History Main / ReturningBigBad

** Loki is introduced as the BigBad in ''Film/{{Thor}}'', and returns as the antagonist in ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}''.
** HYDRA makes its debut in ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'', and comes back to antagonize the heroes in ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'', ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'', ''Film/AntMan'', and ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar''.
** Ronan the Accuser first appears in ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'' and returns in the prequel film ''Film/CaptainMarvel''.
** Ulysses Klaue is introduced in ''Avengers: Age of Ultron'' and returns in ''Film/BlackPanther''.

Note that the villain has to be returning as the main villain after a period of absence to apply. If they return to serve as a minion of the new Big Bad, that's DemotedToDragon, though the two may overlap if the villain [[DragonAscendant successfully takes over as the Big Bad]]. Compare HijackedByGanon, where an old villain is revealed to be behind a new one. Contrast ExBigBad, where a former Big Bad reappears but no longer as the main threat. Not to be confused with OverarchingVillain, where the villain is around for the majority of the story, though can overlap if the Big Bad returns often enough. Compare DragonAscendant, where a former minion of a previous Big Bad takes their place later on. A SuperTrope to VillainOnLeave, a more specific trope when villains skip entire installments of their franchises before coming back.

Note that the villain has to be returning as the main villain after a period of absence to apply. If they return to serve as a minion of the new Big Bad, that's DemotedToDragon, though the two may overlap if the villain [[DragonAscendant successfully takes over as the Big Bad]]. Compare HijackedByGanon, where an old villain is revealed to be behind a new one. Contrast ExBigBad, where a former Big Bad reappears but no longer as the main threat. Not to be confused with OverarchingVillain, where the villain is around for the majority of the story, though can overlap if the Big Bad returns often enough. Compare DragonAscendant, where a former minion of a previous Big Bad takes their place later on.

Note that the villain has to be returning as the main villain after a period of absence to apply. If they return to serve as a minion of the new Big Bad, that's DemotedToDragon, though the two may overlap if the villain [[DragonAscendant successfully takes over as the Big Bad]]. Compare HijackedByGanon, where an old villain is revealed to be behind a new one. Contrast ExBigBad, where a former Big Bad reappears but no longer as the main threat. Not to be confused with OverarchingVillain, where the villain is around for the majority of the story, or DragonAscendant, where a former minion of a previous Big Bad becomes one later on.

* ''WesternAnimation/Ben10'': Vilgax, the most recurring villain in the franchise, has returned after being dealt with on several occasions. He gets trapped in the Null Void in Season 2 of the original series, only to return in the canonical GrandFinale ''WesternAnimation/Ben10SecretOfTheOmnitrix'', which ends with him defeated for quite a long time. After not being heard from for years, he returns as the main villain of Season 3 of ''[[WesternAnimation/Ben10AlienForce Alien Force]]''. After his defeat there he returns in Season 3 of ''[[WesternAnimation/Ben10UltimateAlien Ultimate Alien]]'', having seemingly been DemotedToDragon for Diagon, only to [[HijackedByGanon betray his master]] and seize his power for himself. After being defeated once again, he returns again in ''[[WesternAnimation/Ben10Omniverse Omniverse]]'', creating a device that will [[OmnicidalManiac wipe out every dimension in existence.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/Ben10'': Vilgax, the most recurring villain in the franchise, has returned after being dealt with on several occasions. After being trapped in the Null Void in Season 2 of the original series, only to return in the canonical GrandFinale ''WesternAnimation/Ben10SecretOfTheOmnitrix'', which ends with him defeated for quite a long time. After not being heard from for years, he returns as the main villain of Season 3 of ''[[WesternAnimation/Ben10AlienForce Alien Force]]''. After his defeat there he returns in Season 3 of ''[[WesternAnimation/Ben10UltimateAlien Ultimate Alien]]'', having seemingly been DemotedToDragon for Diagon, only to [[HijackedByGanon betray his master]] and seize his power for himself. After being defeated once again, he returns again in ''[[WesternAnimation/Ben10Omniverse Omniverse]]'', creating a device that will [[OmnicidalManiac wipe out every dimension in existence.]]

* ''ComicBook/ArchieComicsSonicTheHedgehog'': In ''#200'', Eggman is seemingly defeated for good, and mentally breaks down after too many defeats at the hands of Sonic. After several issues of Eggman being locked in asylum, he slowly starts to regain his sanity, and after many more issues of the Freedom Fighters facing various different threats, Eggman finally returns in ''#224'' to reclaim his role as the main villain.

* ''WesternAnimation/Ben10'': Vilgax, the most recurring villain in the franchise, has returned after being dealt with on several occasions. After being trapped in the Null Void in Season 2 of the original series, he returns as the main villain of Season 3 of ''[[WesternAnimation/Ben10AlienForce Alien Force]]''. After his defeat there he returns in Season 3 of ''[[WesternAnimation/Ben10UltimateAlien Ultimate Alien]]'', having seemingly been DemotedToDragon for Diagon, only to [[HijackedByGanon betray his master]] and seize his power for himself. After being defeated once again, he returns again in ''[[WesternAnimation/Ben10Omniverse Omniverse]]'', creating a device that will [[OmnicidalManiac wipe out every dimension in existence.]]

