# Fictional Villains That Are Less Cool Than Their Lackeys, Minions, or Muscle **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 17, 2010, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-villains-that-are-less-cool-than-their-lackeys-minions-or-muscle/536486 "2010-04-17T21:54:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-villains-that-are-less-cool-than-their-lackeys-minions-or-muscle/536486/21 "2010-04-18T16:25:33Z")
I thought Klytus was cooler than Emperor Ming in _Flash Gordon_. He looked every bit the evil conniving sorceror, and spoke like a snake when complimenting his boss and subtly tempting him to cause more mischief. The real power behind the throne. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-villains-that-are-less-cool-than-their-lackeys-minions-or-muscle/536486/22 "2010-04-18T16:26:42Z")
> [@mr.jp](#): > > Also this brilliant review [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-isAmaVbsM](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-isAmaVbsM) , has a cool bit where he is presented as the first homosexual in Star Wars. Wow, that “review” was even more retarded than the drunk narrator sounded, which is quite a feat. Just because it’s on Youtube doesn’t make it brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-villains-that-are-less-cool-than-their-lackeys-minions-or-muscle/536486/23 "2010-04-18T16:31:44Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Wow, that “review” was even more retarded than the drunk narrator sounded, which is quite a feat. > > Just because it’s on Youtube doesn’t make it brilliant. You can be my new best friend. I hate that guy, and the adoration he gets makes me hate him even more. ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-villains-that-are-less-cool-than-their-lackeys-minions-or-muscle/536486/24 "2010-04-18T16:38:11Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Wow, that “review” was even more retarded than the drunk narrator sounded, which is quite a feat. > > Just because it’s on Youtube doesn’t make it brilliant. What do you think was wrong with it? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-villains-that-are-less-cool-than-their-lackeys-minions-or-muscle/536486/25 "2010-04-18T19:28:47Z")
> [@mr.jp](#): > > I get +1 SDMB point for mentioning the Princess Bride and Inigo. For that matter, I think Count Rugen beats Prince Humperdinck. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-villains-that-are-less-cool-than-their-lackeys-minions-or-muscle/536486/26 "2010-04-18T19:43:59Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Just because it’s on Youtube doesn’t make it brilliant. Where did you get the idea that anyone was connecting that it was on youtube to it being brilliant? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-villains-that-are-less-cool-than-their-lackeys-minions-or-muscle/536486/27 "2010-04-18T20:28:04Z")
Bond henchmen are almost always cooler and more interesting than the prime megalomaniac. (In the movies, anyway.) Just think Jaws, Xenia Onatopp, Fatima Blush, Bambi and Thumper, May Day (Grace Jones), and of course the afore-mentioned Odd Job. The only Villain who might be considered cooler than his henchman was Scaramanga vs. Nick Nack, but then how hard is it to be cooler than someone half your height?..TRM ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-villains-that-are-less-cool-than-their-lackeys-minions-or-muscle/536486/28 "2010-04-18T21:58:01Z")
Excel was cooler than Il Palazzo (though he was still pretty cool). ---
**Author:** ![QuardleOodleArdleWardleDoodle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ecccb3/32.png) [@QuardleOodleArdleWardleDoodle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuardleOodleArdleWardleDoodle)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-villains-that-are-less-cool-than-their-lackeys-minions-or-muscle/536486/29 "2010-04-18T22:03:46Z")
Darth Maul looked like a Mexican wrestler, and was badly under-developed as a caracter. We were supposed to accept him as being the epitome of badass just becuase he stood around and glowerd with his arms crossed. Bad directing by Lucas. the first we saw of Dath Vader he was breaking necks, the first we saw of Darth Maul he was striking a pose. We were suppsed to accept Maul as evil becasue, ooh, scary tattoos. Vader was a better villain because he’d killa nyone who annyed him. But Maul only picked fair fights with either one Jedi or a pair of Jedi. That might ahve worked if Lucas had develeped the character, like he scorned to kill if it wasn’t a challenge, but as it was it was just contradictory with “wipe the out, all of them”. Lazy writing, lazy directing. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-villains-that-are-less-cool-than-their-lackeys-minions-or-muscle/536486/30 "2010-04-18T22:11:23Z")
