History Main / HiddenVillain

* The Showa era of ''Franchise/KamenRider'' features the Great Leader, who usually remains hidden for most of the series before revealing himself in the finale.
* In ''Series/KamenRiderBlade'', [[spoiler:Hiroshi Tennoji]] turns out to be the one responsible for the release of the Undead, having set up the [[MeleeATrois Battle Fight]] so he could rig it in his favor.

* Pagan Min in VideoGame/FarCry4, where he is depicted as a BigBad who rules Kyrat with an iron fist with[[LaResistance The Golden Path]] being the ones fighting against his rule led by Amita or Sabal. When you complete the game however, [[spoiler: either leader you side with will reveal their true colours to the player, as they either turn Kyrat into a theocratic nation where non-believers and non-supporters of the Golden Path are killed for their 'betrayal' against their nation, or a quasi-socialist state that recalls aspects of [[UsefulNotes/{{Cambodia}} The Khmer Rouge]] along with the recruitment of ChildSoldiers for the sake of protecting their drug industry. This revelation show that they're similar to Pagan Min's rule, and this can all be prevented if Ajay Ghale were to just [[ForWantOfANail sit down and enjoy that Crab Rangoon]]]].

* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'': The main villain of ''Manga/GoldenWind'', Diavolo, is only known as [[TheDon the Boss]] of Passione for the majority of the arc, and in all his appearances until near the very end, he's either TheFaceless with his face completely shadowed over, or appearing as his SplitPersonality Vinegar Doppio (who he ''physically morphs into'', so Doppio doesn't even look like him). In this case, he ''wants'' to be a completely hidden to maintain his power forever, to the point of killing anyone, even [[OffingTheOffspring his own daughter]], who could possibly threaten his rule, be it someone who tries to find out anything about him, has even seen his face, or shares his own blood.

* In the anime/manga of ''Literature/TheHeroicLegendOfArslan'', only Silvermask/Hilmes is aware of the full involvement of the Zahhak sorcerers in the story. Otherwise, the sorcerers take great lengths to avoid being seen or witnessed by others, in order to divide the fractions of Pars (and Lusitania) against each other, rather than for them to recognize them as a common enemy. Arslan's group has seen and survived encounters with the sorcerers and even managed to kill a few but they remain completely in the dark as to who the sorcerers are and what their purpose and plans are.

* Pagan Min in VideoGame/FarCry4, where he is depicted as a BigBad who rules Kyrat with an iron fist with[[LaResistance The Golden Path]] being the ones fighting against his rule led by Amita or Sabal. When you complete the game however, [[spoiler: either leader you side with will reveal their true colours to the player, as they either turn Kyrat into a theocratic nation where non-believers and non-supporters of the Golden Path are killed for their 'betrayal' against their nation, or a quasi-socialist state that recalls aspects of [[UsefulNotes/{{Cambodia}} The Khmer Rouge]] along with the recruitment of ChildSoldiers for the sake of protecting their drug industry. This revelation show that they're NotSoDifferent to Pagan Min's rule, and this can all be prevented if Ajay Ghale were to just [[ForWantOfANail sit down and enjoy that Crab Rangoon]]]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/WolverineAndTheXMen'', pretty much the whole first season was masterminded by [[spoiler:the Inner Circle, who wanted to get their hands on the Phoenix]]. They're not introduced until just before the GrandFinale, and aren't truly TheManBehindTheMan because the only character they were directly controlling [[spoiler:was one of the heroes]].

* Discord is responsible for pretty much everything in ''FanFic/DiariesOfAMadman'', but only the reader is aware of his involvement until much later on in the story.
* In ''FanFic/MegaManDefenderOfTheHumanRace'', Mr. Black is initially seen as faceless, but eventually his face, backstory, and name are slowly revealed, as well as his motivations and target.

* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', it isn't even hinted that there might be something moving behind the scenes until the end of the second book. Said Hidden Villain was chased after for ''over ten years'', and the most tangible evidence that they existed was [[spoiler:the traitor Peabody, who was immediately removed from the equation]]. It is finally [[spoiler:confirmed in ''Literature/ColdDays'', and taken UpToEleven when it is implied the villain ''may not even be from our reality'']].
* Most of the plotline of the ''Literature/{{Inda}}'' series is driven by EvilSorcerer Erkric's scheming, as he's the one driving [[TheEmpire the Venn]] to be more warlike and expansionistic, but he's not directly introduced until the last third of the second book and his central role doesn't become apparent until later. This is at least in part because the Venn are initially portrayed as a faceless military juggernaut, though- he's introduced at the same time as [[UnwittingPawn Prince Rajnir]] and [[AntiVillain Commander Durasnir]], the other two main Venn characters.

* ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'': In ''Literature/FateOfTheJedi'', from the very first book ''something'' has started to make various Jedi go crazy, but none of the already introduced villains (PresidentEvil Daala and an isolated but ambitious cult of Sith) seem to have the power to cause it. In the third book, readers are introduced to an enigmatic woman with ''tremendous'' Force powers named Abeloth. [[spoiler:Turns out that she's the avatar of an EldritchAbomination who has been subtly influencing galactic events for a while now- and by the end of the book she's out of her [[SealedEvilInACan can]] and ready to take the position of BigBad full time.]]

* ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'' has Oyashiro-sama, who is repeatedly mentioned as the BigBad behind the strange events but [[NothingIsScarier never shown]]. Oyashiro’s true identity- [[spoiler:both the real, [[TheScapegoat innocent]] one (Hanyuu Furude) and the fake, evil one (Miyo Takano)]]- is only revealed [[spoiler: late into the 7th novel]]. However, clever readers could identify the true nature of the mastermind as early as [[spoiler:the 3rd novel]] due to cryptic hints.

* ''VideoGame/KantaiCollection'': If there is a high command, TheManBehindTheMonsters, EldritchAbomination or other authority in charge of the Abyssals, they have yet to appear onscreen.

* The reveal of just ''who'' was really behind the ''Series/{{Dollhouse}}'' and the Rossum Corporation had a very high JustForFun/HolyShitQuotient when it was revealed in Season 2.

* Pictured above: the BigBad of the Film/JamesBond movie ''Film/{{Spectre}}'' is Franz Oberhauser, who briefly appears early in the film, but his true name ([[spoiler:[[CanonCharacterAllAlong Ernst]] [[HijackedByGanon Stavro Blofeld]]]]) isn't revealed until his later appearance near the climax.

* [[spoiler: Al Mualim]] and [[spoiler: Prince Ahmet]] from ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedI'' and ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedRevelations'', respectively.
* ''Videogame/AssassinsCreedOdyssey'' has the Ghost of Kosmos, the true leader of the Cult of Kosmos (the local proto-Templar group). In order to reveal their identity, you must hunt down and deal with every other member of the cult (most of whom are largely optional).

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[[quoteright:350:[[Film/{{Spectre}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/oberhauser_composite_1.jpg]]]]
[-[[caption-width-right:350:"It was me, Franchise/{{James|Bond}}. The author of all your pain."]]-]

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* The first ''ComicBook/SinCity'' story hid the SerialKiller Kevin until halfway through. Because of the movie, which actually shows him performing the killing of Goldie, most people realize who he is but it was a specific mystery at first.
* The head of Leviathan in ''[[Comicbook/GrantMorrisonsBatman Batman, Inc.]]'' is shown as a mysterious figure in white robes and a skull mask, until TheReveal in ''Leviathan Strikes!'' that [[spoiler:her identity is Talia al Ghul]].
* ''ComicBook/ALittleSomethingSpecial'': The team-up between the Beagle Boys, Flintheart Glomgold, and Magica [=DeSpell=] on Scrooge's 50th anniversary in Duckburg is orchestrated from afar by Duckburg's first citizen: [[spoiler:Grandpa Blackheart Beagle]].

* The film version of ''Film/SinCity'' hid Kevin to a lesser extent than the comic, since he's briefly seen just before he kills Goldie. He's still a Hidden Villain however, since the audience has no idea who he even is at this point.
%%* [[spoiler: Robert]] in ''Film/MysteryTeam''.
* [[spoiler: Aldrich Killian]] in ''Film/IronMan3'', who was the real BigBad behind [[spoiler: the fake Mandarin]].
* [[spoiler:Sir Lancelot]] in ''[[Film/NightAtTheMuseum Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb]]'', [[spoiler:though he does pull a HeelFaceTurn in the climax]].
* ''Film/{{Seven}}'': John Doe's identity is not known until the very end. Kevin Spacey's involvement in the film was kept a secret so that even the actor playing the villain would be a surprise to audiences.
* ''Film/Detonator2003'': In the end, Robert Brickland is exposed as the main antagonist of the film for he orchestrated the events to further his career in the FBI.

