History SoYouWantTo / WriteACompleteMonster

* AlasPoorVillain: As Complete Monsters are meant to never be sympathized with, treating their demise as tragic is generally a ticket out of qualification. It is possible for their deaths to be played as a TearJerker, but it's usually done to demonstrate how heroic the hero is ([[VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity Arkham!Joker]], [[Series/GameOfThrones Joffrey Baratheon]]) and even if not should never have them demonstrating any good side or regrets ([[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureGoldenWind Diavolo]], [[Manga/{{Berserk}} Emperor Ganishka]]).

* AdaptationalVillainy: Alternative portrayals of characters who do not qualify in their original incarnations may still qualify if they are sufficiently vile in the adaptation their antagonistic incarnation resides in (Big Boss in ''VideoGame/SnakesRevenge'', [[Anime/MagiaRecordPuellaMagiMadokaMagicaSideStory the anime version of Alina Gray]], Jafar in ''Film/Aladdin2019'', [[WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame the Disney incarnation of Judge Claude Frollo]]). There can also be some examples from heroic characters in the new portrayal, as long they are deviated enough from the original version (Peter Pan in ''Series/OnceUponATime'', Giant-Man in ''ComicBook/MarvelZombies''). Beware though -- treat this with caution, as when done poorly, it can come off as [[RonTheDeathEater villainizing a character just because]] without any thought or effort put into the new portrayal, and thus instantly disqualifying the character (or at least making them hard to take seriously).

* AdaptationalVillainy: Alternative portrayals of characters who do not qualify in their original incarnations may still qualify if they are sufficiently vile in the adaptation their antagonistic incarnation resides in (Big Boss in ''VideoGame/SnakesRevenge'', [[Anime/MagiaRecordPuellaMagiMadokaMagicaSideStory the anime version of Alina Gray]], Jafar in ''Film/Aladdin2019'', [[WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame the Disney incarnation of Judge Claude Frollo]]). There can also be some examples from heroic characters in the new portrayal, as long they are deviated enough from the original version (Peter Pan in ''Series/OnceUponATime'', Giant-Man in ''ComicBook/MarvelZombies''). That said, this trope should still be treated with caution, as done poorly, it can come off as [[RonTheDeathEater villainizing a character just because]] without any thought or effort put into the new portrayal.

* PoliticallyCorrectVillain: It's possible for a CM to not discriminate based on race, gender, sexuality, religion, etc., but it must come from [[HatesEveryoneEqually a total hatred towards humanity in all its forms]]. If a villain shows a ''genuine'' [[EvenEvilHasStandards standard]] against bigots, it can disqualify them ([[ComicBook/InjusticeGodsAmongUs Injustice!Joker]]).

* '''Resources''': Not every villain in the same work will have the same level of crimes, but this is often not a result of good intent, but due to the limitations of their capabilities. This allows villains of different tiers to compete with each other, allowing lesser, more local threats like [[Characters/BatmanTheJoker the Joker]] or [[ComicBook/TheFlash Eobard Thawne]] to compete with universal-level threats like [[Characters/NewGodsDarkseid Darkseid]] or [[Characters/SupermanBrainiacCharacter Braniac]] in the same work/setting so long as they are ''as bad as possible'' from what their resources allow and still manage to stand out. An EvilOverlord who commands legions is obviously going to be able to rack up a higher body count than a lone SerialKiller operating on their own, but this doesn't necessarily make the latter less heinous; it's possible that the SerialKiller flayed his victims alive, hung their skin on his basement and ate their flesh unlike the Overlord and can still qualify. Conversely, if a galactic-level diabolical mastermind with no redeeming traits did everything in their power to make things worse, but still can't commit actions more deplorable then a tribe leader starting a small-scale local war, they cannot count. ([[VideoGame/Bayonetta2 Loptr]] tried to take over the universe and make it bow down to him, instigated a brutal clan war between the Lumen Sages and Umbran Witches and corrupted Father Baldr post-death, but come ''VideoGame/Bayonetta3'' and Singularity ''destroys and attempted to take over thousands of universes'' despite being a PhysicalGod like Loptr, instantly outclassing and disqualifying him. On the other hand, Fortitudo, who has a similar rapsheet as Loptr while being a mere Cardinal Angel, does qualify.)

