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* '''TranquilFury''': An inversion of the more bombastic ones, but still a pretty high-level Breakdown. A normally [[LargeHam hammy]] and grandiose villain whose shortcomings eventually catch up to them (in an equally spectacular manner) swiftly goes into this state: An absolutely laser focused heat seeker [[LetsGetDangerous who casts away all pretenses of being even remotely comedic]]. Practically no yelling or even voice raising ''at all'', but definitely a high desire to kill and a high level of restrained, directed fury.
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* The first thing that should come to mind is '''failure'''. Whatever EvilPlan the villain was enacting - taking over the world, building the unstoppable death ray, raising an army - has gone straight to hell, which tends to make the villain furious, or miserable. This is easier to write, but fairly simple, as the villain failing is usually expected.

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* The first thing that should come to mind is '''failure'''. Whatever EvilPlan the villain was enacting - taking enacting--taking over the world, building the unstoppable death ray, raising an army - has army--has gone straight to hell, which tends to make the villain furious, or miserable. This is easier to write, but fairly simple, as the villain failing is usually expected.
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* The first thing that should come to mind is '''failure''' - taking over the world, building the unstoppable death ray, raising an army - these kinds of things tend to make them furious, or miserable. This is easier to write, but fairly simple, as the villain failing is usually expected.

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* The first thing that should come to mind is '''failure''' '''failure'''. Whatever EvilPlan the villain was enacting - taking over the world, building the unstoppable death ray, raising an army - these kinds of things tend has gone straight to hell, which tends to make them the villain furious, or miserable. This is easier to write, but fairly simple, as the villain failing is usually expected.

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!To Start Off



* '''SuddenlyShouting''': This is a low-level Breakdown, and is usually more of a pre-breakdown. Spontaneous shouting is a nice way to slowly show that something is going wrong in this villain's head. This is best followed up by a different sort of breakdown, but it can also be exaggerated as time continues. This is best used with a villain that is normally very soft-spoken and in control.

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* '''SuddenlyShouting''': This is a low-level Breakdown, Breakdown and is usually more of a pre-breakdown. Spontaneous shouting is a nice way to slowly show that something is going wrong in this villain's head. This is best followed up by a different sort of breakdown, but it can also be exaggerated as time continues. This is best used with a villain that is normally very soft-spoken and in control.



!Writer's Lounge

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!Writer's LoungeLounge

!Departments
!!Set Designer/Location Scout

!!Props Department

!!Costume Designer

!!Casting Director

!!Stunt Department

!Extra Credit

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* The first thing that should come to mind is '''failure''' - taking over the world, building the unstoppable death ray, raising an army - these kind of things tend to make them furious, or miserable. This is easier to write, but fairly simple, as the villain failing is usually expected.
* The second thing that can invoke the reaction is '''realization'''. What have they realized? How about the classic HeelRealization? This requires a little more thought, but has a wider range of outcomes. They might try to deny it. They might accept it. They might going into a temper, or into a misery, or just have a VillainousBSOD.

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* The first thing that should come to mind is '''failure''' - taking over the world, building the unstoppable death ray, raising an army - these kind kinds of things tend to make them furious, or miserable. This is easier to write, but fairly simple, as the villain failing is usually expected.
* The second thing that can invoke the reaction is '''realization'''. What have they realized? How about the classic HeelRealization? This requires a little more thought, thought but has a wider range of outcomes. They might try to deny it. They might accept it. They might going go into a temper, or into a misery, or just have a VillainousBSOD.



!Choices, Choices



There’s a few ways that a villain can break down, and it’s usually related to the type of villain. Here are the breakdown types. The higher the "breakdown level", the later the breakdown should be used:

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There’s There are a few ways that a villain can break down, and it’s usually related to the type of villain. Here are the breakdown types. The higher the "breakdown level", the later the breakdown should be used:



* '''VillainousBSOD''': This is a nice simple mid-level Breakdown. No more desire to kill. No more anger. Just plain simple losing the will to fight, or even live.

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* '''VillainousBSOD''': This is a nice simple mid-level Breakdown. No more desire to kill. No more anger. Just plain simple losing the will to fight, or even live.live.

!Pitfalls

!Potential Subversions

!Writer's Lounge
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* '''VillainousBSOD''': This is a nice simple mid-level Breakdown. No more desire to kill. No more anger. Just plain simple losing the will to fight, or even live.

to:

* '''VillainousBSOD''': This is a nice simple mid-level Breakdown. No more desire to kill. No more anger. Just plain simple losing the will to fight, or even live.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
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* '''SuddenlyShouting''': This is a low-level Breakdown, and is usually more of a pre-breakdown. Spontaneous shouting is a nice way to slowly show that something going wrong in this villain's head. This is best followed up by a different sort of breakdown, but it can also be exaggerated as time continues. This is best used with a villain that is normally very soft-spoken and in control.

to:

