#i genuinely do love Balthazar Bratt

[the-malware-mind-palace]

Happy April everycreature, my Magnum Opus of the year is here‼️ Presenting:

Balthazar Bratt dying in a glue trap!!! <3

See you next lousy millennium

[rosyrosethorns]

“… That was… a little anxiety-inducing, actually,” Madi muttered before taking another small bite of ice cream. Even sitting on the rooftop of a building didn’t feel as bad, especially since she was keeping a safe distance from the ledge.

Balthazar Bratt raised a brow as he looked back towards her. “Not used to traveling via grappling hook?~”

“… It’s not just that,” the girl confessed. “If… If we had gotten caught… we could’ve both ended up arrested, and—and I don’t want that…” She lowered her head, and the bowl in her hands, looking rather timid. “I’m sorry, this—none of this was anticipated… I wasn’t thinking… Not about the chances of you showing up, my comfort level, the possible outcomes—“

To her surprise, Bratt interjected by moving in closer and draping an arm around her shoulders, a smirk on his face as he spoke:

“No, no, no, the arrest thing’s understandable~ Always a bummer when I couldn’t get away.��� Having finished his ice cream, the mischievous villain stole a spoonful of hers before he continued: “And you’re too sweet for prison~”

… He kept throwing out little compliments like that. It confused the girl—was he genuinely showing interest or was it in his nature to flirt with any woman he can? All she could do was avert her eyes shyly as a blush coated her cheeks.

“But… this was still an awkward first meeting,” she replied. “And a… bit of an awkward first date…”

Something else unexpected happened at this point: Bratt cupped Madi’s face as he looked her in the eye.

“Aww~… Baby, this wasn’t awkward,” he crooned; his thumb stroking her cheek. “I think someone’s just a little frazzled after all that stuff involving ‘not thinking’~”

… It felt way too soon for a first kiss, and yet it was all Madi could think about as she stared into those dark brown eyes of his. Her lips slightly parted as she attempted to speak, but all that could come out was a small noise.

A soft chuckle escaped Bratt in response. To the girl’s surprise, he DID give her a kiss—despite it only being a small peck on the forehead.

“Oh, you’re adorable~” the villain purred. He pulled her into a hug as he spoke, running his fingers through her hair. “I just wanna eat you up~”

… Once again, the red-faced girl had no idea what to say.

୨ ——- ♡ ——- ୧

“So, where to next time?~”

Bratt’s inquiry had Madi stunned as she blinked in response. “Ne—Next time…?”

Her response amused the villain as he reclined on the apartment windowsill. “What? All that stuff we did and talked about tonight, and you didn’t expect a ‘next time’?~”

“… Uh… W—Well…” The girl adjusted her glasses as she hesitated for a moment. “Actually… can we… stay in next time…?”

The way Bratt perked up almost resembled a child excited to hang out at his friend’s place. “Oooo, your place or mine??~”

“Whi—Whichever?”

“Mine, then!~ Oh, you are gonna love all the gizmos and stuff I’ve got!” He sat up on the windowsill, ready to depart—but not before blowing a kiss to the flustered girl. “Tomorrow at six, baby—byeee!~”

“Huh—?!” Watching him fall backwards, the shocked girl ran over to the window to make sure he had something to catch his fall… To her great relief, she saw Bratt fly off with a childish laugh; the feature in his suit admittedly resembling a flying squirrel.

[thesquishypenguin]

For ship questions redux

Pre relationship 1,2, 6 and 7

GIRL I FEEL LIKE THESE ONES ARE SO HARD??? These are definitely ones that I'd have to like..sit down and get ideas about with someone for omg. Or something to be RP'd out!

Ship Questions Redux

KiloHertz (OC) x Maxime Le Mal (Cannon)

1 How did they first meet

2 What was their first impression of each other

6 What was their 'flirting stage' like?

7 How do their friends and family feel about them as a couple?

1 - How did they first meet?

Lycée Pas Bon! KiloHertz likely signed herself up there to escape her uncle's clutches - or may have been signed up by him in order to get her out of his hair. They were in the same grade/of similar age.

