History KnightOfCerebus / SuperSentai

** ''Series/KaizokuSentaiGokaiger'': Basco ta Jolokia. Not only is he presented as more competent and dangerous than his employers, but under his personal philosophy of "you have to sacrifice something to get something else", he's willing to do ''anything'' in order to get what he wants, from threatening the lives of children to betraying his allies, like he did with the Red Pirates [[spoiler: and his MoralityPet.]]

** ''Series/DaiSentaiGoggleFive'': The two [[EvilGenius Evil Geniuses]] known as Dr. Zadoriya and Dr. Iguana were portrayed as the BumblingHenchmanDuo of the series. However, [[SixthRanger Grand Marshal Deathmark]] killed and replaced them, thus paving the way for darker episode plots.

** ''Series/DaiSentaiGoggleFive'': The two [[EvilGenius Evil Geniuses]] known as Dr. Zadoriya and Dr. Iguana were portrayed as the BumblingHenchmanDuo of the series. However, [[SixthRanger Grand Marshal Deathmark]] killed and replaced them, thus paving the way for darker episode plots.
** ''Series/DengekiSentaiChangeman'' is DarkerAndEdgier than most, if not all, of the series that came before it, and [[BigBad Star King Bazeu]] is a big reason behind that. Compared to the majority of the villains that came before him, Bazeu is much more ruthless, remoreless, and cruel.
** ''Series/ChoushinseiFlashman'' wasn't exactly LighterAndSofter than the previous series, but [[HiredGuns Sir Cowler]], leader of the Alien Hunters, delivered a royal CurbStompBattle to the Flashman and the destruction of Flash King, '''BOTH IN HIS FIRST EPISODE'''!
** ''Series/ChikyuuSentaiFiveman'' has two Knights: [[TheCharmer First Captain Chevalier]] and the FinalBoss.
*** First appearing in episode 28, [[LightIsNotGood Chevalier]] arrives on Earth and gives the Fiveman hell, [[NearVillainVictory nearly defeating them multiple times]] and actually [[HeroKiller killing [=FiveRed=]]], causing his siblings to rewind time to undo it.
*** [[BigBad Galactic Empress Meadow]], [[spoiler:or should we say, Galactic Super Beast Vulgyre completely evaporates any good feelings once his [[GodhoodSeeker true nature]] is highlighted in the last three episodes. He even sent Billion, Chevalier, and the forced fusion of Doldora and Zaza on suicide missions in a last-ditch effort to destroy Earth once and for all.]]
** ''Series/ChoujinSentaiJetman'': Tranza brings the comic relief of the series to a screeching halt, but even worse is Radiguet. Although it's quite arguable Empress Juuza is the best example (her EvilPlan involved ''crystals gouging themselves out of people's skin''). Even after she died, [[DarkerAndEdgier that was when the episodic plots got a lot less silly and it was clearer the heroes were in serious danger when they went out to fight]].
** ''Series/KyoryuSentaiZyuranger'', like ''Jetman'', had three.:
*** The first Knight is the SixthRanger of the franchise: Yamato Knight Burai. His introduction provides an arc that's much more serious than the earlier episodes, and his approaching death provided for some more serious episodes leading up to it.
*** Next up is Dai-Satan, which is all the more impressive given he's a GenericDoomsdayVillain. Every episode he's involved in has much higher stakes, forcing the Zyurangers to up their game.
*** Lastly is Kai, Bandora's son and Dai-Satan's herald. His presence in the four-episode endgame results in the Guardian Beasts being sealed and almost helping Dai-Satan win at the end.
** ''Series/NinjaSentaiKakuranger'': For the first several episodes, this Sentai is established as being DenserAndWackier than most, with the first batch of Youkai mostly operating independently of each other and the general tone being largely comedic. Then comes Young Noble Junior/Gashadokuro. Almost immediately, the stakes are raised upon his arrival: The Youkai become more organized and formidable, we see the introduction of the Flower Kunoichi Gumi, a band of PsychoRangers who consistently test the Kakurangers, Junior's plots see the rangers come close to defeat on several occasions, and when he assumes his Gashadokuro form to confront the rangers directly, he easily tosses them around (as demonstrated when Jiraiya and Sasuke separately try to fight him 1-on-1). To drive home just how much of a threat Junior becomes, the Kakurangers have to split up on a quest to gain their Hidden Scrolls to unlock Kakure Daishogun, an entirely new mecha, just to finally deal with him. And even then, [[spoiler: despite his defeat, the Kakurangers are unable to prevent Junior from summoning his father, Daimao, who takes over as BigBad for the remainder of the series.]] It should be noted that the show still manages to balance comedy and drama, and Junior himself still has some quirks (just see him jam out on his guitar), but the fact remains that when Junior shows up, the comedy definitely takes a back seat.
