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Subpages cleanup: Complete Monster

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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:

     Previous Post 
Complete Monster Cleanup Thread

Please see the Frequently Asked Questions and Common Requests List before suggesting any new entries for this trope.

IMPORTANT: To avoid a holler to the mods, please see here for the earliest date a work can be discussed, (usually two weeks from the US release), as well as who's reserved discussion.

When voting, you must specify the candidate(s). No blanket votes (i.e. "[tup] to everyone I missed").

No plagiarism: It's fair to source things, but an effortpost must be your own work and not lifted wholesale from another source.

We don't care what other sites think about a character being a Complete Monster. We judge this trope by our own criteria. Repeatedly attempting to bring up other sites will earn a suspension.

What is the Work

Here you briefly describe the work in question and explain any important setting details. Don't assume that everyone is familiar with the work in question.

Who is the Candidate and What have they Done?

This will be the main portion of the Effort Post. Here you list all of the crimes committed by the candidate. For candidates with longer rap sheets, keep the list to their most important and heinous crimes, we don't need to hear about every time they decide to do something minor or petty.

Do they have any Mitigating Factors or Freudian Excuse?

Here you discuss any potential redeeming or sympathetic features the character has, the character's Freudian Excuse if they have one, as well as any other potential mitigating factors like Offscreen Villainy or questions of moral agency. Try to present these as objectively as possible by presenting any evidence that may support or refute the mitigating factors.

Do they meet the Heinousness Standard?

Here you compare the actions of the Candidate to other character actions in the story in order to determine if they stand out or not. Remember that all characters, not just other villains, contribute to the Heinousness Standard

Final Verdict?

Simply state whether or not you think the character counts or not.

Edited by GastonRabbit on Aug 31st 2023 at 4:14:10 AM

Ordeaux26 Since: May, 2019 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
43110 (Striking Back) Relationship Status: Reincarnated romance
miraculous Goku Black (Apprentice)
Goku Black
#268903: Jul 1st 2021 at 1:34:00 PM

It looks cool too.

"That's right mortal. By channeling my divine rage into power, I have forged a new instrument in which to destroy you."
STARCRUSHER99 The Moron from one of my unhealthy obsessions (Captain) Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
The Moron
#268904: Jul 1st 2021 at 1:34:48 PM

Again, how are you guys making the image work? I just get a blank screen - am I just doing something wrong here?

Ordeaux26 Since: May, 2019 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
#268905: Jul 1st 2021 at 1:37:21 PM

Edited by Ordeaux26 on Jul 1st 2021 at 5:00:26 AM

Bullman Enid Sinclair Since: Jun, 2018 Relationship Status: Longing for my OTP
MasterN Berserk Button: misusing Berserk Button from Florida- I mean Unova Since: Aug, 2016 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
#268907: Jul 1st 2021 at 1:44:28 PM

[tup] General “Nanomachines, son” Headhunter and Crisis.

One of these days, all of you will accept me as your supreme overlord.
CloisterTheStupid from Oop North Since: Jan, 2019 Relationship Status: Complex: I'm real, they are imaginary
#268908: Jul 1st 2021 at 2:58:16 PM

[tup] Headhunter and Crisis. Abstain on Hemlock for now.

PurpleEyedGuma Since: Apr, 2020
#268909: Jul 1st 2021 at 3:00:04 PM

Yeah to Headhunter and Crisis.

MGD107 Since: Feb, 2015
#268910: Jul 1st 2021 at 3:12:06 PM

Okay now after two failures I think I have finally found some definite candidates from an adaptation of Sherlock Holmes. So fingers crossed that my third is the charm.

Coming from only the second ever TV series to adapt the character (and the only America produced one until Elementary), titled simply Sherlock Holmes it aired in 1954. Consisting of 39 thirty minute episodes, most of which being original stories, it stared Ron Howard as the titular Holmes, H. Marion Crawford as Doctor Watson and Archie Duncan as Inspector Lestrade.

Overall I can recommend the series to any Holmes fans, whilst certainly a tad dated its overall a really good adaptation that manages to capture the spirit of the books really well. Plus in several regards (and especially when compared to the very popular Rathbone and Bruce movies) it feels ahead of its time in its takes of the characters.

Now overall the series is itself quite light hearted, but there are a few noticeable exceptions with their perhaps being no greater than the one featuring my first candidate.

From “The Case of the Perfect Husband”, played by none other than the great Michael Gough, I give you Russel Partridge.

Who Is He:

A handsome, wealthy art collector Partridge is famous throughout all of London, and known by everyone who has ever encountered him as one of the most charming and pleasant men imaginable. Held as the epitome of decency and kindness.

Naturally it’s all a façade. In reality Partridge is a twisted Serial Killer with a particular sick MO. He always tells his victims that he’s going to kill them 24 hrs in advance, specifically so that he can watch them squirm and panic as they slowly come to realise that thanks to his well cultivated reputation no one will believe them and there is nothing they can do to stop him.

