MoogleEmpMog
First Post
Well, it's been too long since I read any comics for me to accurately cite them. So I'll have to look elsewhere for supervillains... I'll leave off most book, movie and game villains because they really aren't "supervillains" in a comic book sense.
These three, however, have interesting personalities/powers/origins for a comic:
3. Kahran Ramsus, Xenogears
Ramsus is a genetically perfect human being, cloned from the original Father of Mankind with ultimate power over humanity. He's ruthless, brutal, cold and deadly; also honorable, cool, compassionate and charismatic. Not exceptionally villanous, as villains go, he does wrong mostly while following the orders of other villains.
Except for one thing.
His "ultimate power" doesn't include the ability to constrain a single, extraordinary individual, an individual his dark masters continually manipulate him into fighting. (Presumably, one of the PCs in a Mutants and Masterminds game.)
And it drives. Ramsus. Bonkers.
He may only be second best, but when he loses it, he can do some serious damage to those around him... and himself.
Powerful and intimidating, yet ultimately sympathetic pitiable, Ramsus is a great "last-minute change of heart" supervillain, probably of the "sacrifice himself so that the heroes can save the world" variety.
2. Agent Smith, The Matrix (original only)
Forget the devil allegories of the rumored later films (personally, I'm not convinced they exist
); Agent Smith in the original Matrix was the quintessential genuinely dangerous "lackey" villain. He's the kind of superpowered operative any mastermind worth his salt would actually send in to kill the heroes, not the usual bungling fools. Agent Smith is supremely competent, menacing and deadly. Heck, he actually succeeded in killing the hero, although it didn't stick.
In a M&M campaign, Agent Smith could be an android, a cyborg, a generic superpowered martial arts guy, or whatever other power background you want to give him.
The main thing is, he's a "follower" villain who the PCs will actually fear. He doesn't make the plans, doesn't necessarily like the plans, but he will execute them - and the PCs - with absolute efficiency. And since offing the PCs is his sole pleasure in life, he'll do it obssively, relentlessly and without fail.
1. Miang Hawaa, Xenogears
Beautiful and deadly, Miang appears to be Ramsus' lover and second-in-command in the game, although she could fill any 'background' role in a M&M campaign. Miang is seductive and charming, and quite able to convince others that she only wants what's best for them, but actually she is constantly scheming against, backstabbing and undermining every other major power. She avoids direct conflict at all costs, preferring to let others do her dirty work.
But when you get her mad, and she's ready to reveal her true power, she's incredibly dangerous.
Miang is actually not the woman the PCs see; that's just a host body. The real Miang is the immortal, eternally-reincarnated spirit of the dark side of womanhood - I'd probably use the name Lillith, if the campaign takes place on Earth, although Miang in-game was more an 'aspect of Eve.'
Miang wasn't really the main villain in Xenogears, but she would make an excellent baddie-in-chief, working behind the scenes to unfold a plot that required the actions of generations of apparently unrelated women. Plus, she's immortal and functionally indestructible. And she could, if "killed," possess the body of a PC's loved one, just out of spite... or so it seems...
These three, however, have interesting personalities/powers/origins for a comic:
3. Kahran Ramsus, Xenogears
Ramsus is a genetically perfect human being, cloned from the original Father of Mankind with ultimate power over humanity. He's ruthless, brutal, cold and deadly; also honorable, cool, compassionate and charismatic. Not exceptionally villanous, as villains go, he does wrong mostly while following the orders of other villains.
Except for one thing.
His "ultimate power" doesn't include the ability to constrain a single, extraordinary individual, an individual his dark masters continually manipulate him into fighting. (Presumably, one of the PCs in a Mutants and Masterminds game.)
And it drives. Ramsus. Bonkers.
He may only be second best, but when he loses it, he can do some serious damage to those around him... and himself.
Powerful and intimidating, yet ultimately sympathetic pitiable, Ramsus is a great "last-minute change of heart" supervillain, probably of the "sacrifice himself so that the heroes can save the world" variety.
2. Agent Smith, The Matrix (original only)
Forget the devil allegories of the rumored later films (personally, I'm not convinced they exist
); Agent Smith in the original Matrix was the quintessential genuinely dangerous "lackey" villain. He's the kind of superpowered operative any mastermind worth his salt would actually send in to kill the heroes, not the usual bungling fools. Agent Smith is supremely competent, menacing and deadly. Heck, he actually succeeded in killing the hero, although it didn't stick.In a M&M campaign, Agent Smith could be an android, a cyborg, a generic superpowered martial arts guy, or whatever other power background you want to give him.
The main thing is, he's a "follower" villain who the PCs will actually fear. He doesn't make the plans, doesn't necessarily like the plans, but he will execute them - and the PCs - with absolute efficiency. And since offing the PCs is his sole pleasure in life, he'll do it obssively, relentlessly and without fail.
1. Miang Hawaa, Xenogears
Beautiful and deadly, Miang appears to be Ramsus' lover and second-in-command in the game, although she could fill any 'background' role in a M&M campaign. Miang is seductive and charming, and quite able to convince others that she only wants what's best for them, but actually she is constantly scheming against, backstabbing and undermining every other major power. She avoids direct conflict at all costs, preferring to let others do her dirty work.
But when you get her mad, and she's ready to reveal her true power, she's incredibly dangerous.
Miang is actually not the woman the PCs see; that's just a host body. The real Miang is the immortal, eternally-reincarnated spirit of the dark side of womanhood - I'd probably use the name Lillith, if the campaign takes place on Earth, although Miang in-game was more an 'aspect of Eve.'
Miang wasn't really the main villain in Xenogears, but she would make an excellent baddie-in-chief, working behind the scenes to unfold a plot that required the actions of generations of apparently unrelated women. Plus, she's immortal and functionally indestructible. And she could, if "killed," possess the body of a PC's loved one, just out of spite... or so it seems...
).