** ''Series/NinpuuSentaiHurricaneger'' starts off a wacky and fun show about ninjas, and for the most part keep that's tone up in spite of the occasional serious moment. That light-hearted tone comes to a screeching halt however when Seventh Spear, Sandaaru arrives and ruthlessly plows through the Hurricanegers and Gouraigers, racks up a series of victories for the villains and enables them to achieve their goal.
** Several villains are portrayed this way in the very goofy ''Series/EngineSentaiGoOnger'', forcing the Go-ongers to up their game. Land Pollution Vice-Minister Hiramechimedes was so dangerous that the Engines[[labelnote:*]]Basically a sentient race of giant animal/vehicle hybrids, serving as this series' mecha.[[/labelnote]] hide in fear at the mere mention of his name. This forces the [[SixthRanger Go-On Wings]] to play their hand and join the battle. Another noteworthy villain is Yogoshimacritain, who is a real threat compared to the goofy antics of the other villains. He even managed to turn the majority of the rangers and Engines into tiny atoms. Were it not for a conveniently placed literal DeusExMachina, they would really be lost.
** ''Series/KaizokuSentaiGokaiger'': Basco ta Jolokia. Not only is he presented as more competent and dangerous than his employers, but under his personal philosophy of "you have to sacrifice something to get something else", he's willing to do ''anything'' in order to get what he wants, from threatening the lives of children to betraying his allies, like he did with the Red Pirates [[spoiler: and his MoralityPet.]]
** ''Series/TokumeiSentaiGoBusters'': Enter, after Messiah's destruction returns with a more dangerous personality, scaring Escape into submission, and stepping up to the position of BigBad.
** ''Series/ZyudenSentaiKyoryuger'': The Many-Faced High Priest takes things FromBadToWorse whenever he faces the heroes, effortlessly outpacing them.
** While the events of its DownerBeginning could still be felt, ''Series/MashinSentaiKiramager'' was one of Sentai's more optimistic -- borderline whimsical -- entries in its history, with alot more humorous, uplifting, and cartoonish moments than [[Series/DoubutsuSentaiZyuohger the]] [[Series/UchuSentaiKyuranger previous]] [[Series/KaitouSentaiLupinrangerVSKeisatsuSentaiPatranger four]] [[Series/KishiryuSentaiRyusoulger entries]] of the franchise. However, the episode Yodonna is properly introduced is when the series had a ''very'' sharp turn in tone, trading alot of its comedy and lightheartedness for ever increasing drama, dangerous situations, and stakes. This only gets turned up to eleven with the reveal that Yodonna [[spoiler: is a SplitPersonality of Emperor Yodon, the BigBad of the series.]]
** ''Series/OhsamaSentaiKingOhger'' could already be considered the darkest entry in the Reiwa era of ''Super Sentai'' given its heavy focus on the sociopolitical aspects of its setting telling an more overtly morally gray and complex story than most others in the franchise. However, the arrival of Galactinsects straight-up causes a GenreShift into LovecraftLite as the show puts much emphasis on the severe havoc they wreak upon Tikyū's population and institution, with their debut revealing that the planet is just the latest of ''many'' worlds they've traveled to and done this to as the conflict of humans and Boggnarok that was the center of Part I gets recontextualized as apart of this "game" they've been playing that resulted in the complete genocide of said worlds with Tikyū simply being their lastest target. [[spoiler: It gets worse in #34 when its shown that Tikyū has been turned into a VillainWorld with the monarchs being usurped from their thrones and needing to liberate their kingdoms.]]