I genuinely don't? Think these two would've interacted much in terms of critical events (or perhaps really at all??) besides being grade/class-mates - even more so as they grew up I think the two were just far too different. I think kHz admired him from afar and I don't think Maxime really noticed her. I think it'd be cute and fun to be like aww they were both outcasts for being Weird! but :) I actually like it more that neither really interacted. I like too much that kHz has a weird little long term crush on a guy she could never get close to and that he's falling for her much later on in life!!!

2 - What was their first impression of each other?

Probably nothing spectacular when the were younger. He was either the weird kid obsessed with bugs she turned her nose up at a little (and then fucking fell in love with), or he was always just the cool kid who she'd never really get a chance to talk to.

Where as Maxime probably thought she was the weird kid who talked too much and was too hyperactive and wacky (not to mention her obsession with robots...). Or he just simply never really paid any mind to her since after a bit she just..kept to herself and was often on her own.

Re-meeting later on in life, both are impressed with the others rise to fame and popularity. Though Kilohertz still tends to roll her eyes because 'of course' he'd end up or still be so popular, he's too charming. Maxime I think is just interested in her in general, how much she's changed..yet not really changed at all. The reunion has him taking a particular interest in her status, now that she's within contactable reach.

I think he finds her arrogance annoying and likewise she finds his boasting just as irritating. Her reclusive nature is bizarre to him even if she's always been like that, and his loud extrovert-edness is a bit much for her (which is probably odd considering she putts up with Balthazar Bratt so well) But neither can deny they're curious about the other and how things have turned out for them.

6 - What was their 'flirting-stage' like?

I feel like its short. Short and incredibly fast. I feel like there's some back and forth sly compliments and little nudges/winks etc that would make either of them blush on occasion. And then the next thing Maxime knows she's talked him through his worries and is admiring his new body. Guy falls immediately, hard and fast in the blink of an eye.

I HC since breaking up with Valentina he's been...very self conscious about it, and the idea that maybe nobody would ever accept him romantically again because of it. So when she shows no fear or hesitation...and actually seems quite invested and interested in what he's done to himself....welp! :) Neither of these idiots can believe the other actually might like them or be interested! kHz probably makes her crush embarrassingly obvious at some point, or probably admits it in a trying not to admit it kind of way. And Maxime allowing himself to be vulnerable with her is mwuah mwuah seals their fate seals their fate

I feel like its one I'd have to RP out though to get anymore specifics!

7 - How do their friends and family feel about them as a couple?

You know we've been fleshing this out in our rp so!! There's actually been some changes as to how i'd answer this :O

Originally I said neither really had friends or family. But we've rather firmly placed Bratt in her arms and gone 'here, hold this'.

I think generally speaking people either don't care, or if they think they know them well enough/grew up with them, probably think 'of course one freak would find the other'. I should think most people probably find it a little odd or 'whatever' because once you start thinking about Maxime's body...questions arise. I think some might be a little impressed, just because both are now so 'popular' in their own weird little ways.

I think it also depends how hard you wanna HC Maximes changes as an uprising or downfall :') I tend to lean towards the latter in that while initially everyone is impressed, the weirdness of it sets in real fucking fast.

I think Bratt would be the only supportive person she speaks to regularly and would likely encourage it. Like yeah! Good for them! Love wins. Even if its weird freaky half roach love or whatever. But I think he also gets jealous if Maxime takes up too much of her time - Bratt's become accustomed to having her almost undivided attention as of late.

(Context: kHz has been working too closely and too comfortably for/with Bratt and the pair have developed a bit of a thing for each other - and both idiots are convinced the other wouldn't want to get involved like that. They're "just friends" haha!)

Valentina...ech yeah, I really don't think she cares for kiloHertz AT ALL - and now (HC) being Maxime's ex I think she not only cares for her even less, but probably ridicules her for her choice, and him for his. Maxime really hit rock bottom with THAT one.

[gothsic]

Tagged by: @citialiin ( basil im lov u ) Tagging: anybody who wants to do it!

I’ve put this under the cut so it doesn’t clog anyone’s dash!