* ''Franchise/TheDarkTower'': The Crimson King isn't mentioned till book 4. From that point on details are given bit by bit.

* The villain of ''Literature/CardForceInfection'', the source of the eponymous infection, is unknown, but it's been determined that it's definitely an intelligent and malevolent entity (as opposed to something like a law of nature). Since nobody knows who this is, they just call them "the devil" for now.

* ''Series/{{Arrow}}'': As Season Six goes on, it becomes increasingly clear that the apparent new BigBad, Cayden James, is an UnwittingPawn of someone else, who's manipulated him into thinking that Green Arrow killed his son and sent him on a RoaringRampageOfRevenge against Team Arrow. Midway through the season, it's revealed that this true BigBad is [[spoiler: Ricardo Diaz, one of James' own supposed underlings]].

* ''Series/DesperateHousewives'' used this several times. The identity of the aggressor in season 6 was hidden this way until the reveal [[spoiler: that he was a serial killer and actually one of Porter's friends]].

* The reveal of just ''who'' was really behind the ''Series/{{Dollhouse}}'' and the Rossum Corporation had a very high JustForFun/HolyShitQuotient when it was revealed in season 2.

* ''Series/{{Lost}}'', in which the fact that there even ''is'' a BigBad is not immediately stated. After several possible major antagonists are introduced over the first five seasons, the true BigBad is not revealed until the season five finale.

* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'': The show's initial story arc is the boys' quest to find their father John Winchester, who has been kidnapped by an unknown entity, and to avenge the deaths of their mother Mary and Sam's girlfriend Jessica. It isn't until late in Season One that we and the Winchesters find out the identity of the entity behind this, the Yellow-Eyed Demon/Azazel.

* For its first four seasons, ''Podcast/TheMagnusArchives'' appears to be a RoguesGallery with no true BigBad - there are fourteen [[EldritchAbomination evil Entities]] trying to bring about world-ending rituals, but none of them seem to be more or less powerful than each other, and the protagonists are able to disrupt all of their plans. Until the end of season 4, when the BigBad is revealed to be none other than [[spoiler:Jonah Magnus, the original founder of the Magnus Institute. He's been possessing [[BadBoss Elias Bouchard]] since before the start of the series, and has orchestrated all of the protagonists' victories in order to make way for the Beholding ritual, the Watcher's Crown. Which [[TheBadGuyWins he forces Jon to successfully perform in the season 4 finale]]]].

* [[spoiler: OmnicidalManiac EldritchAbomination Ouroboros]], the source of corruption, is this in ''VideoGame/BravelyDefault'', since he only appears in person during the final chapter. He also shares the role with [[spoiler:his servant]], the mysterious “Evil One” [[spoiler:A.K.A [[FairyCompanion Airy]]]].

* [[spoiler: Lear Dunham]] from ''WebAnimation/BrokenSaints'', [[FakingTheDead who was faking his own death.]]
* ''WebVideo/{{Petscop}}'': In video 5, a character named "Marvin" is revealed, who is described as hitting a child, Mike, with a tool for having his UsefulNotes/PlayStation on. From this it can be assumed he is an evil person, but there is not much else known about Marvin. In video 8, however, a representation of Marvin seems to appear -- and he looks the exact same as the player character's sprite, but with some sort of green object replacing/covering the head.

* Slade in ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' starts out like this, being introduced in the first episode as a shadowy [[TheChessmaster Chessmaster]], but not even ''named'' or revealed to the heroes until later (and it's even longer before they meet him face-to-face and learn of his plans). Also a HiddenAgendaVillain, ironically- meaning that for his first few appearances, ''all'' we know about him is that he exists and is up to no good.

* Until episode 20, it wasn't certain that Season 2 of ''WesternAnimation/{{Wakfu}}'' even ''had'' a real BigBad, just a bunch of minor arc villains causing trouble with the majority of them being [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Shushus]]. [[spoiler:Qilby the Traitor]] was manipulating everyone all along from the very moment he appeared.

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** ''VisualNovel/Danganronpa2GoodbyeDespair'' has Monokuma again, and he reveals that the new cast has a traitor among them as well, but since [[spoiler:Sakura, Mukuro, and Junko are a little too busy being dead]], it can't possibly still be them. [[spoiler:Indeed Sakura and Mukuro are dead, and the traitor this time ([[ReverseMole for a given value of traitor]]) is [[GamerGirl Chiaki Nanami]]. As for Monokuma, [[HijackedByGanon it's Junko again, converted into an AI program of her]], and there is another mastermind: Izuru Kamukura, [[TomatoInTheMirror the real identity of the main character Hajime Hinata]] pre-mindwipe.]]

