[Crazy Jetty]

I put this here, because there's not any really generic/nuetral forum to post something like this in. Everything is specific to one universe, or one genre (TV and Cartoons, or Movies), where this is really intended to fit *everything.* Marvel, DC, Image, Star Trek, He-Man, Disney, what have to.
So mods, if I missed a better location, then please move it. I chose DC General Discussion over Marvel, to give this forum some love.

So, VILLAINS! While I believe the presence of a villain is not nessissary to make a good story, they sure can make a story good!

Who are your favorite villains, and why? And what sort of villain do you like the most, and why?

For me, I think the best kind of villain is the kind who does not believe him/herself evil. He/She is the kind who has a philosophy that is the polar opposite of what we're led to believe in. But I also enjoy a fun and sinister villain as well.

My favorite four-

Magneto:
Because here is a man with strong convictions, and powerful beliefs. He is a man who will resort to brutality if he needs to, but is capable of displaying great, genuine compassion. He's a man who's done bad deeds for the sake of protecting mutants, and is aware those deeds are bad, and gives you the sense that he will punish himself for it, when it's all over.
About the only part of X-Men 3 that I really liked, was the scene where Magneto stops his march across the Golden Gate Bridge, in order to move a car full of innocent humans out of harms way. To me, that sums him up very well.

Sinestro:
While I question his ability to show compassion like Magneto, here's a man who's doing many horrible things, in order to do what he feels is right. A man who believe's in order and peace, and wishes prosperity across a universe that is devoid of crime, and ill deeds. But believes that it can only be accomplished through the manipulation of fear. "Scared straight." This, I think makes him much more complex and interesting, than someone like Joker (Not saying Joker is a bad villain, or a poor character. Just, he's insane and he knows it. He does aweful things and he doesn't care. Not terribly deep, to me. So by compairing Sinestro to Joker, I don't intend to trash another villain I enjoy).

Dr. Doom:
Honestly? Because he's DOOM! I feel he is *the* key villain for the Marvel Universe. Like Sinestro and Magneto, he's not a man who feels he, or his cause are evil. In fact, he rules his country well. He's very complex, and difficult to predict. Sometimes trustworthy, sometimes he's only using you. He seeks no less than global domination, and often times much more than that. But he also intends to insure world peace, he just feels only his way can produce it.
Basically, he's just fun. He's one of the smartest characters in all of fiction, and he knows it.

Megatron, Leader of the Predacons:
Beast era Megatron is quite simply the greatest single villain in all transformer fiction. I love his plotting, I love his quotes. Up until Megatron destroyed G1 Optimus, the best cliffhanger in television was the end of ST:TNG "Best of Both Worlds Part 1." But, the end of The Agenda part III has yet to be topped. Megatron was dark, and oh so sinister. He always had no less than five aces up his sleeve. He was just one of the most fun villains I can think of, and I feel the greatest character in the TF franchise (Not just best villain).
He is why G1 can *never* be better than Beast Wars.

Honorable Mentions-
Thade: From Burton's Planet of the Apes. Say what you will about the movie, he was a damned good villain, and a damned good actor for him. He was what made the movie fun, for me.

Scar: From Lion King. Don't really need to explain why. He was sleezy, scheming, and Jeremy Irons was excellent.

Clayton: Disney's Tarzan. Because he was a realistic villain. He was someone you could run into in every day life. That makes him exceptionally scary to me.

Phaeton: From Exo-Squad. He took over the solar system claiming it's to release the Neo Sapiens from the shackles of their oppression. But in reality he's just a power hungry thug, who'll kill any general that questions him, and replaces them with a clone.