NAME :  Alexandra NICKNAME : Alex

FACECLAIM : Ramona Flowers when I do use face claims here. PRONOUNS : she/her HEIGHT :  5′0″ BIRTHDAY :  October 22 AESTHETIC :   Campy B-grade horror mixed with outer space, hard science fiction stuff ( machinery and industrial hellscapes ), and some colorful pop art that explodes off the page. Also some hidden black and whites! LAST  SONG  YOU  LISTENED  TO :  Moanin’ by Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers ( jazz is one of my favorite musical genres ). FAVORITE  MUSE (S)  YOU’VE  WRITTEN : Honest to god, I’m having the most fun writing for Jo. It’s wonderful to see so many people want to interact with him and I also enjoy writing him as well. But my second favorite would probably be a tie between Ramona Flowers ( Scott Pilgrim ) and Balthazar Bratt ( Despicable Me 3 ).

* GETTING  TO  KNOW  THE  ACCOUNT :

WHAT  INSPIRED  YOU  TO  TAKE  ON  THIS  MUSE :  Jo has been a character in my head since I was 12 years old. I wanted to write this story for a long time, and he slowly developed over the course of several years. On a whim, I thought to myself “hey, why don’t I bring him to Tumblr?” This was about a week or so ago, and I was roleplaying as Ramona at the time ( still active there, it’s just super low activity ). 

I’m so glad I made that choice!

WHAT  ARE  YOUR  FAVORITE  ASPECTS  OF  YOUR  CURRENT  MUSE :  Writing Jonathan’s dialogue is probably my favorite thing to do, mainly because it is so tricky to get right. He’s a sarcastic fuck, but he can also be really nice when he needs to be. Sometimes it comes from a genuine place, sometimes it doesn’t. That’s the tough, yet rewarding part, about writing him. WHAT’S  YOUR  BIGGEST  INSPIRATION  WHEN  IT  COMES  TO  WRITING :  Manga and anime, but I also really love television and it’s the thing that keeps me going.  FAVORITE  TYPES  OF  THREADS :  Threads where shit hits the fan, especially when Jo is forced out of his usual persona and into something more vulnerable. That’s super uncomfortable for him and so fun for me. BIGGEST  STRUGGLE  IN  REGARDS  TO  YOUR  CURRENT  MUSE : Honestly? Everything. He’s my oldest character and that in it of itself comes with problems ( I’m 21, he’s in his 40s ), plus his dialogue is hard to nail, as I explained earlier. I’m also still ironing out his psychology, trying to get him just right. I still feel like parts are missing, and I want to make sure that eventually I get to a place where people get him, but also like what he’s trying to be on the surface. That’s the goal, really.

I absolutely love unlikable characters - most of my characters are, actually. But of course they have to have something human about them, or else the audience can’t relate. That’s my struggle with Jo, but I hope I’m getting somewhere with him.

[brattizen-blog]

girl. - the reason.

In the dead of night, there is nothing more than the sounds of silence to accompany his rest. However, he is not fully asleep - indeed, his eyes lie open behind the mask with the Evil Bratt patterns stitched onto the front. Something is gnawing at his mind, chewing it up and spitting it out much in the vein of a disgusted, yet ravenous animal. 

Why was it that THAT had to return?

That which haunted his memory, a translucent ghost dancing through the halls of this, his isolated cave dedicated to Evil Bratt memorabilia?

This was the whole reason he'd REFUSED to see her again. YES. THIS, THE ONLY REASON. Now THAT is a bold-faced lie (NO IT ISN'T, YOU FREAKIN' SHUT YOUR TRAP!). The truth was that...

Well.

How could he even ADMIT it? How could even FACE that memory again, clear as day, as sharp as the SHARPEST blade?

HE'S TOYED WITH THOSE BEFORE!

But this...

He sighs to himself, and sits up in bed as he pulls the mask off of his face, and tosses it to the side, resting his hand on his cheek.

"Balthy, why did you come today?"

Her voice strikes a chord within him as he grabs a pillow from behind him, and holds it close to his chest, allowing the memory to come to full fruition (DANG IT! IT CAN'T BE BLOCKED OUT NOW!).