** The most common Freudian Excuses that [=CMs=] often use to justify their actions are abandonment, rejection, poverty, powerlessness or [[DeliberateValuesDissonance situations that are treated very seriously during the CM's past but would be considered a non-issue in the present day]] ([[Characters/ToyStoryLotso Lots-O'-Huggin' Bear]], [[TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering Nicol Bolas]], [[Characters/TheOwlHouseEmperorBelos Emperor Belos]]). In certain cases, villains can have an ambiguous FreudianExcuse or a MultipleChoicePast and can still qualify based on their actions alone. There are other Freudian Excuses that don't prevent characters from qualifying as a CM, so long as the narrative treats them as unjustified or grossly disproportionate. Beware though -- FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse can really only go so far before the whole work becomes too tasteless, and your CM's past most certainly cannot contain graphic depictions of violent abuse and/or rape that are somehow glossed over.

* HarmlessVillain: If a villain can't do anything worse than stealing candy from children, pull pranks, or does nothing other than to PokeThePoodle, they are not heinous enough and will fail to stand out. Even serious crimes like BankRobbery aren't enough. While not necessarily ''victimless'', the villain has to intentionally cause massive ''harm'' or loss of ''life''. A bank robber who does nothing other than issue threats before he empties the vault and escapes with the loot will not be heinous enough absent other crimes to add to their tally, while a bank robber who kills dozens of hostages as part of their plan or just because the opportunity presented itself most definitely would. In a similar vein, if a villain has great ambitions to cause massive harm but lacks the skills to actually carry their plans out (or they shoot themselves in the foot before they could and the heroes [[WinsByDoingAbsolutelyNothing don't even need to do much to stop them]]), they will still fail to qualify even if they are taken seriously by the narrative.

* HarmlessVillain: If a villain can't do anything worse than stealing candy from children, pull pranks, or does nothing other than to PokeThePoodle, they are not heinous enough and will fail to stand out. Even serious crimes like BankRobbery, while not necessarily victimless, aren't enough, the villain has to intentionally cause massive harm or loss of life. In a similar vein, if a villain has great ambitions to cause massive harm but lacks the skills to actually carry their plans out (or they shoot themselves in the foot before they could and the heroes [[WinsByDoingAbsolutelyNothing don't even need to do much to stop them]]), they will still fail to qualify even if they are taken seriously by the narrative.

* HarmlessVillain: If a villain can't do anything worse than stealing candy from children or pulling pranks, or does nothing other than to PokeThePoodle, they are not heinous enough and will fail to stand out. Even serious crimes like BankRobbery, while not necessarily victimless, aren't enough, the villain has to intentionally cause massive harm or loss of life. In a similar vein, if a villain has great ambitions to cause massive harm but lacks the skills to actually carry their plans out (or they shoot themselves in the foot before they could and the heroes [[WinsByDoingAbsolutelyNothing don't even need to do much to stop them]]), they will still fail to qualify even if they are taken seriously by the narrative.

* AlasPoorVillain: As Complete Monsters are meant to never be sympathized with, treating their demise as tragic is generally a ticket out of qualification. It is possible for their deaths to be played as a TearJerker, but it's usually done to demonstrate how heroic the hero is ([[VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity Arkham!Joker]], [[Series/GameOfThrones Joffrey Baratheon]]) and even if not should never have them demonstrating any good side or regrets ([[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureGoldenWind Diavolo]]).

* '''Exceptionalism''': The Complete Monster's actions must stand out as particularly horrible in the story, and overpass the base standard of the story and the genre. This is so only a limited number of villains can be a CM if there are many who lack redeeming qualities and/or are taken seriously, and is especially important in works with incredibly high heinous standards like ''Manga/{{Inuyasha}}'' or ''Series/CriminalMinds'' where even the generic crimes are extremely horrific, so characters have to do something as remarkable as they are horrible to give themselves a real niche.