What Does He Do:

By the time of the episode Partridge has already successfully murdered seven people through his twisted MO, including his two previous fiancés with him disguising their disappearances as making it look like they left him (in one case at the church altar itself) with him spreading rumours that they went on to marry other men and moved abroad.

Having already selected his next victim Partridge engages in his most twisted game yet. Courting a young woman called Janet, he marries her and then spends a year playing the perfect husband. Following the end of hosting a party to celebrate their one year anniversary, after their guests leave following Janet stating he’s the most perfect man imaginable Partridge leads the conversation into his hidden dark side, casually revealing to her that he’s already murdered seven people and plans to kill her next, with Janet enjoying what she perceives to be a joke right up until the point he starts throttling her.

Releasing her now he’s sure she’s convinced, Partridge casually reveals that he plans to strangle her to death tomorrow at 9 o’clock in evening, just as he previously strangled the other seven. He then states that it doesn’t matter if she doesn’t believe him now, the more the more she thinks about it the more she’ll believe, then she’ll grow to fear it and then she’ll finally realise that nothing she does will make the slightest bit of difference.

The next morning Janet naturally goes to speak to Inspector Lestrade, but knowing she would Partridge had already been to see him a few hours earlier, convincing the Inspector that his wife had come over with a fit of hysteria and now held the irrational delusion he wanted to harm her. Through some Gaslighting to confuse her about the times, he manages to fully discredit poor Janet and leaving Lestrade convinced that it’s all in her head.

Janet herself doubting what she knows, but still too afraid to do nothing she goes to see Sherlock Holmes. The meeting is interrupted by Lestrade, and then again by Partridge himself who claimed Janet had told him she was going to be here and they had already arranged the meeting. Unable to come up with an alternative explanation, Janet just submitted into letting him take her back home.

However, having spotted him stalking her whilst he was buying tobacco Holmes is convinced Janet is right. Managing to persuade Lestrade to get a search warrant for Partridge’s home, he and police examine every inch of the place for several hours, all whilst Partridge cheerfully watched on in fascination. Unfortunately they failed to find any evidence of the seven previous victims, and thus were forced to leave, with Partridge cheerfully excepting the Inspector’s apologies. And even Watson starting to suspect he’s right and Janet is mistaken.

Holmes meanwhile knows the danger is all to real and deciding he must have missed something he broke into the house to talk with Janet. Janet naturally was planning to run away before 9pm but Holmes persuaded her to stay as he knew Partridge would never let her leave alive. They were interrupted by Partridge himself (with Holmes managing to hide behind a screen) to remind Janet she had fifteen minutes left, Janet pretending to not be afraid to Partridges great amusement. He also admitted his temptation during the search to simply tell Holmes were the bodies were but naturally that would have spoiled his game. Prompted by her he revealed he killed all seven victims in this house and that their bodies were still hidden somewhere.

Hearing this Holmes finally realised that there was only possible place left that they could be hidden. Devising a trap, he gave Janet instructions to wait for five minutes and then start to descend down the stairs. Seeing her Partridge approached, declaring that he knew she was really afraid, just as all the others had been in their final moments. However, before he could choke her he’s interrupted by Holmes who holds him a gunpoint.

Partridge smugly points out that Holmes has acted too quickly, and as he can’t be arrested for simply walking up his stairs there is nothing the great detective can do to stop him. However, Holmes reveals what he figured out, that the bodies are in fact hidden within the steps of his grand staircase. Forcing Partridge to reveal the mechanism he opens it up for all to see, declaring “each step a coffin and each coffin a monument to the most insane killer I’ve ever encountered.”

Realising he’s done Partridge tries to run for it, but is apprehended by Watson just as the clock strikes nine.

Any Freudian Excuse or Redeeming Traits:

Nothing is given about his past. Holmes analysis that Partridge is at heart a twisted sadist who kills simply cause he draws amusement from his victims fear and enjoys toying with them.

Partridge is always impeccably polite, even when talking to Janet after revealing his plans to kill her, but it just underlines his mocking cruelty towards her. He spent a year deliberately going out of his way to make her happy and make himself appear the perfect husband, quite simply for the extra enjoyment it would give him to see her reactions when he revealed his true colours and plans for her.

Partridge is a very popular man with a lot of guests at his parties, but it’s made clear this all exists as part of his cultivated image with him at one point declaring “Death is my only true friend.”

Partridge does in the end activate the mechanism that opens the stairs, but this is simply because it’s made clear Holmes has figured him out and if he doesn’t their just break it open. He likewise clearly possess a great level of pride in his crimes, admitting his temptation during the search to simply point out where to look so they could find out the truth.

Heinous Standard:

Now as I said the series is relatively light hearted with most episodes featuring only one murder (and a few much like the original stories don’t even have a single death instead focusing on other crimes). With seven victims to his name Partridge is well beyond the standard and has the second highest body count in the entire series.

