During the investigation of recent hollers in the Complete Monster thread, it's become apparent to the staff that an insular, unfriendly culture has evolved in the Complete Monster and Magnificent Bastard threads that is causing problems.
Specific issues include:
- Overzealous hollers on tropers who come into the threads without being familiar with all the rules and traditions of the tropes. And when they are familiar with said rules and traditions, they get accused (with little evidence) of being ban evaders.
- A few tropers in the thread habitually engage in snotty, impolite mini-modding. There are also regular complaints about excessive, offtopic "socializing" posts.
- Many many thread regulars barely post/edit anywhere else, making the threads look like they are divorced from the rest of TV Tropes.
- Following that, there are often complaints about the threads and their regulars violating wiki rules, such as on indexing, crosswicking, example context and example categorization. Some folks are working on resolving the issues, but...
- Often moderator action against thread regulars leads to a lot of participants suddenly showing up in the moderation threads to protest and speak on their behalf, like a clique.
It is not a super high level problem, but it has been going on for years and we cannot ignore it any longer. There will be a thread in Wiki Talk
to discuss the problem; in the meantime there is a moratorium on further Complete Monster and Magnificent Bastard example discussion until we have gotten this sorted out.
Update: The new threads have been made and can be found here:
- Why do a cleanup?: This trope definitely exists and has a well documented history of use. That being said, it frequently gets misused to a character who meets one of the components, namely that they are smart, charming while not necessarily even being a villain, or create good plans. While these are components, there is also a certain personality required, not to mention that all of the above are required to be present for a character to be a true Magnificent Bastard. As the trope attracts interest, it unfortunately brings in a lot of misuse and I thought the best way to rectify this would be a Perpetual Cleanup Thread, as is being done and has seen success with Complete Monster.
- What makes a Magnificent Bastard: Below is a list of the individual components to make this character. Note that they must all be present, not just some, which has lead to frequent misuse:
- Must be intelligent: Goes without saying, to be a Magnificent Bastard, the character has to be smart in the first place and use their brain to work towards whatever their end goal may be;
- Must be a Bastard: While going overboard in how vile the character is can be detrimental, a key aspect is the Bastard part of the trope, whether the character is an out-and-out antagonist in the work, some manner of Villain Protagonist, or something in between, they at least have some unscrupulous qualities to qualify for this trope;
- Must not be too detestable: Again, there is a ceiling on how bad the character can be before they just become too nefarious, blocking out the Magnificent part of the trope. A genocidal racist or child-raping Sadist aren't going to make the cut;
- Think on their feet: In addition to being a Chessmaster, a Magnificent Bastard, if the character deals with situations in which their initial plan is ruined, has to be able to pull a Xanatos Speed Chess and at least come up with a competent strategy to make up for lost time, otherwise they fail for being unable to think in tough spots;
- Have charm: Even if they don't necessarily make every character they meet fall in love with them and can even be detested by others, the audience has to find an amicable social relation to the character, or they are failing to make the impact required for this trope.
- What to do if a character is listed on a page but has not been approved?: They need to be removed, all candidates need to come through the cleanup thread first. The character could well count but they need to be analyzed properly and voted on first.
- Do we list Playing With this trope?: No; as a YMMV trope, this cannot be Played With, so we only want examples that are Played Straight.
- What do I do if I want a character to be listed as a Magnificent Bastard?: The greatest success Complete Monster saw for its cleanup effort was from the invention of the effort post format, so, borrowing from that, a troper wishing to propose a Magnificent Bastard will create such a post in the following format:
- Begin by describing The work, this will help establish the setting the character is in and for the reader to understand what kind of a scenario they are in;
- Summarize The character's actions, this will provide a listing for readers to understand what they do and how it applies to this trope because charm and lack of smugness are so crucial, this is a good time to be incorporating exactly the flavor of how they operate to explain this;
- List circumstances in which the character must Think on their feet, these are times where a wrench might be thrown in their initial plan and they have to adapt on the spot or even come up with a new scheme all together, this is also a good time to explain how the villain reacts to defeat when they have to face it, a true Magnificent Bastard won't break down into tears at the thought of death, they should have known such a possibility could occur and be able to handle it with more dignity;
- The competition, similar to the Heinous Standard dealt with for a Complete Monster, this section is to deal with how successful the character is in carrying out their plans compared to other characters. While, as a villain, they probably are going to lose in the end, it is good to explain how other characters handle the same situation. There is no exceptionalism case to be made for this trope but explaining the variety helps the reader have a better understanding of the proposal.
