So, here we go, my very first MB EP on this site. If I'm being honest I had other plans, but since I know this would have been more of a trouble discussing, I decided to do it after being given permission by fellow troper Vengeful Bale, which I thank for allowing me. Anyway, let's begin discussing the character.
What's the work?
Megamind Rules! is a sequel series to Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate and the 2010 film Western Animation/Megamind released in 2024. It follows Megamind as the defendor of Metro City and defeating several villains, most notably the Doom Syndicate and their leader, who is the candidate of today.
Who is Machiavillain?
The supervillain known as Machiavillain is the former evil master of Megamind, who, prior to the events of the series, taught Megamind how to become a villain. One day, Megamind tried to heat a burrito using the gamma chamber in Machiavillain's lab, which resulted in the lab getting destroyed in a fire while Machiavillain was still in there, which lead to his body getting mostly destroyed with the exception of his brain and eyes.
His brain was then put in a jar which he used to move around. Despite what Megamind did to him, Machiavillain decided to not go after his former pupil, up until he found out Megamind became a hero. Angered by Megamind's decision, Machiavillain would break free the Doom Syndicate from prison so they could help him in his plan, that being to get back his body.
To do so, he had the members of the Doom Syndicate take objects and artifacts around the city, such as a genetically modified starfish with regenation abilities, a large snow globe for him to use as a vessel for a machine capable of handling the energy needed for Machiavillain to regenerate his body, a hair brush that cointained his DNA, and the isotopes that he could use to fuel the machine.
After obtaining all these items, there was only one left, Megamind's binky, which is actually a powerful object that was used by Megamind's race and capable of giving someone superhuman powers. However, during his time planning on how to steal it, he hears the Doom Syndicate arguing and goes to see what was going on. There, he finds two versions of one of the members of the group, Lord Nighty-Knight. He quickly understands that one of them is an impostor and realizes that one of them was using Megamind's watch, informing the others of it.
He finds out that the impostor was Keiko Morita, Megamind's pupil and number 1 fan. Keiko then tells him and the Doom Syndicate that she wanted to join Machiavillain's side so he could become her teacher, with Machiavillain telling her that if she steals Megamind's binky, she will be allowed on the group's plans and gain his trust.
After Keiko steals it and brings the binky to Machiavillain, he reveals how he gathered all the items for his plan, and that the binky was one of the most powerful energy sources in the universe. However, Keiko reveals during his monologe that she made a fake version of the binky and had the real one still with her and tries to escape.
However, when the Doom Syndicate fails to capture her and inform Machiavillain about it, he reveals he had the real binky and switched it with the fake during his monologe. Machiavillain then regenerates his body and reveals his plan to the Doom Syndicate, that being to test Megamind and see how competent he is as Metro City's defender.
Later during the day of the Metro City Comet Ceremony, he reveals himself to Megamind and offers him a chance back to villany, which Megamind refuses. Machiavillain then reveals he put on a show which he named "Who Wants to Save a City?", where he challenges Megamind to pass three heroic trials in an hour throught the city, saying that he would leave Metro City if Megamind is able to pass them through the clues Machiavillain gives, but if he doesn't, he will bring destruction to Metro City.
He gives Megamind a clue to the first trial by hacking his watch while he is in his car looking for it, which the group finds out that the first trial was at the city's observatory, where one of the members of the Syndicate, Pierre Pressure, appears and reveals that he wants to brainwash everyone at the ceremony, with Megamind defeating him but accidentaly destroying the observatory.
After this, Machiavillain appears again and reveals a clue to the second trial, which they find out through Roxxane that he was reffering to the city's power station. There, they find Lady Doppler and defeat her, although it results in a blackout throught the city. Machiavillain then reveals the clue to the last trial, where the group finds out he used the blackout to enter Megamind's lab and hack his computer, allowing him to control Megamind's brainbots, which he sends throught the city to commit crimes.
Megamind finds out about this and tries to use his laser satelite to destroy the transmitor antena of his layer, only to be revealed that Machiavillain hacked it and used it to hit the Metro City meteor and have it crash into the city. Megamind tries to stop it, but ends up failing. Just when it seemed like the meteor was about to crash the city, Megamind appears and uses the power of Megamind's binky to grab Megamind's statue and use it to destroy the meteor.
This leads to Metro City thanking Machiavillain for saving them, with them making him into Metro City's defender. Machiavillain then frames Megamind as the mastermind behind the events that day and turning him into the city's public enemy number 1. With Machiavillain seemingly winning, Megamind decides that the group needs to find Metro Man so they can stop Machiavillain.
Is he Magnificent?
In comparison to the Doom Syndicate who are treated as incompetent buffons who can be easily tricked by Megamind and friends or can often be pretty childish, Machiavillain is an evil mastermind who is capable of manipulating the main cast to accomplish his goals, with him winning at the end of the season and outsmarting Megamind, with him not only getting all of Metro City on his side, but also turning Megamind into the city's public enemy number one.
While the series he comes from was... very poorly received to say the least (which I agree given how low on quality this show is in many areas) Machiavillain is still treated as a cool and charismatic supervillain who is capable of great schemes and serves as a great personal threat towards Megamind. One possible issue that may come up is that he has some moments where he insults the Doom Syndicate, but it's understandable given their incompetence and he normally keeps his friendly façace with them like he does with the other characters.
So, overall, smart, manipulative, and powerful enemy to the main characters whom he outsmarts, certainly passing in magnificence.
Is he a Bastard?
Certainly, the guy is a supervillain who leads the main villains of both the second film and series. He has the Doom Syndicate steal items so he can use to rebuild his body, took Megamind's layer and had his robots commit crimes throught the city, and finally, endangers the city so he can save it, be seen as a hero, and frame Megamind as a villain.
However, in comparison to Tighten, the villains of the first movie, Machiavillain comes across as far less petty and never comes into the territory of being too vile for the trope like he does.
Conclusion
I think he counts, but if he ends up being downvoted for whatever reason, it wouldn't matter much to me since I had much more entertaining characters from much better shows that I hope to discuss one day, so I'm okay with however it ends.