* '''SuddenlyShouting''': This is a low-level Breakdown, and is usually more of a pre-breakdown. Spontaneous shouting is a nice way to slowly show that something is going wrong in this villain's head. This is best followed up by a different sort of breakdown, but it can also be exaggerated as time continues. This is best used with a villain that is normally very soft-spoken and in control.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* '''SuddenlyShouting''': This is a low-level Breakdown, and is usually more of a pre-breakdown. Spontaneous shouting is a nice way to slowly show that something going wrong in this villain's head. This is best followed up by a different sort of breakdown, but it can also be exaggerated as time continues.

to:

* '''SuddenlyShouting''': This is a low-level Breakdown, and is usually more of a pre-breakdown. Spontaneous shouting is a nice way to slowly show that something going wrong in this villain's head. This is best followed up by a different sort of breakdown, but it can also be exaggerated as time continues. This is best used with a villain that is normally very soft-spoken and in control.
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* '''UnstoppableRage''': This is a high-level Breakdown, and a very very one too. This can be used whether they've lost, are losing, or just stubbed their toe, this can be a weakness or a strength, and it can be played for drama or played for laughs. If it's comedic, it usually ends quickly, with their disadvantage being their anger, but if it's played for drama, this is a great time to have one final kill, a rise in fighting skill, and an abandon for any sense of morality or manners they might have had. This works really well with almost any villain, but the best ones are usually AffablyEvil or FauxAffablyEvil.

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* '''UnstoppableRage''': This is a high-level Breakdown, and a very very versatile one too. This can be used whether they've lost, are losing, or just stubbed their toe, this can be a weakness or a strength, and it can be played for drama or played for laughs. If it's comedic, it usually ends quickly, with their disadvantage being their anger, but if it's played for drama, this is a great time to have one final kill, a rise in fighting skill, and an abandon for any sense of morality or manners they might have had. This works really well with almost any villain, but the best ones are usually AffablyEvil or FauxAffablyEvil.
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It's a world known fact that Villains tend to be more vital to a story's success than the hero himself - a hero is a hero, but everyone loves a good villain. But just as people love seeing a hero fall, there is something people love about seeing the villain ''break''.

!!What made them break?
This is the first stage of any breakdown: What made them so furious or shocked?
* The first thing that should come to mind is '''failure''' - taking over the world, building the unstoppable death ray, raising an army - these kind of things tend to make them furious, or miserable. This is easier to write, but fairly simple, as the villain failing is usually expected.
* The second thing that can invoke the reaction is '''realization'''. What have they realized? How about the classic HeelRealization? This requires a little more thought, but has a wider range of outcomes. They might try to deny it. They might accept it. They might going into a temper, or into a misery, or just have a VillainousBSOD.
* The third thing that can cause this is something of a mix of the first two - '''mistake'''. Perhaps they did something that ruined their plans (overlapping with option one), and now it's their fault that they're doomed to fail, or they've accidentally done something that's caused someone they cared about to be killed, and they ''realize'' what they’re capable of.

!!Breakdown Type:
There’s a few ways that a villain can break down, and it’s usually related to the type of villain. Here are the breakdown types. The higher the "breakdown level", the later the breakdown should be used:
* '''LaughingMad''': This is a high-level Breakdown. Laughter isn’t always a good thing. When someone’s doing a laugh that sounds the opposite of happy, you ''know'' something's seriously wrong. As this makes your character look ''really'' crazy, maximum effect is achieved by having this used on a villain who really appears sane and adjusted. This is quite similar to VillainousBSOD, but there is one major difference - this doesn't have to stop the villain. Even if the effects are somewhat permanent, it can be used as a form of characterization, turning your villain into a madman, but not necessarily a weak madman.
* '''ScrewThisImOuttaHere''': This is a simple but high-level Breakdown. Running is a very basic thing to do, but it's also ''always'' the last thing a villain does. It means there's no fixing his mistake. There's no going back to ruling. His only choice is to run. This has the highest levels of effect when used by ''not'' the strongest villains, which usually results in an AntiClimax, but on the bravest. One of the advantages of this is that it's essentially an invoked version of PutOnABus. Who to say this villain won't be BackForTheFinale?
* '''SuddenlyShouting''': This is a low-level Breakdown, and is usually more of a pre-breakdown. Spontaneous shouting is a nice way to slowly show that something going wrong in this villain's head. This is best followed up by a different sort of breakdown, but it can also be exaggerated as time continues.
* '''UnstoppableRage''': This is a high-level Breakdown, and a very very one too. This can be used whether they've lost, are losing, or just stubbed their toe, this can be a weakness or a strength, and it can be played for drama or played for laughs. If it's comedic, it usually ends quickly, with their disadvantage being their anger, but if it's played for drama, this is a great time to have one final kill, a rise in fighting skill, and an abandon for any sense of morality or manners they might have had. This works really well with almost any villain, but the best ones are usually AffablyEvil or FauxAffablyEvil.
* '''VillainousBSOD''': This is a nice simple mid-level Breakdown. No more desire to kill. No more anger. Just plain simple losing the will to fight, or even live.

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