- How do you know when the character's arc is done so they can be proposed? When their tenure as a villain or antagonist finishes. This could happen in a single Story Arc in an entire work, a single work of a franchise, or the whole series in general. We'll show lenience to Long-Runners with constantly recurring candidates or series with outstanding continuities (ex. comic books), and it's entirely possible to count in a work or two but not in general for a reason like Depending on the Writer.
- What about candidates evil because of external sources? Those Made of Evil can qualify if they show enough individuality and tactical acumen — in other words, they have the personality to fulfill the magnificence requirement. Conversely, those brainwashed, especially if they're a better person without it, may fail the individuality aspect and cannot count.
- What if they are under orders from a higher-up? Depends. If the boss created the plans down to the letter and the candidate is just following them, sounds like we should discuss the boss instead. However, if the candidate takes creative liberties with the orders, adds their own charm and flair to them, fills in holes in the orders, and/or actively deals with obstacles their boss did not talk about, the candidate shows enough individual thinking to qualify.
- What about Character Development? An MB is something a character can develop into... a nice person who plots well might become more morally gray as the work goes on and hits the "Bastard" criteria, thus making them viable. Likewise, a Smug Snake might shed their ego, become more understanding of the threat others pose and gain the personality or "Magnificent" criteria, likewise making them viable. Conversely, a character who looks like this trope might suffer from a Sanity Slippage or just get outed as not being as smart as they thought they were and become incompatible with MB.
- Can an MB be a good guy? Not in the conventional sense... it is required they have at least some dubious traits lest they fail the "Bastard" criteria. That being said, a character who pulls a Heel–Face Turn or eventually stops taking villainous actions is still fair game: as there was a point in time where they were both "Magnificent" and a "Bastard" at the same time and they've merely adapted as time goes on. Now... if such a character begins showing other issues (i.e.: becomes prone to freak outs or starts getting outwitted) then they're compromising their Magnificence and will probably be deemed a cut. What's important is stylishly operating while at least for some time being willing to take at best underhanded methods to see a job done. A Heel–Face Turn in itself isn't a disqualifier but they do have to have been "Magnificent" and a "Bastard" at the same time and afterwards can't start slipping on the former front.
- What about characters whose stories can take different routes?: When proposing a character in a form of media that has them in multiple story routes. Said character must be consistent with their characteristics in all routes. (ex.: Can't have an example who shows promise on one route yet fails in another.) The only exception is if a later installment of the series confirms the character's actions which made them worth proposing are the canon route.
- Is there a timeframe rule like with Complete Monster?: Yes, please wait two weeks until after the work has concluded before proposing a character (again, usually using the North American air date). As is the case with CM, we want to give a reasonable time frame so that everyone interested in seeing the work has done so and can participate in the discussion without having anything spoiled.
- What about groups like with Complete Monster?: This is a point of divergence between the two tropes. While CM does not allow for a single entry encompassing more than three characters lest their heinousness for crimes becomes too watered down, with MB as long as they are treated as one "unit" it is acceptable to lump all characters provided they share acts of charm and intelligence.
- Can I propose my own work's character as a Magnificent Bastard?: No, this is a YMMV subject and the creator of a content is way too biased to be able to evaluate the criteria we're looking for without a second opinion taking over. That being said, you are more than welcome to encourage someone to consume your creation and if they feel a character counts, are more than welcome to suggest them.
- My example/edit has been approved, but the example subpage is locked! How do I get it added?: The moderators do not add examples to locked example subpages in the MagnificentBastard/ namespace directly. Rather, you need to do the edit to a sandbox page that follows the format Sandbox.MagnificentBastard<Name of the example subpage> (e.g for MagnificentBastard.Fullmetal Alchemist it's Sandbox.Magnificent Bastard Fullmetal Alchemist) and on a Friday, ask in the locked pages edit requests thread
for the content to be swapped in.