There he was, standing in front of her while wringing his hands together - having just got out of his costume, too - all with the anxiety of a boy caught with a racing heartbeat and a drop of sweat crawling down his cheek. Despite being marked as one of the most HEARTTHROBBIEST OF CHILD ACTORS BELOW 12, somehow he was always... ALWAYS such a MESS in front of her!

But that AWARD didn't define who he actually WAS. In truth, he was CONFUSED as to why he'd gotten it in the first place.

WAS HE THAT KID WITH THE COCKY GRIN AND SMOOTH FACE?

" Um... I, well... " His voice cracked ever so slightly as her head tilted to the side - she was still in that polka-dotted dress that her character - Susie - frequently wore on the show. And that smile? Priceless - very much hers. There was no denying it; she was able to be so many things at once.

" I was wondering if... um, you wanted to... "

"Hm? Oh, Balthy - are you... asking me out?"

The question strikes him as a surprise as he gasps, and looks this way and that, nearly stumbling backwards. Indeed, he had been taken THAT aback by her direct assumption. Except, it wasn't just an assumption...

IT WAS UNDOUBTEDLY TRUE!

" I-I, uh, eh... I'm... well... I'm...! "

She begins to giggle, as a blush crossed that thin bridge of her nose, and gave him a rather warm look - eyes open, smile wide, revealing that one crooked tooth on the far right.

"Yes! Of course! I was, actually..." She pauses, as she begins to avert her gaze to the ground, though the smile is not once removed from her face.  "I was waiting for you to ask. I was afraid you wouldn't, especially now that you're... hee hee!" She is unable to stifle a giggle as she continues:

"Especially now that you're America's biggest hunk!"

Now THAT elicits a great warmth to gross his face as he too looks away, balling his fists tightly. 

Mother said not to approach.

You're bad in the blood.

You're a Bratt.

You have the gene.

Stay away from the good ones.

The beautiful ones.

YOU'RE JUST A BAD SEED READY TO SPROUT INTO A RAVENOUS VENUS FLYTRAP, ENGORGING ITSELF on the MEAT OF THE HUMANS IT MEETS. STAY AWAY.

No.

He wouldn't.

He wanted this. He wanted to see her smiling face against the sunset - that hill in Malibu he had escaped to once or twice following filming on his bicycle. Sometimes, he'd see her face in the water if he looked down where his feet dangled off the cliff. That was where he'd take her.

She'd love it, wouldn't she?

He hoped so. He really, REALLY did.

"I'm sure Mom and Dad will let me go! They really like you, anyway!"

He scratched the back of his head, and grunted ever so slightly at the thought - HIM? LIKED? Couldn't be - by someone OTHER than the fans. Other than HER... it was UNTHINKABLE! But, at least, that would make things easy.

And it did.

Balthazar looks out into the distance, as the sunset seemed to come back to him now. She had ridden on the back of his bicycle - somehow, they'd managed - as she nearly fell off multiple times. He pedaled up the hill to the best of his ability, the two struggling to keep their composure as she continuously laughed and screamed with glee every time she nearly fell face first onto the asphalt beneath their feet, while Balthazar enjoyed the very idea of her being with him.

Accepting him.

Mother didn't have to know.

Mother didn't care.

Mother would not dominate his life anymore.

He was a star.

A REAL STAR! Like she PROMISED - he'd OUTGROWN her!

HE WAS INVINCIBLE! 

And finally, the two of them approached that grassy hill, where yellow dandelions grew in the green blades of grace, as the two removed their shoes and let Balthazar's bike fall over on the asphalt, one wheel spinning and shining with an iridescent glow in the orange-hued dusk.

The sun lay just overhead as she picked a few dandelions, leaning over every so often and showing him what she'd found.

"Isn't it pretty? I love these!"

" They... they really are, Aubrey! "

He hadn't stuttered. He hadn't minced words. He'd REPLIED TO HER like a NORMAL human being!

She continuously picked up dozens of dandelions, some falling out of her hands as she tripped over herself once or twice. Each time, Balthazar was there to help her up, his heart racing every time her hand touched his. The warmth, the glow - all of it stunning, shocking, enough to send his soul to the heavens above!

