# Evil Genius or Valiant Hero? Which are you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 27, 2004, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-genius-or-valiant-hero-which-are-you/247442 "2004-05-27T23:41:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Notorious\_Nik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/858c86/32.png) [@Notorious\_Nik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Notorious_Nik)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-genius-or-valiant-hero-which-are-you/247442/1 "2004-05-27T23:41:36Z")
Seems like a pretty easy quesion, don’t you think? Who do you think you relate to more, the villan or the hero? Superman, or Lex Luther, Batman or The Joker. I think you know where I’m going with this. ``` I've always seen myself as the bad guy. Bad guys have more fun. They get all the clever lines, while the good guys get tacky catch phrases. Bad guys have elaborate plots to take over the world, and good guys just get lucky and win. I say, long live the villian, for without us, there would be no hero's!!! ``` ---
**Author:** ![SandyHook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-genius-or-valiant-hero-which-are-you/247442/2 "2004-05-27T23:48:39Z")
Hero. The bad guys are generally arrogant pricks, snappy one liners not withstanding. Need we go no further IRL than mention Hitler. And you don’t need evil to have heros nor even horrible events. Anyone who has done a good job of raising children is certainly a hero. Heros run in burning buildings to save strangers. Arrogant pricks stand in the shreeking crowd and pick pockets. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-genius-or-valiant-hero-which-are-you/247442/3 "2004-05-27T23:53:37Z")
Neither, I’m really more the goofy Hero’s sidekick who makes bad puns. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-genius-or-valiant-hero-which-are-you/247442/4 "2004-05-27T23:59:20Z")
At one point, I would have said Hero. But a few weeks ago, I had this thought _Man, I really understand why the evil geniuses always want to destroy the whole world_. ---
**Author:** ![sinjin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@sinjin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sinjin)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-genius-or-valiant-hero-which-are-you/247442/5 "2004-05-28T00:21:41Z")
Evil sarcastic genius with heart of gold who secretly covers the escape of the heros who go free and change the world for the deserving citizens of the entire universe. (I feel really good now 🆒 ) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-genius-or-valiant-hero-which-are-you/247442/6 "2004-05-28T00:23:49Z")
Evil Overlord, because I have read the [list.](http://www.eviloverlord.com/lists/overlord.html) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5daacb/32.png) [@Tikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tikki)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-genius-or-valiant-hero-which-are-you/247442/7 "2004-05-28T00:34:14Z")
All hail the Evil Overlord List!! I’m the lone wolf villian who ultimately winds up working on the side of good. I can hack any computer, pick any lock and get to drive all the cool cars. Life is good! ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Boods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Ms\_Boods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Boods)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-genius-or-valiant-hero-which-are-you/247442/8 "2004-05-28T01:05:08Z")
Being an independent scholar who has been frustrated time and again trying to get grants or attendance at conferences, and cannot, or isn’t qualified to cos I’m not affiliated with an academic institution or programme, I have sympathised many, many times with the so-called evil geniuses in movies – they’re _not_ evil – they’re just misunderstood and frustrated cos they can’t get any bloody funding…er…pardon me a moment… :: goes over to adjust the aiming mechanism on the doomsday laser, made, by necessity, with objects found round the home :: ---
**Author:** ![OneYogini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b9e5f3/32.png) [@OneYogini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneYogini)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-genius-or-valiant-hero-which-are-you/247442/9 "2004-05-28T01:16:48Z")
Heroine 😃 (That’s with an “e” all of you “Bart Simpsons” and “Jack MacFarlands” out there! 😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![BraheSilver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@BraheSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BraheSilver)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-genius-or-valiant-hero-which-are-you/247442/10 "2004-05-28T01:20:28Z")
I’d be one of those villains who has some goal that would otherwise be viewed as benevolent, but in practice is considered tyrannical. Heroes would still come and eventually crush me, but they’ll feel really guilty about it. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-genius-or-valiant-hero-which-are-you/247442/11 "2004-05-28T01:26:58Z")