Nemesis Enforcer was way cooler than Golobulus. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-villains-that-are-less-cool-than-their-lackeys-minions-or-muscle/536486/31 "2010-04-19T02:08:54Z")
Emperor Dornkirk is a shriveled up old mad scientist constantly peering through a telescope. Dilandau, however, was a kick ass psycho nutjob Dr. Wily is less cool than all of his robots, even Wood Man, yes Wood Man! A robot with a log for a body, throws leaves, and has a name you can’t say without snickering is cooler than Dr. Wily ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-villains-that-are-less-cool-than-their-lackeys-minions-or-muscle/536486/32 "2010-04-19T02:20:20Z")
I am no fan of Darth Maul, but he was still cooler than Darth Sideous. And Count Dooku, despite the stupid name, was much cooler than Darth Sideous. Among the Bond villains, my vote is for Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd, who were much cooler than [del]the man with no neck[/del] Blofeld in _Diamonds are Forever._ ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-villains-that-are-less-cool-than-their-lackeys-minions-or-muscle/536486/33 "2010-04-19T02:29:29Z")
I always found Miss Gsptlsnz much cooler than Mr. Mxyzptlk. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-villains-that-are-less-cool-than-their-lackeys-minions-or-muscle/536486/34 "2010-04-19T02:45:39Z")
> [@The\_Scrivener](#): > > The head of SPECTRE in \*From Russia With Love \*was a dour, no-nonsense criminal executive without much of a personality, but his key personnel in that story were a butch lesbian ex-KGB colonel (Rosa Klebb) with a tricked-out poison switchblade shoe, and one of (if not the greatest) chess grandmasters (Kronsteen) on the planet. > > Klebb’s inferiors were in turn a blonde bombshell KGB secretary and a sociopathic ex-KGB assassin. > > Villain-wise and otherwise, _FRWL_ still stands as one of the high-water-marks in the Bond franchise. Red Grant was very awesome. I’d love to see him vs. Daniel Craig Bond. I think it would be a great fight. From The Rundown: The guy with the whip was much cooler than Christopher Walken. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-villains-that-are-less-cool-than-their-lackeys-minions-or-muscle/536486/35 "2010-04-19T06:08:11Z")
OP: SheGo was who I thought of, two. I think Goldar on Power Rangers was cooler than Rita. And Krang was technically in charge on Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtles, even though Shredder was always much cooler, to the point where new versions make Shredder the main villain. That’s all I can think of for now. > [@mr.jp](#): > > What do you think was wrong with it? That’s just it. So far, all the people I’ve ever seen that have such a visceral reaction to the content (and not just the voice) never seem to be able to actually tell us what they find wrong with it. I personally don’t care for the voice, and none of the serial killer stuff is remotely funny. But I think the review content is as good as any. I may or may not disagree with him, but I do think he makes cogent points. Anyways, this is a personal request to you guys: Want to rag on something someone else likes? How 'bout you tell us what’s wrong with it? If you can throw shit around about it, surely you have a good reason for not liking it. And no cheating by saying the voice/style, since you guys keep listing that as separate. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-villains-that-are-less-cool-than-their-lackeys-minions-or-muscle/536486/36 "2010-04-19T11:42:20Z")
> [@AWB](#): > > In “Kim Possible”, Shego was much cooler than Dr. Drakken. True, though part of it was having Drakken’s fecklessness to play off and snark at. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-villains-that-are-less-cool-than-their-lackeys-minions-or-muscle/536486/37 "2010-04-19T12:58:21Z")
> [@mr.jp](#): > > Also this brilliant review [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-isAmaVbsM](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-isAmaVbsM) , has a cool bit where he is presented as the first homosexual in Star Wars. > [@mr.jp](#): > > What do you think was wrong with it? What did you think was brilliant about it? You said it was, and you note a “cool bit where [Maul] is presented as the first homosexual in Star Wars.” There was nothing original in the whole thing. Anakin’s owner is a Jew! How insightful. It had blacks! It was all about diversity! He doesn’t like Darth Maul, so… look, homosexual! That’s brilliant? Only to a 3rd grader. Maybe. What was funny or in the least bit original about it, except he sounds like a drunk retard? If you genuinely feel that was high comedy somehow I’d like to know why. If I hurt your feelings I’m sorry, but I see links to Youtube videos all the time with no other information or explanation than things like “brilliant!” At least you stated one reason you thought it was brilliant. Maul=homosexual! Ha, ha, ha! Nope, don’t see anything brilliant about it. Quite the opposite. ---