So powerful, so... so...

Overwhelming!

And finally, as the stars began to creep over the blanket of orange covering the sky, the moon far in the distance being overshadowed by the sun, the two of them collapsed onto the grass, the wind whistling past their ears as their laughter overpowered it.

And just what WERE they laughing about?

They exchanged stories about their lives - namely, about funny things that had happened on their respective sets. On hers, an extra had decided to mug the camera one too many times, thus angering the director quite a bit and sending him into a fit of rage. On his, the actor opposite him could not stop laughing at his terrible jokes, which made getting the take all the more impossible.

Childlike bonding, but bonding nevertheless.

He wasn't bad. Not really.

Mother was wrong.

Mother didn't know anything.

She was just so mean, wasn't she?

And finally, his laughter settled, as he caught a glimpse of her in the sun her dark hair shadowed by the sunset overhead and her eyes scrunched shut as she continued to let out one or two extra laughs - leftover from the joy that likely bubbled within that small frame of hers.

Extraordinary.

Truly extraordinary.

Captivation was an understatement.

The boy who had been born with that curse of the so-called Bratt gene was here - basking in HER presence, something that Mother had warned against him doing. He was unfit for such things.

He was so terribly unlucky. And now? 

Anything but. This was truly a privilege.

How... how to even... begin.

And finally, her laughter ceased as she looks up at the sky, her smile not once ceasing.

"I had a great time today. I just wanted you to know that."

" ...Really? "

"Yeah! It's so pretty out here. And you're... you're also really funny! You have a lot of stuff to talk about. I wish I could come to more Evil Bratt shoots!"

A giggle, after that.

"I've always admired you. You're just so cool! You make so many people happy. Um..." A pause, until she looked over to him rather quickly. 

"Including me."

His entire being seemed to melt on the ground like a puddle - made of purple sludge and grime, what made up his insides. A disgusting vermin like him, in the presence of such a gorgeous creature whose entire heart was filled to the brim with the most altruistic of intent - the most beautiful of thoughts! Never did she have a selfish thought, he figured - there was simply no way, if she was complimenting him!

If she agreed to this, then he... he must not be so bad, after all.

Right.

Yeah.

Sure...

He should... he could accept this, right?

What was he going to do about it, now? 

...

He winces at the memory, biting his nail and gripping the pillow ever closer against his chest as that... feeling crosses his heart. Firm. Tight. Simply unbearable as he scrunches his eyes shut and the memory plays out in full against the backdrop of the picturesque world of the past.

His lips against hers.

Quiet.

The Earth seemed to stand still as he took it ravenously - yet shyly all the same, taking it all in with a great joy. His hand awkwardly touching her arm, the other reaching towards nothing in particular. Held back by some invisible force of nature - his own.

Undoubtedly his own.

And while it felt like minutes had passed by, she pulled away ever so suddenly, her face red as she shot up and held her hands close to her chest.

"Balth--!"

Not even his nickname.

Not even his full name.

Something in between being recognized and being pushed away.

Balthazar sat up then, following her movements, as he did everything in his power to apologize. Those words repeating over and over again as he babbled and babbled words of genuine upset.

" I-I'm, uh, I'm so... I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it! I didn't! I swear! "

I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY 

DON'TLEAVEMEDON'TLEAVEMEDON'T--

And...

SCENE.

What had happened afterwards, Balthazar thinks, as he sits there in the dark with the alarm clock next to his bed reading the words: 2:30 A.M? A curious idea, because at the moment, he cannot recall it.

It is black.

Black as the room he sits in.

The lights turned off.

And his eyes stinging from the pain boiling from his chest and overflowing onto the pillow in front of him.

Drat.

[tgunn64]

Favorite Villains - The Honorable Mentions

A lot of you following this blog have probably caught wind of my passion for counting down my favorite villains in anything I’ve ever seen or played, and counting them down in an extensive list right here. But narrowing down all of those villains was hard, and sometimes, I make new discoveries that drop folks off the Top 50.

Which is why this master post is devoted to the honorable mentions. Those with essays that were once in the 50 but gracefully were removed or maybe didn’t quite make the cut to my 50 in the first place.