* WordOfGod[=/=]WordOfSaintPaul: If you claim that a character is a Complete Monster, it does not mean they ''are'' a Complete Monster unless you repeatedly ''show'' them to be pure evil. On the other hand, if you claim that a villain is intended to be tragic or sympathetic but their actions in the work state otherwise, then they might still count as a CompleteMonster. This is related to ShowDontTell -- your statements can only go that far ([[Franchise/{{Danganronpa}} Monaca Towa]] was stated to be deliberately designed as a vile monster, but her devotion genuine devotion to Junko, amongst other jarring issues say otherwise, whereas [[WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse Emperor Belos]]'s voice actor stated he was "misunderstood", but he still turned out to be an absolute bastard).

* WordOfGod[=/=]WordOfSaintPaul: If you claim that a character is a Complete Monster, it does not mean they ''are'' a Complete Monster unless you repeatedly ''show'' them to be pure evil. On the other hand, if you claim that a villain is intended to be tragic or sympathetic but their actions in the work state otherwise, then they might still count as a CompleteMonster. This is related to ShowDontTell -- your statements can only go that far ([[VideoGame/FireEmblemGenealogyOfTheHolyWar Queen Hilda]] was stated to be deliberately designed as a vile monster, but she has a few lines that imply that she cared about her family and thus still can't qualify, whereas [[WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse Emperor Belos]]'s voice actor stated he was "misunderstood", but he still turned out to be an absolute bastard).

* WordOfGod[=/=]WordOfSaintPaul: If you claim that a character is a Complete Monster, it does not mean they ''are'' a Complete Monster unless you repeatedly ''show'' them to be pure evil. On the other hand, if you claim that a villain is intended to be tragic or sympathetic but their actions in the work state otherwise, then they might still count as a CompleteMonster. This is related to ShowDontTell -- your statements can only go that far ([[Franchise/{{Danganronpa}} Monaca Towa]] was stated to be deliberately designed as a vile monster, but her devotion to Junko is genuine and she shows an EvenEvilHasStandards moment against a brainwashed Nagito and thus still can't qualify, whereas [[WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse Emperor Belos]]'s voice actor stated he was "misunderstood", but he still turned out to be an absolute bastard).

* '''Exceptionalism''': The Complete Monster's actions must stand out as particularly horrible in the story, and overpass the base standard of the story and the genre. This is so only a limited number of villains can be a CM if there are many who lack redeeming qualities and/or are taken seriously, and is especially important in works with incredibly high heinous standards like ''Manga/{{Inuyasha}}'' or ''Series/CriminalMinds'' where every third-or-so villain is committing some sort of high-end atrocity with dozens to hundreds dead, so characters have to do something as remarkable as they are horrible to give themselves a real niche.

* FlatCharacter: Given the nature of a Complete Monster being their complete and utter lack of redeeming features, it's tempting to write one with no psychological complexity or depth. While not innately disqualifying, your villain still needs some substance as a character. If they are too lacking in characterization, they won't count (The Demon from ''Film/ParanormalActivity'' could easily pass based on heinousness and lack of redeeming qualities, but ultimately had ''far'' too little characterization, being invisible and TheVoiceless, that it still failed to make it as a CM). Furthermore, while not all villains have to be complex in order to be compelling and well-written ([[Franchise/StarWars Emperor Palpatine]]), a villain with no characterization other than being pure evil might come off as uninteresting to the audience and [[AntiClimaxBoss anti-climactic]] ([[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender Fire Lord Ozai]], [[Manga/DemonSlayerKimetsuNoYaiba Muzan Kibutsuji]] and ComicBook/{{Nemesis}}). On the other hand, a three-dimensional Complete Monster can be a compelling presence, with the best of the bunch being particularly acclaimed for such ([[Manga/{{Berserk}} Griffith]], [[Manga/{{Monster}} Johan Liebert]], [[ComicBook/{{Irredeemable}} The Plutonian]], [[Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena Akio Ohtori]] and [[WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse Emperor Belos]], to name a few). If you have sufficient writing skills, you might want to go for a few of these instead of a vile villain with no depth bar being pure evil.

