on vengeance against Neji, the latter kidnaps her summon and forces her to fight and kill him in a location away from Konoha, keeping her safe from Pain's assault on the village. By the time it was completed, Operation: White Eyes left a long-lasting impact on the entire world, leading to the Toneri threat being neutralized, Hanabi surviving the Hyuuga massacre, Danzo's death, Kabuto and Edo Tensei's defeat and helping Team 7 defeat Madara and prevent the Infinite Tsukuyomi.

* ''ComicBook/CivilWar'' {{Fanfic}} ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6470827/1/Not-a-Typical-Civil-War Not a Typical Civil War]]'': ComicBook/DoctorDoom is [[TheManBehindTheMan the mastermind]] behind the [[SuperRegistrationAct Superhero Registration Act]] and the resulting Civil War. Seeking to turn the world's heroes against each other, Doom hired Nitro to fight the New Warriors in Stamford, leading to the deaths of over eight-hundred civilians and causing the public to turn against the superhero community, with Doom working with Maria Hill to escalate tensions between the pro and anti-Registration sides. With the info gathered from the Registration Act, Doom learned all of the heroes' secret identities and the locations of their loved ones. Doom eventually trapped both sides of the conflict in the Negative Zone and released the supervillains from Prison 42 to kill them. He then sent ComicBook/TheSentry to attack New York City, [[EngineeredHeroics planning on killing him]] so he could be hailed as a savior and be given control of the Earth. Focused solely on his dream of world conquest, Doctor Doom nearly rid himself of the world's superheroes by turning their own ideals against them.

** ''Fanfic/WhiteEyes'': [[Characters/NarutoMadaraUchiha Madara Uchiha]] retains much of his canon counterpart's backstory and motives, but proves to be more powerful, brilliant and [[NoNonsenseNemesis ruthless]]. Successfully reviving the Ten-Tails despite Obito Uchiha's attempts to slow down Madara's [[LotusEaterMachine Eye of the Moon Plan]], Madara--as an Edo Tensei--also [[OutGambitted out-gambits]] Obito by not immediately sealing Kurama's Yang half, contrary to what the latter expected, leading to Obito going berserk when the latter absorbed the Ten-Tails in an attempt to outsmart Madara. After the Ten-Tails' extraction from Obito's body, leading the latter to fully resurrect Madara in an attempt to blind and weaken him, Madara uses Hashirama's Sage chakra and Black Zetsu to keep fighting. Sending Black Zetsu to distract Hinata, Madara becomes the Ten-Tails' jinchuriki in the meantime. Keeping the advantage against Team 7 through a combination of sheer power and smarts, Madara is only defeated when Team 7 proves to be just as resourceful. Every bit the WellIntentionedExtremist he was in canon, Madara ultimately agrees to resurrect all of the Fourth Shinobi World War's victims at the cost of his own life.

