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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

therealjackieboy from Austin, TX Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
caio202 The Brazillian Dog! from Brazil Since: Nov, 2019
Snoketrope Barb / Temporary Kylo from California Since: Oct, 2020 Relationship Status: Waiting for Prince Charming
Barb / Temporary Kylo
#318704: Jul 18th 2022 at 6:21:05 PM

Oh that one I like

[tup] to Joey

Bow to the Prototype
43110 (Striking Back) Relationship Status: Reincarnated romance
#318705: Jul 18th 2022 at 6:26:44 PM

Thank you for clarifying Atlantis! Yes there and yes to Joey.

SkyCat32 The Draftsman of Doom (Five Year Plan) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
The Draftsman of Doom
#318706: Jul 18th 2022 at 6:29:11 PM

Yea to the McReadys and Joey.

Beast from Ontario, Canada Since: Aug, 2012 Relationship Status: Browsing the selection
#318707: Jul 18th 2022 at 8:08:48 PM

[tup] Baum.

[tup] Unicron.

[tup] The McReady's.

[tup] Joey.

"It's like...a cliff, and if I do it, I'm just gonna...fall." "I think we're already falling."
Awesomekid42 (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: It was only a kiss
ASghhrv6ub Best Smile from Second star to the right. Since: Jun, 2020 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
Best Smile
#318709: Jul 18th 2022 at 10:00:38 PM

[tup]Aguilar, Punchline, Desaad, Payne, Aoi Satan, Chloe, Baum, Unicron, McCreadys, Joey.

Condolences nwot.

Edited by ASghhrv6ub on Jul 18th 2022 at 12:01:07 PM

I am the one, I am the one, the godlike terror train, superior artificial brain, feel free to call me Blaine
PolarPhantom Since: Jun, 2012
#318710: Jul 18th 2022 at 11:49:49 PM

Best wishes nwot.

Yes to Baum, Joey and Unicron.

Can confirm Nef Anyo isn't minor, he's probably the most prominent villain in the Corpus (I get the feeling Digital Extremes enjoy using this slimy, sleazy business man). The only other baddie in the Corpus that might be as important is the Corpus Founder himself, Parvos Granum - whom as far as I can tell doesn't count. He's a dirty Capitalist but he's a dirty Capitalist with ideals - he holds Nef Anyo and most of the Corpus in contempt for their slothful acquisition of wealth, being a man that values hard work.

Edited by PolarPhantom on Jul 18th 2022 at 11:50:10 AM

ACW from Arlington, VA (near Washington, D.C.) Since: Jul, 2009
#318711: Jul 19th 2022 at 12:41:51 AM

Sure to Joey. Relatively low-key for a crime novel, but passes baseline.

I've moved Jack.

Edited by ACW on Jul 19th 2022 at 4:49:47 AM

miraculous Goku Black (Apprentice)
Goku Black
#318712: Jul 19th 2022 at 2:51:23 AM

[tup]Joey

So Fullmetal Alchemist (2017) is getting a sequel btw. This one adapting Scar's arc if your interested ?

"That's right mortal. By channeling my divine rage into power, I have forged a new instrument in which to destroy you."
TellAll111 Since: Jun, 2010
#318713: Jul 19th 2022 at 2:57:15 AM

[tup] for Magog, Fleming, Vecna, Mephisto, Maurice, Marie, Flanery, Nye, Wetter (tentative), Rawlings, Granados, Ballas, Manga!Tomio, Aguilar, Punchline, Desaad, Payne, Aoi Satan, Chloe, Baum, Unicron, the Mc Readys, and Joey.

[tdown] for Gillick (tentative), the Faceless Ones, Kincaid, and Anime!Tomio.

ACW from Arlington, VA (near Washington, D.C.) Since: Jul, 2009
#318714: Jul 19th 2022 at 3:39:06 AM

I'm guessing Francisco goes after Nick?

CloisterTheStupid from Oop North Since: Jan, 2019 Relationship Status: Complex: I'm real, they are imaginary
ACW from Arlington, VA (near Washington, D.C.) Since: Jul, 2009
#318716: Jul 19th 2022 at 6:17:09 AM

Since Desaad debuted in season 1, I'm placing him after Red Volcano and before Black Beetle.

Beast from Ontario, Canada Since: Aug, 2012 Relationship Status: Browsing the selection
#318717: Jul 19th 2022 at 6:45:52 AM

Next on the Sweet/Vicious block is the show's sole Serial Rapist, Landon Mays.

For those who didn't read Chloe's EP, the show is a short lived MTV dramady, in which preppy sorority sister, Jules Thomas becomes a vigilante following her own sexual assault. Upon seeing the campus and township protecting predators over victims, and covering up most cases, Jules takes it upon herself to bring some street justice to Darlington. She quickly meets and befriends the campus drug dealer, tech wiz and rebellious trust fund baby, Ophelia Mayer, who becomes her partner in crime.

At first I had issues with Landon due to having a conversation with his accomplice about a game they were looking forward to seeing, but after watching the scene it feels more like a Villains Out Shopping scenario. I'll leave it to the thread, but here we go.

Who is Landon ? What does he do ?

While Jules and Ophelia spend the first half of the season fighting against Darlington's corruption and the on campus rape culture, most perps they got after have one or two victims; Landon on the other hand assaults girls on a regular basis, having a job as an rideshare (uber) driver, and having an accomplice drug girls at bars and parties until they need picking up. Landon would then take the girls to an isolated location, and rape them while they're barely conscious, having his accomplice restrain the more cognitive ones, leaving them with a twelve hour memory gap the next morning.