Those that were retired over time and their essays;

Littlefinger

Kefka Palazzo

Valmont

Cyrus Henstridge

Toyman

Green Goblin

Reverse Flash

Broly

President Snow

Ramses

Doctor Doom

Lusamine

Lady Tremaine

Jafar

Shang Tsung

Balthazar Bratt

And the rest that didn’t quite make the cut!

Abis Mal (Aladdin franchise)

For someone that really should not have been more than a cheeky comic relief villain, Jason Alexander’s performance and some brilliant writing utilizing him in a myriad of creative and fun plots, Abis Mal wound up a million times more memorable than he ever had the right to be. From attaining his own genie to CHASES THROUGH TIME, Abis Mal is always up to something fun, alongside his equally charming sidekick, Haroud.

Tywin Lannister (Game of Thrones)

The smartest man in all of Westeros--Tywin is wise, intuitive, and strategic. Essentially an ideal leader, the main reason Tywin is a villain is because of his questionable methods and morals. He's one of the most nuanced and complex characters in the saga, which is saying a lot, and every conversation he has ends with you siding with him. He's not a good father or man, but oddly the kind you can trust, and just about every thing he does, no matter how awful, is for a distinct and reasonable motive. 

The Four Heavenly Kings (Sailor Moon)

While they were technically henchmen, working under Queen Beryl, the Four Heavenly Kings, Jadeite, Nephrite, Zoisite, and Kunzite were easily the first season’s most active villains, feeling very strongly like uniform 80s villains in the best way possible. They have inner faction quarrels and power struggles, that in a way mirror the occasional fights between the Sailor Guardians. Jadeitie is a great starter villain, and is memorable as the first recurring villain in the entire franchise. Second is Nephrite, quite possibly my favorite of the whole crew, who snuck into the human society and was efficient as a spy, but finds himself torn when he finds love on earth, in the form of one of Usagi’s close school friends no less, whom he even ends up giving his life for. Zoisite and Kunzite were the two ‘leaders’, not only representation of a gay relationship, but a VERY loving one at that. Sometimes I think Usagi and Mamarou could get relationship notes from them, because no matter how tense things got, Kunzite and Zoisite were always very loving and I never felt they were abusive like some villain ships can be. Zoisite had his fingers in every pie he could, and Kunzite was simply a powerhouse that gave the Sailors a shake up unlike any other. They were also some of the best performed characters on the show, especially Liam O’Brien as Nephrite and Patrick Seitz as Kunzite. As a collective, the Four Heavenly Kings were unforgettable.

Carnage (Spider-Man/Marvel)

As such a huge fan of Venom and his severely 90s, hard metal rock aesthetic, it should come as no surprise that I also really love Carnage, Venom’s much more psychotic, dangerous, and in some cases, powerful offspring. While Venom can sometimes be veered in the direction of putting his own goals aside, there is no coaxing Carnage, who cares only to fulfill his own desires of, well, carnage. Being a very realistic psychopath, he can be genuinely scary at times, and is always a foe that can make Spider-Man sweat. 

The Joker (Batman/DC)

The Joker is a classic, and there’s a LOT to talk about with him, but I wanna use this to discuss my all time favorite work the Joker has been a part of; Bayman Beyond: Return of the Joker, where the villain’s role as more of an idea than a person is proved to be even more dangerous than ever once thought. We see the Joker discover Batman’s secret identity, die, and then have his consciousness transferred into Tim Drake, all in one incredible film, and in my opinion, it’s the best we’ve seen the Joker. He’s gritty and terrifying, but never loses his classic charm. I also must admit I love his more subdued design in this movie--a simple suit and buzzcut. It somehow makes him seem more threatening, and fits his new physique that lets him get his hands dirty, one on one with Batman. It isn’t until a data chip containing his ideals is stomped to pieces that the Joker is dead and gone forever, and something about that just runs a chill down my spine.

Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange (Harry Potter series)

The Death Eaters are one of the most immaculate and varied villain factions out there, lead by the ever infamous he-who-shall-not-be-named, Lord Voldemort. The fear of death is one any feel, making Voldemort pretty relatable, which is surprising for such a ghastly and scary fantasy villain. Voldemort has moments of bizarre affection for those that surround him (his awkward hug for Draco comes to mind), undercutting how frightening he can be at his nastiest. At his side is Bellatrix Lestrange, a delightful psycho with one of the coolest wardrobes/designs ever. While not the only Death Eater that deserves mention, you could always rely on her to make things a little more interesting and dance on the remains of your house afterwards.

Mojo Jojo (The Powerpuff Girls)

Another BIG TIME nostalgia villain for me, Mojo’s striking design, incredible voice work, and always inventive schemes earned him the dwarfing number of episodes he had among the PPG rogues gallery. What REALLY cemented him as a huge villain, though, was seeing the beginnings of his evil in the PPG movie. His takeover of Townsville is impressive and dark, and seeing him have a hand in the creation of the Girls is just so cool to see in full motion, followed up by his manipulation of the Girls that left a wound on the heart of any of the show’s fans.

Palpatine (Star Wars)

The sort of villain you see from every angle and in every role, Palpatine is a whole load of fun, setting the very cogs of Star Wars into motion while being a delight to watch on either end of the spectrum, capable of being just as subtly enthralling as he could be absurdly bombastic. His monologue on his master, Darth Plagieus, is one of the best villain monologues out there. He’s an incredible baddie, and I love how he can be quotable in a way that’s fun and a bit memetic, but is incredibly difficult to discredit as a huge threat

General Blue (Dragon Ball)

General Blue left a huge impact on me as a kid; quite possibly the first canonly gay villain I ever encountered, he just really stood out because of that. He's a ruthless war strategist, but was also a neat freak, the kind of guy that would have a soldier executed for picking his nose. His telepathic powers made him a really fun villain to fight, and his climax allows a cameo from ARALE WEEEE! I just love the juxtaposition of someone willing to kill children to carry out his mission next to someone that will freak out if he's touched by unclean hands. While not the leader of the Red Ribbon Army, he's definitely side by side with Tao as the faction's stand out villain.

Lord Business (The Lego Movie)

The Lego Movie I think was one of the biggest surprises of animation, ever. What many thought would just be a quick cash grab turned out to be one of the most hilarious, heart filled, and thought provoking animated movies ever, and Lord Business was a big part of that. We're placed in the shoes of the hero just as much as we are the villain as far as the moral of the film goes, going to show that he and Emmett aren't very different at all. While Will Ferrell plays him hysterically, we see he's actually a bit terrifying. But what REALLY ties him together is...the plot twist in the end. The one I will never ever spoil (most of the time) because everyone deserves to experience that incredible reveal at least once blind.  

Mechagodzilla (Godzilla franchise)

Another hugely nostalgia stand out in a massive rogues' gallery; Gozilla had defended the earth from a multitude of monsters, which is when the aliens that detest him so for defending the insignificant planet over and over decide that the best thing to kill Godzilla, is a MECHAGodzilla! He's one of those game changer villains, similar to Bane or Shishio that raise the bar and the stakes so far above and beyond previous villains, and give a whole new challenge to the once thought unstoppable hero. With an incredibly memorable design and even an entire film dedicated to him, Mechagodzilla is undeniably Godzilla's biggest rival. Even if stronger monsters would come along, Mechagodzilla and how revolutionary he was cannot be shaken, remaining the ultimate yang to the King of Monsters' yin.

Maximillian Pegasus (Yu-Gi-Oh!)

One of the most endearing and interesting figures in a show full of colorful characters, Pegasus is easily the anime Xanatos--not truly evil but entirely willing to do what he must for his own ends, no matter how many innocent grandpa souls he has to steal. Pegasus was a spontaneous and enigmatic fellow, every time he was on screen you were never quite sure what he was up to. Even as he became more of an Enemy Mine helper of the heroes, you get the idea that he places himself before all others. His persona as a millionaire mogul that never quite grew out of his love for cartoons is equally endearing, and his Toon themed deck made him one of the most interesting foes the heroes had to face. Yu-Gi-Oh has a surprising slew of neat villains, but the show was never quite the same after Pegasus' time as the big bad was up.