Thread rules
When voting a troper must specify the effort post they're voting on and cannot merely vote on "Everything I missed" as in the past it has indicated the poster didn't read the effort post and is guessing instead of analyzing.
Resolved items
In general, a character listed on this trope is considered "settled". This means they should not be challenged unless information used to list them was incorrect or information was missed in the initial discussion.
However, when re-litigating a candidate, the same rules apply for when they were originally proposed. If they do not have five or more upvotes than downvotes for approval upon a re-litigation, including votes from the initial discussion if they do not change, then they are a cut.
This especially applies to the characters listed below, who have been discussed excessively and repeated attempts to get them listed/cut may result in punitive action for bogging down the thread.
Definitely an MB
- Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers: Any sadism Darkrai displays is limited in effect thanks to the game's nature and any cowardice which can be inferred about him is Alternative Character Interpretation about his tactical retreats.
- Avatar: The Last Airbender: Azula's Villainous Breakdown is undone in the sequel comic Smoke & Shadow where she regains her composure and ends up stable and in control enough to count.
Definitely not an MB
- South Park: The show's frequent use of vulgar comedy and mean-spirited humor leaves any potential candidates devoid of the dignity or charm to qualify.
Edited by GastonRabbit on Aug 31st 2023 at 4:15:22 AM
Does anyone mind if I add the fake name that Alexander Pearce uses to his entry?
Also, I did a search and was the titular Phantasm from Mask of the Phantasm ever discussed?
- Nicole "Nick" Franzelli is a teenaged con artist seeking to avenge her father's imprisonment by tricking her way into the Thompson family by claiming to be a Long-Lost Relative. To attain funds for a lawyer for her father, Nick passes off discount wines as expensive vintages, talks the volunteer squad into fining students who show up in a offensive costume while secretly swapping the fine box with a box of her own sells stolen art equipment such that it cannot be traced back to her, and sets up an online charity fraud account.Gaining the Thompson's love which Nick begins to reciprocate, Nick still resolves to take them down out of bitterness for ruining her father and undermines them in various ways to slander them though she eventually comes to feel guilt and eventually cuts a deal with the police to restore the Thompson's name, remaining tricky even following her change of heart.
Discussed it with 43110, thought the writeup needed a slight expansion. Posting this here in case anyone feels there is anything wrong with it.
Edited by username2527 on Apr 2nd 2020 at 10:41:19 AM
How's this 43?
- Doug Judy is the Pontiac Bandit, an affable car thief known for stealing 200 cars. Making himself known to Jake by pretending to be an informant, Doug sends Jake on a goose chase to the barber Doug framed, while he slips past him unnoticed. When Doug unexpectedly encounters Jake, he gives him the drug manufacturer of giggle pig in exchange for a four-star hotel suite where he collaborates with the suite's waiter on his escape, with Jake being too busy capturing the manufacturer. When Doug learns of a hitman trying to kill him he contacts Jake for help, making sure to meet Jake on a cruise ship, where Jake has no jurisdiction, escaping once Jake catches the hitman. Doug later helps Jake capture Doug's adopted brother in exchange for full immunity of his crimes. Getting Jake’s attention again by holding hostages, Doug gets Jake involved in a plan to rescue his mother from a drug lord before escaping once more. Upon getting engaged to a judge who wants Doug to uninvite his criminal friends, Doug gets Jake involved in his bachelor party knowing that Jake will get his friends arrested, resulting in Doug avoiding having to uninvite them directly. Always being Jake’s most elusive adversary, Doug Judy’s master planning was only matched by his unlimited charm.
Edited by Awesomekid42 on Apr 2nd 2020 at 2:10:42 PM
Found and cut this on Turnabout Storm
- Magnificent Bitch: Sonata. Phoenix realizes you're the prime suspect? Never even blink as you point out you already have a way out! It is eventually subverted in the finale, when Phoenix undoes her entire plan to frame Rainbow Dash and thus she proves to be more of a Smug Snake. She even admits that she overlooked a crucial detail or two.
