History Main / DiabolicalMastermind

* Light Yagami of ''Manga/DeathNote'' definitely has shades of this, especially after the TimeSkip following [[spoiler:him killing L]]. He runs the task force dedicating to catching Kira [[RunningBothSides while secretly being Kira]], has a global following that reveres him as messiah of a new world, including multiple [[TheDragon proxies]] that he occasionally acts through when he needs to lie low, and his power and influence is such that nearly all world governments have agreed to step aside and not impede his will.

* Belphegor, the main villain from the French-Canadian animation ''Belphegor'', fits this trope very well. Unlike most diabolical masterminds, however, he gets in on the action just as much as his mooks and underlings, if not more so.

* Number One, leader of F.E.A.R., in ''Birdman''.

* Cobra Commander in ''WesternAnimation/GIJoeARealAmericanHero'' is a worldwide wanted terrorist that leads the Cobra Organization, which sows discord and chaos with aims of world domination. His effectiveness as a leader varies: in the original cartoon, he was such a failure with a long string of defeats that his comrades created [[TheEmperor Serpentor]] to become a proper leader to Cobra and the Commander getting DemotedToDragon with an EnemyCivilWar ensuing as result. Later cartoons portray him as a more scary villain, being able to overthrow the US government and getting bumped up to ShadowDictator.
** In the original cartoon continuity he's also a KarmaHoudini. In a surprise guest appearance on the third season of [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformers the Transformers cartoon]] (taking place in the then-distant future of 2005), it's revealed that while Cobra as an organization no longer exists, the Commander (as Old Snake) is a respected older statesman of the criminal underworld.

* Dr. Zin in ''WesternAnimation/JonnyQuest'' TOS. He has at least two major bases, a castle and an ElaborateUndergroundBase inside a volcano, plus an army of {{mooks}}s. He's also a technological genius, who developed a robot spy and a beam that can shoot down airplanes.
* Gorilla Grodd in the ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' cartoon, especially the JLU where he founded the Legion of Doom and charged each member 20 percent of the profits from their crimes. ComicBook/LexLuthor became one after losing his CorruptCorporateExecutive and MadScientist guises, eventually taking control of the Legion from Grodd.

* ''[[WesternAnimation/BeastWars Transformers Beast Wars]]'' Megatron is a prime example. Unlike other Megatrons, this one didn't have any political power in his faction. (The Council considered him a dangerous rogue.) He's described as brilliant in the cleverly crafted strategies he uses to thwart the Maximals throughout the show. He has a handful of lackeys (half of them traitorous, and the other half stupidly loyal) and he takes the time to incorporate their plans against him to further his agenda without them knowing.

** Phantom Limb has aspirations as such, and in the fourth season has taken multiple steps in that direction by expanding the Revenge Society's roster with [[SanityHasAdvantages real supervillains instead of a mug, toaster, and high-heel shoe.]]

* Subversion: The Monarch, would-be superfoe of Doctor Thaddeus Venture and ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'', spent his trust fund becoming a diabolical mastermind purely so that he could ''be'' a diabolical mastermind. He has no desires beyond killing Doctor Venture, despite the fact that Venture couldn't care less about him.

** Ernst Stavro Blofeld, the archnemesis of James Bond and leader of supercrime organisation SPECTRE, runs various illicit operations, plots terror attacks, and makes multiple attempts to start wars behind the scenes throughout his various incarnations.

** Kuroto Dan in ''Series/KamenRiderExAid'' is the CEO of video game company Genm Corp, who works with CR to combat the [[MonsterOfTheWeek Bugsters]] while also working with the Bugsters to enact his own megalomaniacal plan to TakeOverTheWorld.

* ''Series/{{The Avengers|1960s}}'' faced dozens of these during their adventures. In fact, the series might have [[TropeNamer originated the term]]: Mrs Peel's last words to Steed were: "Always keep your bowler on in times of stress, and a watchful eye open for diabolical masterminds."

