This trope is the reason "villains act, heroes react"; the villain needs to be doing something evil or the hero has no evil to thwart.
Some popular examples of Evil Plans:
Take Over the World:Ā This is the most popular villainous scheme of all. The scale of conquest can vary depending on the setting and (or) the villaināsome warlords are content to settle with conquering a city, a kingdom or nation, whileĀ Science FictionĀ orĀ FantasyĀ overlords will go for nothing less thanĀ galactic,Ā universalĀ or evenĀ multidimensionalĀ domination.
The Evils of Free Will:Ā A popular means to this end: by robbing everyone of their free will, they will have no choice but to serve their rightful ruler.
Assimilation Plot: Let's turn everyone into a single entity, whether they wish it or not.
Earth-Shattering Kaboom: Why take over the world when you can blow it up? LikeĀ Take Over the World, the scale of destruction also varies depending on the setting ā some villains are content with merely destroying a city or kingdom (particularly if they feel the city or kingdom has somehow wronged them ā i.e., revenge), whileĀ Omnicidal ManiacsĀ may well wish nothing less than to destroy the entire universe or multiverse.
Kill All Humans. Related tropes: Feeling Oppressed by Their Existence: A character wants to get rid of a particular person or group of people just for existing. Absolute Xenophobe: Wants to destroy all other sentient life (human or otherwise). Omnicidal Maniac: Wants to destroy absolutely all life, sentient or not. Final Solution: The intentional extermination of a species/demographic is the answer to fix a perceived issue. Humanity's Wake: The outcome of this trope should the opposing species succeed in eradicating us.
In Their Own Image: Not happy with the world the way it is? Try tearing it down, and building it back up as something even greater.
The End of the World as We Know It: Not so much destroying the world or humanity as really screwing up civilization; though the former two may be involved in the bargain.
A God Am I: Forcing everyone to acknowledge their godhood (actual godlike powers optional).
Godhood Seeker: Make your character an actual deity.
Immortality Seeker: Pursue the quest for eternal life, no matter whatĀ foul deedsĀ are needed to make it happen.
A Plot in Deed: Steal the deed to a plot of land andĀ you'll own it, so why not steal the deed to somewhere good?
MacGuffin: Steal an ancient artifact with untold powers. This is usually done in the pursuit of one of the other Evil Plans.
Sealed Evil in a Can: Release the source of all Evil from its prison.Ā This rarely goes well for the villain attempting it.
Revenge: You know that guy that wronged you in the past? It doesn't matter howĀ pettyĀ or misplaced your grievance is, it's payback time. Time to kill him, or make his life a living hell.
Get-Rich-Quick Scheme: If you're already rich, get richer. Any scheme is fair game in the pursuit of the profit margin, be it theft, blackmail, or auctioning the world off to hungry demons. Unfortunately, this lust for wealth falls prey to poor planning.
Utopia Justifies the Means: You know how people keep hurting themselves and each other? Make them stop, by whatever means are necessary.Ā No ill will required! Just like inĀ Take Over the World,Ā The Evils of Free WillĀ often gets put into play here.
Dystopia Justifies the Means: People hurting each other? That's exactly what your society needs. Use all the means at your disposal to create a nightmarishĀ dystopiaĀ whereĀ the forces of evil run rampantĀ andĀ people live in constant terror and corruption,Ā just the way the villains like it.
Poke the Poodle:Ā Their idea of evil is harmless behavior like cheating at Solitaire, jaywalking on an empty road, chewing gum in Singapore, pulling the "do not remove" tag off of your mattress, hiding your toothpaste, drinking the milk directly from the carton...
Source ā More: References ā Writing Resources PDFs
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