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' {{Fanfic}}s:
** ''Fanfic/ChildrenOfRemnant'': [[Characters/RWBYCinderFall Cinder Fall]] is Queen Salem's chief strategist, put in charge of ensuring her war with humanity begins. To that end, she manipulates the Claimed to earn their trust, whispering in Jaune's ear to attempt to [[TreacherousAdvisor trick him into war]]. Behind the scenes, she hires Dr. Merlot to trick the Schnees and Belladonnas into attempting to assassinate Jaune, utilizing her [[TheMole spies]] to ensure they go through with the plan; simultaneously, she raises public tensions against the Claimed by assassinating anti-Grimm speakers and advocating for war. When her plan ultimately fails and she learns of how she was manipulated by Salem, she [[HeelFaceTurn turns against her former master]] and tells Jaune the truth of their "mother", ultimately dying while defeating Tyrian and [[SecretSecretKeeper taking the identity of the Summer Maiden to the grave]].
** ''Fanfic/DestiniesOfRemnant'':
*** "The Wolves and the Soulless": [[VillainProtagonist Roman Torchwick]], surviving his canonical death, remains as skillfully charming as ever. Released from prison to serve [[Characters/RWBYJamesIronwood James Ironwood]]'s ends, Roman recruits Team RWBY and Sun to his cause, rescuing Weiss from her home and tracking Blake to Menagerie along the way. Coming up with the plan to secure Sienna Khan's aid against [[Characters/RWBYAdamTaurus Adam Taurus]], Roman keeps up a charade of helping Sienna throughout the subsequent battle and helps ensure Adam's defeat. Following the battle, Roman detonates a bomb in the headquarters, killing both Sienna and Adam as well as wiping out the White Fang in one fell swoop, giving Ironwood the reason he needs to conquer Menagerie while Roman himself [[TheBadGuyWins retires to a quiet life in Mantle]].
*** "Be Glad You Existed": [[Characters/RWBYCinderFall Cinder Fall]], though on the side of the heroes, remains no less ruthless than always. After learning of [[EvilGenius Arthur Watts']] plan to invade Beacon with the White Fang, Cinder spends weeks studying [[WideEyedIdealist Ruby Rose's]] methods and skills, eventually intervening to invite her to Beacon herself. After gathering both Team RWBY and her own team, Cinder orchestrates the plan to take the CCT back from Watts, further ingratiating herself to Ruby while [[FalseFriend pretending to be her friend]]. After they encounter Watts himself, she takes Ruby hostage, engaging in a BattleOfWits with her enemy that she ultimately wins when she reveals that not only did his ally already cave, but she had already rooted out his spies within Beacon Academy, leaving his plan a complete failure before she kills him herself.
*** "This World Will Have No Peace": [[Characters/RWBYAdamTaurus Adam Taurus]], while no less vengeful than in canon, funnels that nature into [[AmbitionIsEvil a dangerous level of ambition]]. Seeking to strike straight at the top of humanity, Adam targets [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Jacques Schnee himself]], intending to steal everything the man built. Through a series of EngineeredHeroics and framing others for his crimes, Adam ingratiates himself to the man, all the while plotting with Sienna Khan behind his back. After orchestrating a riot that kills multiple innocents and framing Weiss for an assassination attempt on him, Adam successfully convinces Jacques to give him control of the company, saving Atlas when Jacques then tries to destroy it out of spite. Though originally intending to tear society down out of vengeance, Adam decides to give hope a chance once he gains his power, yet [[TheBadGuyWins remains vigilant for the day the world proves undeserving]].
** ''Fanfic/{{Null}}'': [[Characters/RWBYJamesIronwood General James Ironwood]] may have originally been too idealistic for his post, but once he makes his deal with Jaune Arc, he proves just how much of a strategic genius he really is. After learning that Ozpin has Amber Arc hostage, he responds by informing Blake Belladonna of the situation, causing her to ally with Jaune and kill Matthew Fields, [[BatmanGambit just as he intended for her to do]]. Meanwhile, predicting a betrayal from his own forces, he has Clover empty out his own airship's weaponry, preventing the Council from framing him for mass murder and allowing him to blackmail them for his investigative powers back. To deal with Ozpin, he strikes a deal with Qrow and Glynda to lead Jaune straight to him and his sister; the resulting battle kills Ozpin and Cinder, ridding Ironwood of his two biggest enemies, and following the battle, he [[FakingTheDead helps Jaune fake his death]] so that he, Jaune, and Neopolitan can continue killing anyone who tries to resurrect the conspiracy, as well as giving him a permanent method of balancing his idealistic self with his ruthless Semblance.
** ''Fanfic/{{Resurgence}}'': [[Characters/RWBYAnima Raven Branwen]] is a huntress and a former member of Team STRQ. Upon discovering a mystical pool that allowed her to see various possible futures, Raven realized that desperate measures would have to be taken to ensure the one future where humanity survived. To this end Raven made the painful decision to abandon her family so that they could achieve their full potential. Taking the alias Krymsen, Raven approached [[Characters/RWBYCinderFall Cinder Fall]] and used her access to the Pool of Life to help her carry out her plans, all the while manipulating her to ensure that the heroes of Remnant had a fighting chance. Upon deciding that the pieces were in place Raven reveals her true intentions to [[Characters/RWBYTeamRWBY Team RWBY]] before mortally wounding Cinder with the aid of Neo. When Salem is defeated, Raven absorbs her power and decides to stay in the netherworld, both to ensure the balance and to serve penance for her crimes.
[[/folder]]

[[AC:Web Videos]]
* ''WebAnimation/MysterySkullsAnimated'' FanAnimatic ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPwFbWUWh00 Revenge Creates More Revenge]]'': [[MyNameIsQuestionMarks ???]] is a mysterious, [[GhastlyGhost malevolent ghost]] with unknown ties to [[{{Youkai}} Mystery and Shiromori]], the latter of whom he wants his hands on. Seeing an opportunity when the Mystery Skulls explore a cave he's taken residence in, ??? possesses Arthur and pushes Lewis to his death, knowing Mystery would unleash his full power to save him, unintentionally drawing Shiromori out. After a forceful exorcism, ??? covertly tails the gang, waiting for either Shiromori to find them or for Lewis' ghost to come and kill Arthur, believing he could again prove useful as a spirit. Upon Arthur's death, ??? [[WeCanRuleTogether offers to join with him]] to take revenge against Lewis, reminding him of the many sleepless nights he spent searching for his supposed "best friend", then telling him Lewis left Vivi to die when Arthur falters. Arthur snaps and vows to tear Lewis apart, too angry to care when ??? tells him they'll be going for his own target afterward, ??? gladly waiting a little longer for what he wants now that he has a powerful wraith at his side.

[[AC:Western Animation]]
[[folder:Examples]]

* ''VideoGame/TheWalkingDead'' fanfic [[https://old.reddit.com/r/TWDGFanFic/comments/q37gxh/something_to_fight_for_round_of_16_theme_sacrifice/ "Something to Fight For"]]: [[ActionSurvivor Clementine]], unlike [[Characters/TheWalkingDeadVideoGameClementine her original incarnation]], is far more cunning and pragmatic. Believing that only the strong and wise can survive in the apocalypse, Clementine resorted to killing Kenny and Jane for being a liability, and even went as far as [[WouldHurtAChild sacrificing AJ to a herd of walkers]] because he wouldn't stop crying. Upon reuniting with Lilly years later and discovering she's now in league with raiders harassing teenagers at the Ericson school, Clementine usurped the leadership of Ericson and plotted to have Lilly and her group killed. After pretending to nearly kill Tenn to convince his sister, Minerva, to give up Lilly, Clementine murders Minerva and leads the teenagers to storm Lilly's hideout. When she gets captured, Clementine distracts Lilly and her raiders in order to let the other teenagers escape, and also to prevent her from disarming the hidden bomb [[SomebodySetUpUsTheBomb that subsequently detonates and eradicates Lilly and her crew]].