@43 That’s fair. I PM ed G and he approved. I’m also adding that he didn’t just use a tourist to throw Interpol off, he IS said tourist.
Original:
- The Tourist: Alexander Pearce is a renowned thief who stole from both criminals and authorities alike. When undercover Interpol agent Elise was sent to spy on him, his charms manages to get Elise to fall in love with him and the two consummate a romantic relationship. After stealing 2.3 billion dollars from British crime lord Reginald Shaw, Alexander splits from Elise, sending her letters on where to find him, while also instructing her to find someone similar to Alexander's height and build to deviate Shaw's men and the Interpol pool away from him. After getting Shaw and his men killed while hiring a tourist to distract Interpol, Alexander Pearce reveals himself to Elise before escaping with her, also returning the money he stole from the authorities.
Edited:
- The Tourist: Frank Tupelo, real name Alexander Pearce, is a renowned thief who stole from both criminals and authorities alike. When undercover Interpol agent Elise was sent to spy on him, his charms manages to get Elise to fall in love with him and the two consummate a romantic relationship. After stealing 2.3 billion dollars from British crime lord Reginald Shaw, Alexander splits from Elise, sending her letters on where to find him, while also instructing her to find someone similar to Alexander's height and build to deviate Shaw's men and the Interpol pool away from him. After getting Shaw and his men killed while posing as Frank, the ordinary tourist that Elise picks to distract Interpol, Alexander reveals himself to Elise before escaping with her, also returning the money he stole from the authorities.
This entry is also so tricky because in general the whole thing is a walking, talking spoiler (figuratively).
I have a candidate!
What's the work?
Twice Charmed is a Disney Cruise musical that acts as a continuation/AU of Cinderella. The plot has similarities to Cinderella III: A Twist in Time, though Twice Charmed actually came first. After the original movie, Lady Tremaine and her daughters are furious at Cinderella's happy ending with the prince, but don't have any way to act on their frustrations. Enter the candidate, Franco DiFortunato.
Who's Franco and what does he do?
Lady Tremaine's Wicked Fairy Godfather, Franco is a showman with a heavy gambling motif. He offers the Tremaines a deal—he'll send them back in time with the knowledge they have now so they can wreck Cinderella's dreams, but if Cinderella and her prince find each other anyway, the Tremaines will be cursed for eternity. lady Tremaine is doubtful about the curse, but in his extremely catchy Villain Song, It's Never Too Late
, Franco wins them over and enacts his plan. Back in the past, the Tremaines break both glass slippers, and Franco uses his magic to shrink Cinderella to the size of a mouse, letting the Tremaines go to the palace, as the girls were the only ones left who hadn't tried on the slipper.
Meanwhile, Cinderella, Jaq, and Gus are able to contact the Fairy Godmother, who reverses the spell, and Prince Charming realizes Anastasia and Drizella are not the girl he fell in love with. He strikes out on his own to find her, but eventually returns empty-handed and decides to hold another ball in hopes of seeing her again. Lady Tremaine asks Franco to make her daughters beautiful, wise, and graceful, a task he admits may be beyond him. But his magic is strong enough to succeed, and Anastasia and Drizella are very close to winning the Prince over before Cinderella intervenes, sings an epic Power Ballad, and the Prince chooses her.
Lady Tremaine orders Franco to stop them, but he gleefully says it's too late—the deal was if Cindy and the Prince got together, they lose, so the Tremaines are forced to do his chores for all eternity. He sings a reprise
of "It's Never Too Late" to top it off, and then leaves to help
a wicked queen being chased up a mountain by seven dwarfs (or in the first video linked here, ad-libs helping with Game of Thrones' Red Wedding). Franco gets away scot-free, and things go back to normal, or close enough anyway.
In the 2017 update, he makes the slipper fit Anastasia's foot instead, and wipes the Prince's memory at the second ball to forget Cinderella, but Cindy still gets through to the Prince by the end.
Is he charismatic and can think on his feet?