** In ''Anime/RebuildOfEvangelion'', Gendo is even more of this. He [[spoiler:[[TheStarscream betrays and kills off SEELE]], tried to use the Evangelions to destroy the world and remake it [[InTheirOwnImage in his own image]], and by the final part he wanted to take control of [[EldritchAbomination Evangelion Imaginary]] to become {{a god|AmI}}]].

* ''Manga/DetectiveConan'': The mysterious Ano Kata ("That Person"), head of the [[TheSyndicate Black Organization]], who directs the organization's many shady criminal endeavors whilst leaving [[NoOneSeesTheBoss little clue as to his true identity]].

** In ''Anime/RebuildOfEvangelion'', Gendo is even more of this. He [[spoiler: [[TheStarscream betrays and kills off SEELE]], tried to use the Evangelions to destroy the world and remake it InHisOwnImage, and by the final part he wanted to take control of [[EldritchAbomination Evangelion Imaginary]] to become {{a God|am I}}]].
** No wonder the [[FingerTenting Gendo Pose]] is a very iconic and popular pose for all Diabolical Masterminds.
* Crocodile from ''Manga/OnePiece''. He's even based on Mafia-type gangsters, and he leads a secret criminal organization that out to overthrow a whole kingdom. What sets him apart from other masterminds, is that Crocodile has superpowers.

Of course, the diabolical mastermind isn't upset about getting his hands dirty if needed, although if he manages to capture the hero, he inevitably makes the mistake of pulling TheBlofeldPloy or [[ComplexityAddiction favouring a]] {{deathtrap}} [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim rather than just shooting the guy in the head]]. He is often a BadBoss and his henchmen fear those ominous words: "YouHaveFailedMe for the last time..."

* The Joker shows himself to be this throughout the ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamSeries'', especially in [[spoiler:''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamOrigins'', in which he takes over from Roman Sionis as TheDon of Gotham without anyone the wiser for a long time]].

* In the NES adventure game ''VideoGame/{{Nightshade}}'', you play as a wannabe crime fighter seeking to fill the vacuum left by Vortex, the city's late superhero. On the flip side, the criminals have their own vacuum to fill: without a hero to fight, the gangs descend into all-out war until a Pharaoh-themed supervillain, Sutekh, proposes that they unite. As his reward, Sutekh is now at the helm of a mega-gang that controls the city.

** Gendo Ikari, who heads NERV while plotting to commandeer their resources for his own secret agenda.

** ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV'' has Lester Crest, a criminal mastermind with resources at his disposal who helps the protagonists plan their various heists.

* Lex Luthor in the original ''Film/{{Superman}}'' movie. The character's MadScientist aspects were dropped, and the Diabolical Mastermind parts played up for everything they were worth.

** In ''Anime/RebuildOfEvangelion, Gendo is even more of this. He [[spoiler: [[TheStarscream betrays and kills off SEELE]], tried to use the Evangelions to destroy the world and remake it InHisOwnImage, and by the final part he wanted to take control of [[EldritchAbomination Evangelion Imaginary]] to become {{a God|am I}}]].
** No wonder the [[FingerTenting Gendo Pose]] is a very iconic pose for all diabolical Masterminds.

** In ''Film/RebuildOfEvangelion, Gendo is even more of this. He [[spoiler: [[TheStarscream betrays and kills off SEELE]], tried to use the Evangelions to destroy the world and remake it InHisOwnImage, and by the final part he wanted to take control of [[EldritchAbomination Evangelion Imaginary]] to become {{a God|am I}}]].

** Gendou Ikari, who heads NERV while plotting to commandeer their resources for his own secret agenda.

The criminal version of the EvilOverlord. Standing out from the terrorists, smugglers, murderers, gangsters, evil dictators, and other petty criminals is the diabolical mastermind. Generally found [[SlouchOfVillainy sitting]] in an [[CoolChair expensive leather chair]] with one hand idly tapping a TrapDoor button and the other stroking [[RightHandCat his pet cat]] ([[RightHandAttackDog or dog]]), the diabolical mastermind is always at the top of whatever criminal food chain the hero -- usually a detective or spy -- ends up climbing. He differs from the EvilOverlord in that he (usually) has no sovereign territory or political power of his own, although his criminal resources sometimes [[NGOSuperpower rival those of a developed nation]].

