Archetype:Heroic Villain

The archetype of a villain masquerading as a hero. Opposite of Villainous Hero.

Also Called[]

• False Hero
• Pseudo-Hero

Properties[]

The character is a villain that intentionally fool others into believing or them to be a hero or heroic. Unlike typical traitors, heroic villains must have been seen as dependable heroes among their allies while in reality, they were villains or enemies from the start and have used their statuses as heroes to hide their true intentions.

Associated Powers[]

• Acting Mastery
• Betrayal Empowerment
• Bond Destruction
• Deception Mastery
• Despair Inducement
• Doubt Inducement
• Psychological Mastery
• Social Cloaking
• Sociability Mastery
• Shōnen Antagonist
• Treachery Inducement
• Will Breaking

Relationship[]

• Antichrist: Feigns being a specific kind of hero, that being the Messiah.
• Hero: Heroic villains pose as heroes for their own ends.
• Spy: Heroic villains may act as spies.
• Trickster: They are able to trick many people while hiding their true intentions.
• Villain: The true nature of heroic villains.

Limitations[]

Example Characters[]

Gallery[]

Due to a case of split personality disorder, Reinder Braun (Attack on Titan) was able to fool all of the cadets into seeing him as a strong dependable ally while he was actually planning to betray them from the start.

While appearing as the hero of Midland, Griffith (Berserk) is actually a cruel and selfish man who sacrificed his previous army to demons fro the sake of his own power.

Sosuke Aizen (Bleach) worked as a kind and respected Soul Reaper captain for over a century, only to later reveal that he had only used the position as a means to gather information before declaring war against the Soul Society...

...and even the life of his most loyal subordinate meant nothing to him.

Homelander (The Boys) presents himself as a noble defender of freedom and American values, but in reality, he is a sociopathic murderer who will kill anyone in his way.

The Blonde Hero (Chillin' in Another World with Level 2 Cheats) was lauded as the hero of Klyrode. However, he is not the true hero, and his arrogant and selfish personality had led him to repeatedly abandon his forces and make deals with evil beings in order to preserve his own life.

Eobard Thawne/Reverse Flash (DC Comics) was obsessed with the Flash, and wanted to be a hero just like him, even managing to duplicate his powers. To this end, he began intentionally creating accidents so he could save people like the Flash but was eventually caught by the Flash himself and later turned to full villainy.

Lex Luthor (DC Comics) often presents himself as an altruistic and humble businessman when in reality he is a narcissistic and self-serving man with significant leeway in the metahuman and criminal underworld.

Frost (Dragon Ball Super) portrayed himself as a heroic figure who would go to war torn planets to make peace, but in reality, he arranges those wars himself and after the fighting concluded, he would sell the ravaged planet to the highest bidder.

Buddy Pine/Syndrome (The Incredibles) intended to save people from a rampaging robot he created in order to become famous as a hero.

Before finding redemption, Nolan/Omni-Man (Invincible/Image Comics) set himself up as a hero and protector of Earth, only to later reveal that he was sent there to learn about and weaken the planet’s forces so it could be conquered by the Viltrumites.

Quentin Beck/Mysterio (Marvel Cinematic Universe) presented himself as a hero from another universe seeking to stop the "elementals" from destroying Earth. In actuality, he was a former Stark Industries employee seeking revenge on the company by making himself the most famous hero in the world even if innocent people died in the process.

Donquixote Doflamingo (One Piece) framed King Riku for attacking his own people, allowing him to usurp his kingship of Dressrosa with the citizenry supporting his rule. But once the truth became public, he opted to destroy the country along with its residents.

Despite being a Marine, Sakazuki aka Akainu (One Piece) has proven to be far more ruthless than most other pirates, to the point of destroying a ship full of innocent passengers just for the slight chance that a criminal was onboard.

Shuji Ikutuki (Persona 3) presented himself as a reliable, if quirky, man who worked with S.E.E.S. to eliminate the dark hour. In reality, he was one of the researchers who created the Dark Hour and saw himself as “The Prince” meant to lead humanity to a new age by destroying the world and starting anew.

Goro Akechi (Persona 5) is beloved by the public as the Second Detective Prince, while in reality he a murderer who uses his position to “solve” the crimes he himself commits.

Ichiryusai Madarame (Persona 5) Masquerades as a famous artist and entrepreneur, but in reality, he steals the works of his students, as a mansions under a mistresses name has stolen his own paintings to increases their value.

Masayoshi Shidou (Persona 5) plays the role of a respected and charismatic politician. However, he is actually a scumbag who frequently abuses his power and influence to pin crimes on others, instigate murders and abusing women.

Okidogi, Munkidori, and Fezandipiti (Pokémon) were hailed as heroes and praised as the "Loyal" Three, but in reality, they were a trio of evil thieves.

The Vindicators (Rick and Morty) act as protectors for the universe, battling evil that threatens it. However, in reality, most of them are selfish and entitled narcissists who frequently lie to the public about their misdeeds.

Oscar (Shark Tale) conned the whole ocean into thinking that he solely defeated a shark.

Despite being known as the hard working and benevolent sword emperor, Kajin Saimon (Standard of Reincarnation) was in fact a lazy and selfish man, relying on his raw talent. When he eventually lost to Daven, he went as far as to frame him for demonic possession to keep his reputation.

Kazuya Mishima (Tekken) was considered by the world as the hero who fought against the evil Mishima Zaibatsu that had plunged the world into chaos. In reality, Kazuya himself sought world domination and only fought against the zaibatsu so that he alone could rule.

Videos[]

Analyzing Evil- Griffith From Berserk-2

History of Green Goblin-2