Yuuuuup. Catchy Villain Song, powerful magic, flattering Lady Tremaine while clearly holding the power, and being incredibly Affably Evil while getting away and going to help the Wicked Queen in the end. He isn't sure if he can make the stepsisters beautiful, but he pulls it off, and without Cinderella's intervention it's implied the Prince would have chosen one of them. Given his gambling motifs it's heavily implied Franco knew they'd fail all along, and his going off to help the Queen puts his claims of being Lady Tremaine's Fairy Godfather in doubt—it's entirely possible he was just messing with her for funsies, and it's also implied whatever deal he makes with the Queen will end badly for her.
A bastard? Too much?
Definitely a villain who takes glee in undoing the happy ending, but he's snarky at times, polite when he needs to be, and is very charismatic, plus he upholds the deal he made instead of attacking after Cindy and the Prince find one another. (There's a great line in the updated version where he asks if he should cast a spell to slice off Anastasia's heel to make the slipper fit, referencing the original fairy tale, but when that's turned down he's fine with making the slipper several sizes bigger instead.)
Competition?
Lady Tremaine thinks she's calling the shots, but Evil Is Not a Toy, and Franco is able to convince them to take his deal despite her initial wariness. None of the other characters can challenge him due to his magic, and while the Fairy Godmother is able to undo his shrinking spell and Cinderella wins the Prince, he throws as many obstacles in Cindy's way as an hour-long musical will allow and seems more gleeful at the Tremaines losing than if they'd have won. No one else matches his charisma and scheming.
Conclusion?
It's never too late for an upvote!
Edited by lalalei2001 on Apr 2nd 2020 at 7:04:27 AM
The Protomen enhanced my life.
to Dr. Henry Killinger and Sovereign.
Okay, having recently finished going over Inspector Morse and its spin offs on the Complete Monster thread, as promised I’ve also investigated to see if the series has any potential magnificent bastards, and I think I’ve found a few.
What’s The Work:
Inspector Morse is a British crime series starting John Thaw as the titular inspector, a cultured and highly intelligent man, and Kevin Whately as his loyal and highly capable Sergeant Robert Lewis. Together they investigate the complex murders that happen throughout the city of Oxford and its surrounding area.
Now the candidate in question comes from season 4’s "Masonic Mysteries", where Morse finds himself framed for murder and targeted by an unseen mastermind. So without further ado, here is the series most likely keeper, Hugo De Vries.
Who Is He:
Hugo De Vries played by the ever so wonderful Ian McDiarmid (yeah none other than Emperor Palatine himself), is a Swedish criminal genius described by Morse’s mentor Inspector McNutt as "one of the greatest con men of the age."
Twelve years before the events of the episode he arrived in Oxford posing as the heir to a munitions manufacturer who had a guilty conscience and wanted to give back, by giving the university donations for a peace program. He conned them for six months taking nearly a million pounds from them, whilst also seducing Marion Brooke the chair of finance. Even managing to fool McNutt. However, Morse figured him out and had him sent away.
Deported back to Sweden to face charges for several other crimes, De Vries was imprisoned and involved in an incident that resulted in him killing a prison guard. For the next eleven and a half years he worked on formulating his revenge against Morse, whilst also getting himself a degree in computer science from the Open University, which he passed with first class honours and even won an award for excellence.
Six months before he managed to secure parole, then escaped, hacking the official records to claim that he had committed suicide three years previously.
Arriving in England, he met up with Marion and quickly managed to convince her that he had been innocent all along, and that Morse and McNutt had framed him. Roping her into his plan as his accomplice.
Using her, they began embezzling money from the charity she worked for, moving the money around different accounts then repaying it, so that no one would get suspicious (De Vries including the name of a famous forties con man who committed the same scam as a clients name as his inside joke). They also turned their attention to Beryl Newsome, Marion’s colleague and a fellow member of the choir that Morse belonged to, and whom he was hoping to develop a relationship with.
Getting himself a job as the set dresser for the choir’s production of Mozart’s the magic flute, De Vries set the scene organising his revenge scheme to mimic the play. Faking the computer's details so it looked like it had been Beryl moving around the charities money, he finally deposited all £99,999.99 (Beryl’s maximum amount being ten thousand) within Morse’s account. On the night of the choirs final rehearsal telephoned Beryl from the phone box across the street so she walked out of the hall to take it.