Landon is also the son of Darlington University's President, Albert Mays, protecting him from any retaliation or investigation...until he catches Jules and Ophelia's attention. Ophelia tracks him down by his driver's number, and learns that when he picks someone up, there's a "usual spot" he takes his victims where his GPS goes dark. Ophelia puts a tracker on his car, planning to pose as an inebriated girl for Landon to pick up, while she and Jules turn the tables on him. When Landon does pick her up, he ends up driving her to a different location and attempts to rape Ophelia along with his accomplice. Ophelia manages to fight them off but they escape, leaving Ophelia shaken from her Attempted Rape, despite putting on a brave face.

Eventually, Ophelia and Jules track Landon and his accomplice down to a parking lot, where they proceed to beat the shit out of them, but the rapist duo fight dirty with Landon cutting Ophelia a couple times with a hidden knife. Landon tries to flee while Ophelia chases him down, tossing a knife into his back. Ophelia starts to give him an intimidation speech they give their usual targets...only for Landon to gloat that she's in trouble now as she chases him down in front of several witnesses, catching the attack on camera. While Landon is seen as a victim of assault, Jules and Ophelia are forced to flee and hide throughout the next episode while the campus goes on lockdown. Ophelia throws the security off their scent by creating a diversion, breaking into a previous target's dorm, and inflicting the same knife wound Landon gave her.

Landon disappears for most of the season, with the rest of it focusing on Jules having to confront her trauma with Nate, and expose and bring him down, with the campus still trying to protect him. Nate is eventually exposed when Jules and Ophelia play a recording of him bragging about getting away with everything, and badmouthing Darlington for sucking up to him, ruining his reputation. Part of the season's cliffhanger is Nate being approached by Landon, proposing a Villain Team-Up to take down the vigilante duo...

Then the show got cancelled, but a comic book continuation was supposed to come out in 2019...

Mitigating Qualities ?

The reason I had issues with him at first was because I thought they were implying that Landon and his accomplice were genuine friends, with the two talking about a game they're looking forward to. Their exact conversation is here.

Landon: Oh, yeah, my dad is letting us use his box for the homecoming game.

Accomplice: Tight! That's gonna be such a good game.

Landon: Dude, Nate Griffin's having an incredible season. Yeah, it's gonna be sick.

(cue Jules and Ophelia getting the drop on them)

Which is about it. Nothing more, nothing less. They don't really explore the relationship between these two further, and the context is a Villains Out Shopping, otherwise showing no care or concern towards each other. That said, Landon doesn't really mistreat his accomplice either, beyond leaving him behind when he's beaten unconscious.

Other than that, Landon's characterization is that of a Smug Snake, and one of the more sadistic, and loud and proud, predators on the show. There's no indication he cares about his father, instead portraying him as a privileged young man, letting daddy cover up his crimes like he does with all of Darlington's assaults. In fact, at the end of the season, Landon has no issue in teaming up with a guy who bad-mouthed his father in a publicized rant.

As far as the heinous standard goes, sexual assault is common on the show, with most of the antagonists being rapists themselves, or a system trying to protect them. Most rapists on this show have one or two victims, including the show's antagonist Nate. As previously discussed, Chloe Freeman regularly sexually assaults her pledges as part of hazings. Landon on the other hand, is the show's only Serial Rapist, with an established pattern and multiple victims; we see one victim onscreen, as well as Ophelia's Attempted Rape, but when he's investigated it's made clear this is something Landon does regularly.

Edited by Beast on Jul 23rd 2022 at 6:03:42 AM

"It's like...a cliff, and if I do it, I'm just gonna...fall." "I think we're already falling."
ACW from Arlington, VA (near Washington, D.C.) Since: Jul, 2009
#318718: Jul 19th 2022 at 7:02:15 AM

So Nate, the Big Bad, doesn't even do that much? Huh.

Sure to Landon.

SkyCat32 The Draftsman of Doom (Five Year Plan) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
The Draftsman of Doom
#318719: Jul 19th 2022 at 7:28:30 AM

Yes to Landon.

G-Editor The 47th President Since: Mar, 2015 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
RandomTroper123 She / Her from I'll let you guess... (Not-So-Newbie) Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
therealjackieboy from Austin, TX Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
Beast from Ontario, Canada Since: Aug, 2012 Relationship Status: Browsing the selection
#318724: Jul 19th 2022 at 8:13:23 AM

@ACW: Nate's the Big Bad in the sense that his assault on Jules is what instigated the plot, and he spends the first half of the season sort of lingering around her while dating her friend.

The second half of the season is devoted to Jules confronting her trauma head on and trying to bring down Nate, while he tries to turn her friends against her, and the school continues to protect him.

But yes, Nate doesn't do much deeds wise besides raping Jules on camera, and trying to turn her sorority against her. He also previously assaulted a girl back in high school. Pretty standard for the series and no where near the baseline.

Had the show got a second season, I could have seen Nate become a CM, as he loses his mitigating qualities by seasons end (ostensibly cared about his girlfriend before she sides with Jules, and his best friend cuts ties with him) but as is, Nate remains a simple Hate Sink.

Edited by Beast on Jul 19th 2022 at 8:15:55 AM

"It's like...a cliff, and if I do it, I'm just gonna...fall." "I think we're already falling."
Bariton3 Since: Dec, 2021 Relationship Status: Awaiting my mail-order bride

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