* TheWoobie[=/=]JerkassWoobie[=/=]WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds: Complete Monsters are not characters that the audience should feel sorry for. While these characters can and will likely turn other characters into woobies ([[Recap/SwordArtOnlineFairyDanceArc Nobuyuki Sugou]], [[Series/CriminalMinds "Boston Reaper" George Foyet]] and [[VideoGame/BlueArchive Beatrice]], to name a few), if your designated CM tries to pass themselves off as a tragic villain, you need to make it clear that their past and/or motivations [[FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse do not justify the suffering they are inflicting onto others]].

* GracefulLoser: A villain who takes defeat in stride usually paints them in an honorable and sympathetic light, which is the last thing you want if you're making your villain a Complete Monster. However, if it's made clear that this is not out of genuine nobility, whether they're a sadistic {{Blood Knight}}, a SocialDarwinist with a MightMakesRight philosophy, a playful {{Troll}} with a warped sense of amusement, a depraved DeterminedDefeatist with VillainousValor, or simply out of PragmaticVillainy, they can still qualify ([[VideoGame/KidIcarusUprising Hades]], [[VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance Sundowner]], [[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsOnline Molag Bal]]).

* GracefulLoser: A villain who takes defeat in stride usually paints them in an honorable and sympathetic light, which is the last thing you want if you're making your villain a Complete Monster. However, if it's made clear that this is not out of genuine nobility, whether they're a sadistic {{Blood Knight}}, a SocialDarwinist with a MightMakesRight philosophy, a playful {{Troll}} with a warped sense of amusement, a very [[{{Determinator}} determined villain]] with VillainousValor, or simply out of PragmaticVillainy, they can still qualify ([[VideoGame/KidIcarusUprising Hades]], [[VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance Sundowner]], [[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsOnline Molag Bal]]).

* DisproportionateRetribution: If you want to write a Complete Monster who either is a supposed TragicVillain (thus subverting the trope in this case) or has a FreudianExcuse, this trope can serve as an effective balance to show that their actions [[FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse go too far to justify their reasons]]. A character continuing to knowingly commit atrocities far beyond the scope of the suffering they have received is a surefire way to elicit scorn and contempt from the audience and other characters, especially if said characters have gone through similar predicaments and are nowhere near as vile as the Complete Monster ([[Series/TheFlash2014 Hunter Zolomon/Zoom]]). If this is a Complete Monster that is evil to begin with, then having them ruin someone's life over minor issues can show how evil they are ([[Series/RoboCopPrimeDirectives Dr. David Kaydick]] tried to eliminate all of humanity because he was fired from his job).

* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: This is tied to the moral agency issues department. Unless they find out and are delighted by it, if a character unintentionally kickstarts something horrible on accident, it doesn't get put on their rapsheets, and if that action is their ''only'' significant crime, they certainly won't qualify ([[WesternAnimation/Castlevania2017 The Bishop]] ordering Lisa Ţepeş burnt at the stake drove Vlad to become Dracula and seek to KillAllHumans, but this was by all means an unintended consequence and he's little more than a StarterVillain otherwise; [[VideoGame/CorpseParty Principal Takamine Yanagihori]]'s murder of Sachiko Shinozaki kicks off the chain of gruesome and horrifying tragedies, but he had no idea he would [[SealedEvilInACan unleash the Nirvana inside her]] by doing so; by contrast, [[Anime/{{Geneshaft}} Captain Jean Gedou]] vaporizing his entire fleet was an accident, but he immediately takes advantage of it by promoting himself to commander and gloats about it to one of the heroes).

* BadIsGoodAndGoodIsBad: These villains must carry any and all standards of being evil while spitting on the face of good. Whenever something nice shows up, the Complete Monster must show total distaste towards it ([[Franchise/{{Danganronpa}} Junko Enoshima]]).