Sneaking up behind, he stabbed her to death, leaving behind a new kitchen knife exactly besides the body specifically so the first person to find her would inadvertently grab hold of it. And he’d also arranged events so that the first person was Morse.
Trailing them as Morse went to meet up with McNutt to discuss the events. Now possessing as a homeless man (McNutt had retired to become a vicar), he first defaced Morse’s beloved Jaguar with several masonic symbols, then approached McNutt claiming to need help finding a place to stay as the hostel was full.
Driving off together, he killed McNutt then telephoned in a call to the police claiming that he’d seen Morse’s car driving erratically, hoping to further embarrass him by having him arrested for driving under influence (this one failed as Morse hadn't).
The next morning now possessing as construction worker, he first vandalised the tarp Morse had placed over his car with more symbols, then waited until Morse and Lewis left, before breaking into Morse’s home. Stealing several items, and hiding McNutt’s body in Morse’s airing cupboard. De Vries also rigged Morse’s speakers to play loud opera music nonstop.
Arriving at Beryl’s flat, he placed the items he stole and organised the scene so it looked like Morse and Beryl had slept together, contrary to Morse's claims of hardly knowing her. This discrepancy was the final straw that led to Morse being arrested by Inspector Bottomely who was investigating the case with De Vries watching the events whilst possessing as a reporter.
De Vries meanwhile carried on his plan, hacking the Thames Valley Police computer records he edited a domestic abuse case from the time of his arrest, to state it was Morse who had been the boyfriend that viciously assaulted her and only got off due to McNutt’s interference (this being the early nineties, most of the officers didn’t even know it was possible to hack computers) to further incriminate him. This gambit only failing due to Lewis checking the court report in the papers of the time which he could not interfere with.
Thus Morse was released and returned home. However, De Vries had left another surprise in his home, namely a time activated fire bomb, which went off that night nearly killing Morse who was sleeping downstairs due to not being able to deal with McNutt’s body being upstairs in his own house.
Morse survived due to Superintendent Strange placing a police guard on the door, but his treasured music collection was destroyed and was nearly broken by De Vries attack on his psyche, even momentarily convincing himself that Bottomley was De Vries in disguise. And to add insult to injury, he had included the bomb within the worst recording ever of the Magic Flute, just to further ruffle Morse.
De Vries then stole all the money that they had been moving around, leaving a computer virus for the next person to log in.
Realising that they would be hot on their tail, De Vries and Marion made plans to leave, planning to carry on their assault on Morse at a later date. Morse however, managed to track him down by following orders of wine that he’d been making. Catching him preparing to leave, De Vries congratulated Morse on arriving earlier than he expected and lured him inside.
Showing him the front room, De Vries revealed he had secretly been stalking him the whole time, the room blasted with his photos. He then put on a tape of one of the songs from the Magic Flute and then began to discuss with Morse the events.
Pulling a gun on him, De Vries claimed that it was in fact Marion who had committed the murders and he had merely added set dressing. Then went on to discuss his readings of Pythagoras and his philosophies of how there is no life or death, night or light and the soul was immortal, how all the dead had reincarnated by now. Making Morse kneel he went on about the uncertainty of whether he would kill him or not, whether begging would help or not, it’s entirely up to him.
Having him face away, just as the tape was coming to an end he said goodbye Morse and seemingly shot himself.
Morse leaving the room to let Lewis in, came back to find De Vries had scarpered and were just in time to see him driving away having stolen his car. As he then realised the whole speech had been yet another con to trick him into thinking he would kill himself, admitting "he fooled me again."
Meeting up with Marion, the two were about to escape. However, Inspector Bottomley had been following him, and they were surrounded by his men. Maintaining complete calm, De Vries drew his gun, then almost shot Marion before deciding against it and killing himself, rather than face imprisonment again.
However, the experience had been so successful that Morse admitted he honestly half believed that De Vries had fooled them again even after witnessing him being buried. Thankfully in this case he hadn’t.
Is He Intelligent? Charming? Magnificent:
Oh absolutely, even Morse admits that De Vries is a genius. Throughout the entire episode every step more or less plays out exactly as he planned it to, managing to put Morse through numerous ordeals and grievances, and when at the end he faces his first real slip up he manages to expertly improvise a new way out. His final defeat is only result of him being flat out outgunned.