Ironically the one who beats him has no chance of counting. Specifically an elderly woman who subtly poisons eight people (and attempts to kill Holmes) however, she’s presented as a lot more sympathetically. Basically having been forced to work her entire life into her old age, she’s decided she can’t allow the same fate to be fall her granddaughter. So has taken to killing people to steal their money, so that she can give it to her (it’s one of those weird cases that probably wouldn’t be portrayed quite so sympathetically if the series was made today, but in any case she doesn’t count).

Still even she beats him by one victim I feel Partridge’s particularly sadistic MO is enough for it not be an issue.

There is likewise an escaped convict in another episode out for revenge on Sherlock Holmes, who was apparently also a serial Bluebeard (mentioned to have killed three wives and two other women), unfortunately all of that is off-screen and in the episode all he manages is to kill one person (a police man for his uniform) and attempts to kill Holmes.

Now the series does have one other Serial Killer who is worth discussing, but they will be the subject of my next effort post.

Conclusion:

Another great candidate for Michael Gough who plays the role with a devilish psychopathy. Overall I think Patridge is an easy keeper.

Still what do you think?

Edited by MGD107 on Jul 1st 2021 at 3:21:09 AM

miraculous Goku Black (Apprentice)
Goku Black
#268911: Jul 1st 2021 at 3:25:01 PM

[tup]Partridge

"That's right mortal. By channeling my divine rage into power, I have forged a new instrument in which to destroy you."
PurpleEyedGuma Since: Apr, 2020
#268912: Jul 1st 2021 at 3:26:18 PM

Yeah to Partridge. Sounds intriguing!

Bullman Enid Sinclair Since: Jun, 2018 Relationship Status: Longing for my OTP
papyru30 from Colorado for summer break Since: Aug, 2016 Relationship Status: Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free
#268915: Jul 1st 2021 at 3:36:49 PM

Yes to Partridge.

Here's the Thawne reevaluation

What’s the work?

This Tales from the Dark Multiverse story is Flashpoint where Barry Allen goes back in time to save his mother from being killed. This results in an altered timeline where Bruce Wayne is dead and his father is Batman and Atlantis and the Amazons are at war with the rest of humanity. The difference from the actual Flashpoint comic is that Barry dies when he attempts to recreate the accident that gave him his powers.

Who is Eobard Thawne and what does he do?

Thawne is the killer of Barry’s mother who shows up after Barry’s death and decides to “enjoy” the altered timeline. He travels to th White House where the President is meeting with various heroes, Thawne murders all of the soldiers outside as well as the heroes. Thawne threatens the President, who is a weak man Thawne manipulated into taking office, and sets himself up as America’s hero who will stop the Amazons and Atlanteans. Thawne talks to Batman who asks him to bring Bruce back but Thawne refuses, admitting that with his powers he could fix the broken world. Thawne then kills around a thousand Atlantean warriors and Aquaman, showing his body to Wonder Woman to threaten her to leave America alone.

Batman, Cyborg, and Superman attack Thawne, managing to contain him briefly, with Superman stunning Thawne with his heroics, which could save the world. Batman kills Superman and attempts to force Thawne to save his son but he’s stopped by Wonder Woman, leading an army of Amazons, Atlantians, and the forces of Apokolips to conquer America. Thawne then runs off to continue messing with the timeline. Thawne saves the Waynes, but in turn dooms Gotham to stay a crime riddled hellhole and he’s last scene leading an army of heroes.

Mitigating Factors?

Nothing really the only possibility is him being stunned by how heroic Superman is but it’s not actual awe or anything, he can literally feel the world changing due to how powerful and good superman is and he doesn’t care in the slightest when Supes dies.

Heinousness?

I think he just passes, while he didn’t create the new horrible world, he refuses to fix it and instead makes it worse through his actions, killing the heroes who could have stopped the war and instead allowing the Amazons to ravage Europe as long as America is left alone. He also keeps altering the timeline at the end, with Tempus Fuginate saying that he’s twisting it into his own form of “perfection” which is likely to not be a nice place.

Conclusion?

I’ll give him a yes.

Michealthehero21 Since: Jan, 2019 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
#268917: Jul 1st 2021 at 3:43:22 PM

[tup] Thawne. Though I gotta say, this version is less evil than most versions of Thawne… Because this version didn't jerked Barry off at super speed so it looked like he nutted at just a woman's touch!

Edited by Michealthehero21 on Jul 1st 2021 at 3:44:01 AM

Bullman Enid Sinclair Since: Jun, 2018 Relationship Status: Longing for my OTP
MGD107 Since: Feb, 2015
Powermaster201 The Emperor of Evil! Since: Apr, 2019 Relationship Status: A cockroach, nothing can kill it.
PolarPhantom Since: Jun, 2012
#268921: Jul 1st 2021 at 4:00:07 PM

And I am now happy to [tup] Dark Multiverse Thawne. Thanks!

LordYAM Since: Jan, 2015
Michealthehero21 Since: Jan, 2019 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
#268924: Jul 1st 2021 at 4:03:24 PM

[up][up] Sorry, I couldn't resist that meme.

SailorVenus372 Since: Nov, 2019 Relationship Status: You cannot grasp the true form

Total posts: 326,048
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