* AxCrazy: Deranged and violent characters are usually pretty dangerous, and their willingness to commit atrocities and/or violent crimes, sometimes along with {{sadis|t}}m, make them very likely to be Complete Monsters ([[Manga/BlackClover Vanica Zogratis]]). That said, they should not be so insane that it compromises the character’s agency, else they cannot qualify ([[Series/CriminalMinds Frank Breitkopf]] is one of the vilest [=UnSubs=] in ''Criminal Minds'' who goes well way past the baseline, but still doesn't count because he's indicated to be suffering from a condition that makes him literally incapable of love or empathy).

* AxCrazy: Deranged and violent characters are usually pretty dangerous, and their willingness to commit atrocities and/or violent crimes, sometimes along with {{sadis|t}}m, make them very likely to be Complete Monsters ([[Manga/BlackClover Vanica Zogratis]]). That said, they should not be so insane that it compromises the character’s agency, else they cannot qualify ([[Series/CriminalMinds Frank Breitkopf]] is one of the vilest [=UnSubs=] in ''Criminal Minds'' who kills over 170 people by dissecting them alive before going onto targeting and killing people that the BAU saved from other [=UnSubs=] and goes way past the baseline, but still doesn't count because he's indicated to be literally incapable of empathy).

* NonMaliciousMonster: An animal acts on learnt instinct no matter how vicious or intelligent it is. Even if it's a ''subversion or aversion'' of the trope and the animal is acting out of malicious intent on its own, it might still not count if their behavior is too animalistic. TruthInTelevision: real life animals possess different morality from humans. (This axiomically includes all monsters from ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'', even the ones that avert this by displaying both intelligence and malice, which are also too animalistic to be really considered sapient) On the other hand, animals that are sufficiently sapient can qualify ([[Manga/MyHeroAcademiaVigilantes Queen Bee]], [[Literature/AnimalFarm Napoleon]]). This also goes for any other automata (e.g. zombies, robots, AI), as they are usually characterized as mindless predators. If they shows enough sapience either though sadism or breaking out of their programming, they can be approved (Giant-Man in ''ComicBook/MarvelZombies'', most ''Monster/{{Transformers}}'' [=CMs=]).

* MoralMyopia: If your [[DesignatedHero so-called "heroes"]] are doing the same type of horrible things as the villains or worse, then you run on double standards. It doesn't matter if the villains are HateSink {{Sadist}}s and your "heroes" are {{Tragic Villain}}s with valid {{Freudian Excuse}}s, if your "heroes" play on the same caliber as the villains or worse, then it's just a bunch of horrible people doing horrible things and not the grey-to-black conflict you probably intended the story to be (''VisualNovel/TheUnforgivingFlowersBlossomInTheDeadOfNight'' is an example of a work that cannot have any [=CMs=] despite containing several vicious teachers who rape and kill adolscents and the resident AntiHero Higanbana is supposed to PayEvilUntoEvil on them. This is because Higanbana is way too liberal on ColdBloodedTorture and commits at least one KarmicRape by [[RapeByProxy proxy]], and is thus literally no better than the {{Asshole Victim}}s she kills and tortures. By contrast ''Literature/TheHeroLaughsWhileWalkingThePathOfVengeanceASecondTime'' is a work where the VillainProtagonist tortures several people in his quest for vengeance but doesn’t go as far as the worst of the worst do, so it can still have [=CMs=]).

** In the case of crossovers between different works or series, the candidate will be judged by the one with the higher standard, so a character who is bad enough in their home series can end up flunking in the crossover. ([[WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame Judge Claude Frollo]] is among the vilest Disney villains and his genocidal intent combined with his personal villainy are more than enough for the film he's in, but his ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' incarnation has to compete with several mass-murdering villains, and like ''WesternAnimation/Ben10'', the overall standard is so high that universal destruction is the bare minimum of being considered.)

* AdaptationalVillainy: Alternative portrayals of characters who do not qualify in their original incarnations may still qualify if they are sufficiently vile in the adaptation their antagonistic incarnation resides in ([[Anime/MagiaRecordPuellaMagiMadokaMagicaSideStory the anime version of Alina Gray]], Jafar in ''Film/Aladdin2019'', [[WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame the Disney incarnation of Judge Claude Frollo]]). There can also be some examples from heroic characters in the new portrayal, as long they are deviated enough from the original version (Peter Pan in ''Series/OnceUponATime'', Giant-Man in ''ComicBook/MarvelZombies''). That said, this trope should still be treated with caution, as done poorly, it can come off as [[RonTheDeathEater villainizing a character just because]] without any thought or effort put into the new portrayal.