King Louie (The Jungle Book)

While I always loved King Louie in the old movies as sort of a neutral force, the new JB remake took him up to eleven and beyond. Sort of a gangster of the jungle, Louiewas intimidating and, while not important to much outside exposition, he's portrayed with so much gravitas and presence that it's hard not to remember him, and Christopher Walken makes him all the more endearing. Despite his charms, he's a scary foe too, his transformation into a gigantopithecus over an orangutan allowed the animators to make him GIGANTIC and intimidating. You know he could easily crush Mowgli in his grasp and every offer Mowgli turns down, you fear he's closer to the straw that'll break the camel's back and make Louie turn on him. His status as something of a mogul with 'eyes and ears' all over the jungle in the form of his followers really tied together the vibrant world of the jungle, a cherry atop an already stellar ensemble. 

Meruem (Hunter x Hunter)

The threat of the carnivorous, cross breed insect monsters called the Chimera Ants were the deadliest monsters Gon and Killua had ever faced--but at the head of these savage monsters was their surprisingly nuanced and intelligent king, Meruem. As animalistic and terrifying as Meruem could be, he was equally proud and refined. Something of an intellectual, Meruem is the kind that spends his time learning various strategy games when he isn't feasting on the flesh of the innocent. Although he starts off as an elitist with a mentality of self superiority, his meeting with the world champion of the game of Gungi teaches him about different kinds of strength and how even if you are a superpowerful chimera, sometimes you just can't beat a sickly blind girl at a strategy game. Lessons and complexity aside, he's a super powerful foe--challenging the strongest established hero in the show to what may be the most epic battle in the entire series. He's a villain who grows and learns as much, if not more than most heroes do, and even if I found the Chimera Ant arc a bit long and tedious, he stole every scene he appeared in and filled the gap left by Hisoka's temporary absence.

Bill Cipher (Gravity Falls)

Don't let anyone let you believe Gravity Falls is overhyped. Even if it does stand out among it's family of other Disney cartoons, it's one of the finest animated series ever, and thanks in no small part to Bill Cipher. A villain that despite looking diminutive is as sinister and terrifying as he is cutting and sardonic. Seeming like a spiritual successor to the likes of Hades, Bill is a deal maker and a sheer devil that takes nothing short of the most dismissive pleasure in the suffering of the innocent. The Weirdmageddon is one of the scariest and most intense climaxes to any cartoon, and the lore surrounding him lent itself incredibly well to GF's mystery/cryptid motif. Bill Cipher was a mystery the fandom spent years trying to solve, and seeing his endgame was exceptionally satisfying.

Ego (Marvel)

Probably one of the most charismatic and interesting villains the MCU has made, and in my opinion, the only one-movie villain who gives Red Skull a run for his money--Ego was an awesome character. Kurt Russell did an amazing job making him seem likable and making you want him and Peter to truly reunite--but his godly aspirations won't allow it to be. He goes from warm dad to complete monster as his true colors show, leading to one of the most incredible climaxes in this vast franchise. It's no epiphany to realize that Marvel struggles a bit with it's villains, but Ego was terrifying and had a HELL of a daunting plan, making him a great character from beginning to end.

Jagi (Fist of the North Star)

Fist of the North Star, one of the eearliest trendsetters among Shonen Anime, presents a large gallery of villains, but no one you spend a terribly long time with outside the big bad, Raoh. That being said, just about everyone that challenges Kenshiro is awesome--the power drunk Shin, the flamboyant Juda--but the one that has stuck with me with most so far is Jagi, the first of Kenshiro's 'brothers' to resurface after the end of the world. Sporting an incredibly memorable aesthetic with a biker helmet and spiked shoulder pads, Jagi intends to drag Kenshiro's good name through the mud, going as far as to emulate the seven scars on his chest to imitate him. The difference is; Jagi hardly knows the first thing about fighting, and would much rather rely on dirty tricks such as spitting nails, pulling guns, and lighting gas fires. Exceptionally petty and cruel--it's strange to think that FotNS's mangka calls Jagi his favorite character in the whole series, since he's precisely who I wish had more screen time before his demise.