* It's already established how Littlefinger is a villain who [[DevilInPlainSight betrayed]] Ned Stark out of personal jealousy, but the ending chapters of ''Literature/AStormOfSwords'' escalates his role to show that he wasn't just a mere opportunist who's just a little shady, but is [[MagnificientBastard directly responsible]] for the War of Five Kings.

* Pagan Min in VideoGame/FarCry4, where he is depicted as a BigBad who rules Kyrat with an iron fist with[[LaResistance The Golden Path]] being the ones fighting against his rule led by Amita or Sabal. When you complete the game however, [[spoiler: either leader you side with will reveal their true colours to the player, as they either turn Kyrat into a Theocratic nation where non-believers and non-supporters of the Golden Path are killed for their 'betrayal' against their nation, or a modernised Kyrat where it's characteristics borderlines with certain aspects of [[UsefulNotes/{{Cambodia}} The Khmer Rouge]] along with the recruitment of ChildSoldiers for the sake of protecting their drug industry. This revelation show that they're NotSoDifferent to Pagan Min's rule, and this can all be prevented if Ajay Ghale were to just [[ForWantOfANail sit down and enjoy that Crab Rangoon]]]].

* [[HeWhoMustNotBeSeen Lord Baan/Vearn]] from ''VideoGame/DragonQuest: Manga/DaiNoDaibouken''. Of course, when he is revealed, he's pretty unimposing. Until much, much later, when you learn that [[spoiler: he's really inhabiting the body of a [[TheDragon lesser character]] who attempts GrandTheftMe on Hyunkeru to transfer to a younger, stronger body. Both the body-snatcher & the intended victim are white haired]].

* Until episode 20, it wasn't certain that season two of ''WesternAnimation/{{Wakfu}}'' even ''had'' a real BigBad. [[spoiler:Qilby the Traitor]] was manipulating everyone all along from the very moment he appeared.

* ''{{Franchise/Danganronpa}}'':
** ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaTriggerHappyHavoc'' has an interesting example: While Monokuma is the BigBad, he eventually reveals that he has a [[TheMole spy]] hidden amongst the group. [[spoiler:It’s Sakura Ogami, but she was being extorted into it. The ''real'' example is when Monokuma is revealed to be a robot facade controlled by the mysterious true mastermind. It takes a few more chapters until, at the end of the game, we find out that someone is Junko Enoshima, who was FakingTheDead throughout the game, and [[TwinSwitch inserted her twin sister]] Mukuro Ikusaba as the second mole before killing her off.]]
** ''VisualNovel/Danganronpa2GoodbyeDespair'' has Monokuma again, and he reveals that the new cast has a traitor among them as well, but since [[spoiler:Sakura, Mukuro, and Junko are a little too busy being dead]], it can't possibly still be them. [[spoiler:Indeed Sakura and Mukuro are dead, and the traitor this time ([[ReverseMole for a given value of traitor]]) is [[GamerGirl Chiaki Nanami]]. As for Monokuma, [[HijackedByGanon it's Junko again, converted into an AI program of her]], and there is another mastermind: Izuru Kamukura, [[TomatoInTheMirror the real identity of the main character Hajime Hinata]] pre-mindwipe.]]
** ''Anime/Danganronpa3''[='s=] Future Arc has the “attacker”, Monokuma's spy among the [[spoiler:Future Foundation]] council who is killing the others. [[spoiler:This time, it’s [[MoleInCharge Kazuo Tengan]], who set up [[BrownNote videos]] that [[DrivenToSuicide drive whoever sees it to suicide]]. Monokuma/Junko [[GreaterScopeVillain isn’t directly involved, as the one shown here is a recording, but did set the whole thing up]] through [[BrainwashedAndCrazy Chisa Yukizome]].]]
** ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaV3KillingHarmony'' has, as always, a spy working with Monokuma. [[spoiler:It's [[CosplayOtakuGirl Tsumugi]] [[MegaNekko Shirogane]], who works for [[EvilCorporation Team Danganronpa]] and is a LoonyFan of Junko. She is also the true killer of Rantaro, with [[DecoyProtagonist Kaede]] being victim to a FrameUp.]]