* AdaptationalVillainy: Alternative portrayals of characters who do not qualify in their original incarnations may still qualify if they are sufficiently vile in the adaptation their antagonistic incarnation resides in (Big Boss in ''VideoGame/SnakesRevenge'', The Kingpin in ''VideoGame/SpiderManVsTheKingpin'', Jafar in ''Film/Aladdin2019'', [[WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame the Disney incarnation of Judge Claude Frollo]]). There can also be some examples from heroic characters in the new portrayal, as long they are deviated enough from the original version (Peter Pan in ''Series/OnceUponATime'', Giant-Man in ''ComicBook/MarvelZombies''). That said, this trope should still be treated with caution, as done poorly, it can come off as [[RonTheDeathEater villainizing a character just because]] without any thought or effort put into the new portrayal.

** They will never show any [[EvenEvilHasStandards standards]], and if they do, it must be shown to be subverted later on in a way that makes them a {{hypocrite}} ([[Series/{{Supernatural}} Lucifer]]), be involved by [[PragmaticVillainy pragmatism]] ([[Manga/JoJoSBizarreAdventureGoldenWind Diavolo]]) or just flatout faked ([[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoLibertyCityStories Donald Love]]). They also can't be AffablyEvil, but many of them are FauxAffablyEvil ([[Franchise/BlazBlue Relius Clover]], [[WesternAnimation/Ben10Omniverse Maltruant]]).
** A Complete Monster cannot truly love anybody, with the only exceptions being if their "loved ones" are mere trophies, private possessions, fanatical symbols, or alternate counterparts of themselves. If a CM seemingly shows that they love somebody, it will amount to nothing but obsession or perversion instead (The Disney version of [[Characters/TheHunchbackOfNotreDameDisneyJudgeClaudeFrollo Judge Claude Frollo]], [[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater Yevgeny Borisovitch Volgin]]), or they do something that invalidates their claims of love so that the CM is really just BelievingTheirOwnLies ([[Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanOnStrangerTides Blackbeard]] constantly claims he loves his daughter, but had no problem with sacrificing her to save his own life).

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes[=/=]MoralityPet: It doesn't matter how nasty a villain is otherwise, if they are even hinted to genuinely care for even a person or two, they cannot qualify as a Complete Monster due to showing a caring and sympathetic side ([[Characters/MarvelComicsApocalypse Prime!Apocalypse]], [[Characters/AkameGaKillEsdeath General Esdeath]], [[VideoGame/{{Wadanohara}} Reboot!Sal]], [[WesternAnimation/ABugsLife Hopper]]), although there are noticable exceptions. These typically involve the loved one being an alternate counterpart of the CM, making the "care" simply extreme narcissism ([[VideoGame/CrashBandicoot4ItsAboutTime Dr. N. Tropy]], [[VideoGame/{{Scribblenauts}} Unmasked!Brainiac]], [[Characters/DragonBallGokuBlack Goku Black]] and [[Characters/DragonBallZamasu Zamasu]]), the "loved one" simply being a prized possession ([[VisualNovel/SuperDanganronpaAnother2 Kanade Otokonoji]]) or a fanatic symbol ([[Literature/HarryPotter Bellatrix Lestrange]], [[WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack The High Priestess]]), or the "loving relationship" is one-sided and simply flat-out disingenuous ([[VideoGame/MirrorsEdgeCatalyst Gabriel Kruger]], [[VideoGame/DigimonWonderSwanSeries Millenniumon]], [[WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse Emperor Belos]]). On the other hand, a deliberate subversion can go the extra mile in establishing just how horrible your CM is, ripping the rug out from under the audience as they turn out to be much worse than previously believed ([[Series/Supergirl2015 Queen Rhea]], [[Manga/DeathNote Light Yagami]]), but be cautious -- if the reveal comes out of nowhere, the audience won't believe it.