The nameless lackey. ---
**Author:** ![Rabid\_Squirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Rabid\_Squirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rabid_Squirrel)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-genius-or-valiant-hero-which-are-you/247442/12 "2004-05-28T01:48:07Z")
Evil Genius, naturally. If it wasn’t for the short life expectancy, I think everyone would be joining the ranks of Evil. Heck, if the ranks of Evil got a decent PR manager, there would be spontaneous parades everytime that womanising tuxedo-cladded prick was captured. And don’t forget kiddies, _real_ evil geniuses shop at [VillianSupply.com](http://www.villainsupply.com/index1.html). ---
**Author:** ![ZaLucky1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/4af34b/32.png) [@ZaLucky1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZaLucky1)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-genius-or-valiant-hero-which-are-you/247442/13 "2004-05-28T01:55:34Z")
Here’s to the hero who is never recognized because she stands behind inspector gadget. The one with the witty sense of humor and the organization skills. … and this one isn’t bad looking either 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-genius-or-valiant-hero-which-are-you/247442/14 "2004-05-28T01:56:07Z")
I’ve always seen myself as somewhere inbetween. Sort of like Catwoman…not **really** evil, but just evil enough to be interesting to the hero. ---
**Author:** ![SSgtBaloo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@SSgtBaloo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSgtBaloo)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-genius-or-valiant-hero-which-are-you/247442/15 "2004-05-28T02:19:22Z")
Valiant hero. There just aren’t enough of those these days. –SSgtBaloo ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-genius-or-valiant-hero-which-are-you/247442/16 "2004-05-28T02:56:13Z")
Evil Genius. I can really sympathize with the evil genius’ of the world. Many of them did really have good ideas, they just didn’t go about it right, or did stupid things that got all the non-evil-genius’ all mad. The shee, err, people of the world have this idea that because MORE people believe something, it must be right. Who is the frickin genius here? Is it the common, every day schmuck genius? No, it is the EVIL genius. I don’t plan on destroying the world, however, and my evil genius status was revoked. I am merely a scholarly curmudgeon now. And we don’t even have a Union. The benifits stink, the hours are horrendeous, and personally it makes me angry. Perhaps I can get into the mad scientist union- they have a good dental plan- as well as profit sharing. I do aspire for evil genius status though. I think I will start a new sect of evil genius’. An alternative to those that merely want to enslave the world rather than destroy it. Perhaps we shall call ourselves… The Semi-Evil, rather cunning people with nifty toys. Too many syllables? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-genius-or-valiant-hero-which-are-you/247442/17 "2004-05-28T03:41:06Z")
“I like to play bad guys, since good guys are always beaten up several times during the movie. Bad guys are beaten only once, in the end.” -Michael Ironside ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-genius-or-valiant-hero-which-are-you/247442/18 "2004-05-28T03:46:22Z")
Evil genius, here. More like the “wannabe benevolent tyrant” type, if I actually wanted to conquer the Earth. If I _didn’t,_ I’d prefer to devote my life to the persuit of knowledge (even if it’s _forbidden_ knowledge), and the practice of Tampering in God’s Domain. Besides, if I wanted to be a “Valient Hero,” I’d probably just end up as one of those muscleheaded moralists who’d seemingly be content to let scores of innocents be hurt or killed rather than comprimise my personal ethics. At least a supervillain is _honest_ with themselves about their evil. Plus, they get to use skulls in their decor. That’s always a plus. ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-genius-or-valiant-hero-which-are-you/247442/19 "2004-05-28T03:48:37Z")
Hey! A toast to those fellow Tamperers of god’s domains! Bring on the Three breasted whores and clones of really cute actresses! ---
**Author:** ![Atticus\_Finch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ec9cab/32.png) [@Atticus\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atticus_Finch)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-genius-or-valiant-hero-which-are-you/247442/20 "2004-05-28T06:18:17Z")
I’m the Evil Genius’s offsider. I come up with the plans, that stooge takes the credit. I’m generally killed comically, though. Bummer. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-genius-or-valiant-hero-which-are-you/247442.md?page=2)