My Top 5 Villains

Since I've been talking about Villains this week, I wanted to show my top five that I love from both movies and literature.

5. Darth Vader
 No villain list is complete without Darth Vader. He is dark. He is mysterious. But, what I like about him is that he serves a purpose. He is the villain, and yet he is not the mastermind. He is a servant. Sometimes, the worst of characters are not the ones in charge, but those who follow. I think that is wise for us to remember even in life.

4. Hannibal Lecter
 Brilliant, and manipulative, he is a great villain because he is good at reading people. He plays into their weaknesses, trapping them into his psychological games. He has very little good qualities about him, but, rather, enjoys torturing (and eating) people. What makes him a great villain is how good he is at it. In fact, even when the protagonists get what they want, it feels as if Lecter still comes out victorious.

3. Milady from The Three Musketeers.
I didn't find a good picture of her, mainly because the newest one is the actress who plays her in the newest movie and that doesn't follow the book. I love Milady in the book because she is so conniving. She is always trying to position herself, never letting anyone know what her true motives are. She has a hidden life, and is able to rise from nothing to a woman in power using her mind and her deceptive skills. I love that about her. She, of course, is a villain because of her methods and her lies. She uses people for her own gain, which is not admirable. But her tenacity makes her good opponent for the protagonist.

2. Scar from Disney's Lion King
Disney has mastered the art of the complex villain. Scar wants to be in power. He has jealousies and ambition. His mode of getting what he wants makes him a villain. No one can kill their brother to obtain the throne and come out as a hero. He also hangs out with dark creatures that serve him and enforce his dark nature. I'm sure psychology classes could go in depth about how he got the scar and how it could contribute to his personality. What I like about Scar is that he is not a psycho. He is just a dark character who choose to put his wants above all else. But, feeding into his jealousies is what ultimately is his downfall.

1.Iago from Othello
 The picture I chose is my favorite actor for Iago. He is smart, manipulative and two faced. He has his own motives, but he is ultimately driven to take down Othello. In other words, he doesn't want power or social gain. Just vindication for what he felt is a wrong done against him. What makes him wickedly sweet is that Othello trusts him. He is able to play the friend to Othello's face all the while plotting against him. But, Iago is a complex character. He has reasons for what he does. He is not just a horrible person driven by horrible desires. He is, by far, my favorite villain.

Tomorrow, I'll get into what I feel makes these villains withstand the test of time. What makes them good examples and what traits make a "good" villain.