**Author:** ![willthekittensurvive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@willthekittensurvive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/willthekittensurvive)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-villains-that-are-less-cool-than-their-lackeys-minions-or-muscle/536486/38 "2010-04-19T13:37:32Z")
> [@Maiira](#): > > Also, Darth Maul would’ve been a thousand times cooler had he been developed or given, y’know, actual character. Yeah, the double lightsaber was badass, but who IS he, really? Why does he look the way he does? What made him become a Sith lord? Does he have an IQ above 60, or does Palpatine see him as mere muscle and nothing else? Character development, it is important! like this? > **[Darths & Droids](https://www.darthsanddroids.net/episodes/0179.html)** and this? > **[Darths & Droids](https://www.darthsanddroids.net/episodes/0180.html)** ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-villains-that-are-less-cool-than-their-lackeys-minions-or-muscle/536486/39 "2010-04-19T14:37:37Z")
I think the entire point of Darth Maul was not to develop him as a character. You can criticize Lucas on many grounds - but he always charcterized people, though usually in fairly simple and iconic ways. Maul is basically the lack of doing this: he’s utterly mysterious, never explains anything and no one cares to explain him. I think that’s the major reason the character really did stick around in the popular consciousness, as let’s face it: he’s a minor villain. But everything you know about him is inference. H’e sbasically the Anti-vader. Like Vader, he starts out being a mysterious but dangerous foe. Unlike Vader, he stays that way. ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-villains-that-are-less-cool-than-their-lackeys-minions-or-muscle/536486/40 "2010-04-19T15:14:25Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > What did you think was brilliant about it? You said it was, and you note a “cool bit where [Maul] is presented as the first homosexual in Star Wars.” > > There was nothing original in the whole thing. Anakin’s owner is a Jew! How insightful. It had blacks! It was all about diversity! He doesn’t like Darth Maul, so… look, homosexual! > > That’s brilliant? Only to a 3rd grader. Maybe. > > What was funny or in the least bit original about it, except he sounds like a drunk retard? > > If you genuinely feel that was high comedy somehow I’d like to know why. If I hurt your feelings I’m sorry, but I see links to Youtube videos all the time with no other information or explanation than things like “brilliant!” At least you stated one reason you thought it was brilliant. Maul=homosexual! Ha, ha, ha! > > Nope, don’t see anything brilliant about it. Quite the opposite. I don’t think it was “high comedy”. Mostly just a very accurate review, with some funny bits. Yes, he points out that Anakins owner is a middle eastern stereotype. But it’s only a small bit, he doesn’t labour on it. It’s not stupid in itself to point out, is it? Most of his criticism is about broader themes. How the people have no memorable characteristics, and how that is opposite of the original Star Wars. How the overall plot made no sense, and how the individual players in the plot, performed actions that made no sense for them. How there is no main character. Etc, etc. All things I can see that he is right about, but that I didn’t think about when I saw the movie. He doesn’t really critizise Darth Maul for being a homosexual, that is just a bit, that maybe more was in connection with his criticism of the highly choreographed fight scenes. Mostly what I’ve heard people complain about is that they didn’t care about the characters, and Jar Jar Binks. About the characters he explain why we don’t care about them, and he actually hardly goes into Binks at all. Instead he focuses on a lot of other aspects, that are also terrible, but that I haven’t heard anyone point out before. Which is what originality is in this regard, isn’t it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-villains-that-are-less-cool-than-their-lackeys-minions-or-muscle/536486.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-villains-that-are-less-cool-than-their-lackeys-minions-or-muscle/536486.md?page=3)