De Vries is likewise an brilliant charmer and manipulator, he completely manages to fool Marion again into believing he was innocent to the point she ends the episode still convinced that he was and Morse acknowledging she probably will for the rest of her life, this is despite it being her who gave the original testimony that incarcerated De Vries in the first place.
He is also a brilliant actor and master of disguise to the point that he even fools Morse into giving him some money to help whilst dressed as a homeless man. And an expert con artist, it being mentioned that only Morse managed not to be fooled by his original con, and by the end even he fell for his claims that it was Marion who murdered Beryl and McNutt.
When we finally meet him De Vries likewise proves to be impeccably polite and well mannered, inviting Morse as if he was a close friend rather than the man whose life he was trying to destroy. He’s constantly civil, never raising his voice throughout his entire speech, even when holding him at gun point. Even at the end when he realises the game is up and he’s lost, he’s still perfectly polite when talking to Bottomley.
Not to mention he’s more or less the only person in the entire franchise who can keep up with Morse on the cultured front, being as well as a criminal mastermind a wine connoisseur and an appreciator of music and philosophy.
Is He A Bastard? To Much:
Indefinably so, to the point Morse declares him as "devilry" and an example how some men are just wicked. De Vries is a ruthless con man and has at least three victims to his name. And to top it all of he never actually needed the money to begin with, being independently wealth long before he began his cons, with Morse speculating he only did them purely for the thrill they brought him.
Likewise his entire scheme is a twisted revenge mission against Morse purely for arresting him for the crimes he actually committed, with him even blaming him and McNutt for the other people he’s killed along the way.
Having said that De Vries is neither depraved nor sadistic. Before his arrest its mention he never resorted to violence in his cons, and even afterwards he only acts as was part of his plans.
What’s His Competition:
Easily clears it. Whilst complicated the majority of episodes involve Morse facing spur of the moment killers motivated by passion or greed, not calculating criminal masterminds.
Most antagonists in this show struggle to even keep up with Morse. De Vries meanwhile spends the entire episode with him on the ropes, it’s only in the last twenty minutes that Morse manages to actually start pushing back. No other antagonist in this series comes anywhere as close to getting to Morse as De Vries managed.
Conclusion:
I think Hugo De Vries is an easy keeper. McDiarmid gives a compelling charismatic performance that really leaves an impression, despite him only properly appearing at the very end of the episode.
Still what do you think?
Edit:
to Franco DiFortunato.
Edited by MGD107 on Apr 2nd 2020 at 5:43:41 AM
@43 I only changed two or three things. I think the fact that he fooled everyone into thinking he was someone he wasn’t is very crucial to the entry and it didn’t really address it. Then again, memory serves, he had plastic surgery to change his identity so of course.
I restored the entry and only changed the top to "Frank Tupelo, real name Alexander Pearce". That’s it:
- The Tourist: Frank Tupelo, real name Alexander Pearce, is a renowned thief who stole from both criminals and authorities alike. When undercover Interpol agent Elise was sent to spy on him, his charms manages to get Elise to fall in love with him and the two consummate a romantic relationship. After stealing 2.3 billion dollars from British crime lord Reginald Shaw, Alexander splits from Elise, sending her letters on where to find him, while also instructing her to find someone similar to Alexander's height and build to deviate Shaw's men and the Interpol pool away from him. After getting Shaw and his men killed while hiring a tourist to distract Interpol, Alexander Pearce reveals himself to Elise before escaping with her, also returning the money he stole from the authorities.
Edited by futuremoviewriter on Apr 2nd 2020 at 6:57:00 AM
Future vote on stuff when you're gonna pop up to drop comments, you've been asked before. As for the writeup changes? Look, I don't mind the occasional fix but the pattern I'm catching here, with Heather and a plethora of others is "Let's change A... oh wait, I'll do B now... okay, how about C while we're at it" and the serial tweaking is something to be avoided.

Remove The Protagonist pothole. Apparently since its such a common trope where not supposed to use it in writing trope examples.
"That's right mortal. By channeling my divine rage into power, I have forged a new instrument in which to destroy you."