* In ''Series/PowerRangersBeastMorphers'', the BigBad is a sentient virus that was after the Morphing Grid. [[spoiler:The second season revealed that he is actually Venjix from ''Series/PowerRangersRPM'', having hidden his code in Scott's Morpher, as hinted in the finale. When the Morpher was experimented on by Nate using Morph-X and snake DNA, the components mixed with the Venjix, turning him to Evox and granting a hunger for the Morphing Grid.]]

* In ''Series/PowerRangersBeastMorphers'', the BigBad was a sentient virus that was after the Morphing Grid. [[spoiler:The second season revealed that he was actually Venjix from

* ''ComicBook/ArchieComicsSonicTheHedgehog'': In ''#200'', Eggman is seemingly defeated for good, and mentally breaks down after too meany defeats at the hands of Sonic. After several issues of Eggman being locked in asylum, he slowly starts to regain his sanity, and after many more issues of the Freedom Fighters facing various different threats, Eggman finally returns in ''#224'' to reclaim his role as the main villain.

* ''Anime/MarvelDiskWarsTheAvengers'': Loki is the first big bad till episode 22, where he is defeated and send to the Dark Dimension. He returns in episode 40, now DemotedToDragon for new big bad Dormammu, but in episode 50 he rebels against his master and absorbs his powers, thus restoring him to BigBad status for the series finale.

* In ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'', Sith Emperor Vitiate, the BigBad of the Jedi Knight's story (and GreaterScopeVillain to many of the other stories), returns to life at the end of the ''Shadow of Revan'' story and is the BigBad of Rise of the Emperor, the start of ''Knights of the Fallen Empire'' (until he dies again), and the end of ''Knights of the Eternal Throne'' (when he reveals his death and everything since was all part of his plan). Then he's finally KilledOffForReal.

Note that the villain has to be returning as the main villain after a period of absence to apply. If they return to serve as a minion of the new Big Bad, that's DemotedToDragon, though the two may overlap if the villain successfully takes over as the Big Bad. Compare HijackedByGanon, where an old villain is revealed to be behind a new one. Contrast ExBigBad, where a former Big Bad reappears but no longer as the main threat. Not to be confused with OverarchingVillain, where the villain is around for the majority of the story, or DragonAscendant, where a former minion of a previous Big Bad becomes one later on.

There will be times in a story where, after a period of absence, a former Big Bad will return to reclaim their role. This tends to occur in a story with multiple arcs, [[ArcVillain each having its own Big Bad]]. They might have been [[BackFromTheDead revived if they were killed]] or have escaped if they were imprisoned. Usually, [[TookALevelInBadass the villain will be more dangerous than ever before]] to ensure that they remain a threat despite being defeated in the past.

There will be times in a story where, after a period of absence, a former Big Bad will return to reclaim their role. This tends to occur in a story with multiple arcs, [[ArcVillain each having it's own Big Bad]]. They might have been [[BackFromTheDead revived if they were killed]] or have escaped if they were imprisoned. Usually, [[TookALevelInBadass the villain will be more dangerous than ever before]] to ensure that they remain a threat despite being defeated in the past.

* ''Film/TheRiseOfSkywalker'': [[Characters/StarWarsEmperorPalpatine Emperor Palpatine]] returns after being killed in ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'', revealing to have created Emperor Snoke, and as a result, is responsible for the majority of the events in the Sequel Trilogy.

* In ''Literature/WarriorCats'', the BigBad Tigerstar is killed at the end of the first series. However, he returns to the books in the latter half of the second series, visiting his sons Hawkfrost and Brambleclaw in their dreams and trying to get them to follow his plans; ultimately by the time of ''[[Literature/WarriorCatsOmenOfTheStars Omen of the Stars]]'' his spirit is able to physically fight living cats and he faces TheHero Firestar once more.

* In the ''Series/{{Arrowverse}}'', Eobard Thawne was the first BigBad of ''Series/{{The Flash|2014}}'', but after his defeat he has returned as a key player on several occasions. In ''Series/LegendsOfTomorrow'' Season 2, he leads the LegionOfDoom once again making him the overall Big Bad of the season. In ''Series/CrisisOnEarthX'' he also ends up joining the New Reich of Earth-X and ends up as part of the BigBadDuumvirate. While in Season 5 of ''The Flash'', he is revealed to be the GreaterScopeVillain who manipulated the two Cicadas, both of which served as the [[TheHeavy heavies]] that troubled Team Flash.

* In ''Franchise/DragonBall'', [[Characters/DragonBallFrieza Frieza]] takes back the reins as ArcVillain ''twice'' after his initial defeat on Namek, once with a new form in ''Resurrection F'' and later as the GreaterScopeVillain in ''[[Anime/DragonBallSuperBroly Broly]]''.