* Nicole Horne, the corrupt pharmaceutical pusher from ''VideoGame/MaxPayne''. Starting out as a government chemist, she began peddling a rejected super-soldier drug on the streets. Horne used her old government contacts to assemble an army of mobsters, ex-government agents, and junk squad cops to do the heavy lifting for her.
** The sequel, ''[[VideoGame/MaxPayne2TheFallOfMaxPayne The Fall of Max Payne]]'', gives us [[spoiler: Vladimir Lem]], also known as [[spoiler: Vlad]], harmless club owner/shadow leader of the "Cleaners" hit squad/leader of the Russian mafia. The Squeaky Cleaning Company goes into buildings dressed as custodians, kill their targets, and then use cleaning materials to remove any trace. Their main purpose is stomping anyone standing in the way of [[spoiler:Vlad]]'s control of the underworld. He finally overreaches when trying to take over the Illuminati.

[[caption-width-right:350:"[[WesternAnimation/SpiderManTheAnimatedSeries That's why]] I'm [[Characters/MarvelComicsTheKingpin the Kingpin]]."]]

* Roberto Rastapopolous from ''The Adventures of Franchise/{{Tintin}}'' occasionally gets high-tech enough to deserve this description.
* [[Characters/MarvelComicsNormanOsborn The Green Goblin]] started out wanting to ''become'' one of these, only targeting [[Franchise/SpiderMan Spider-Man]] to establish himself in [[VillainCred the criminal underworld]]but after repeated defeats at the hands of the Wall-Crawler made him [[MotiveDecay take things]] [[ItsPersonal personally]].
* Hunter Rose, the original Grendel in ''ComicBook/{{Grendel}}'' is a Diabolical Mastermind with a carefully developed and successful plan to take over all organised crime in the USA. He differs from the usual archetype in being an enthusiastic and very competent fighter who much prefers getting his own hands dirty to telling other people to do so.
* ComicBook/IronMan's {{archenemy}} the Mandarin is a classic example, with a YellowPeril twist.
* ComicBook/TheKingpin in the MarvelUniverse occasionally lurches into this archetype, particularly in the ''Franchise/SpiderMan'' animated series where he functioned as the closest there was to a series BigBad. He normally doesn't opt for the more elaborate crimes like [[KillSat orbital death rays]] or world domination, since those bring in heat from [[SortingAlgorithmOfEvil the really big players]] like [[NebulousEvilOrganisation Hydra]] or [[ComicBook/DoctorDoom Doctor Doom]], or major heroes like [[ComicBook/TheAvengers the Avengers]]. Instead he goes for the BoringButPractical route, which generally keeps him under the radar.
* ComicBook/LexLuthor, prime antagonist of ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'' in comics, TV, and film, was originally created as a classical criminal mastermind trying to make money or take over the world. Since then, he has added being a MadScientist and CorruptCorporateExecutive to his portfolio.
* ComicBook/{{Magneto}} has shades of this in ClassicVillain mode.
* Mr. V, aka "Faceless" from the early ComicBook/MartianManhunter comics was a [[FatBastard fat guy]] in a [[FashionVictimVillain horrible costume]] and [[MalevolentMaskedMan mask]]. He was also the head of [[TheSyndicate international crime syndicate Vulture]], and [[EvilGenius vexed]] the Manhunter for years with [[EvilPlan one scheme]] and [[MadScientist scientific gizmo]] after another. Even his inevitable defeats didn't stop him, because whenever he was captured and unmasked it was always revealed that it was just another one of his [[BodyDouble henchmen]] under the mask and that the real [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption Mr. V had gotten away again]]. As this [[http://idol-head.blogspot.com/2010/10/mr-v-fourth-most-important-martian.html blog]] notes Mr. V is this trope, boiled down to its most simplistic and archetypal. "Faceless was the embodiment of crime, without any character depth or motivation beyond the desire to successfully commit crime and to put down those who would prevent crime."
* In the 1990s, ComicBook/ThePenguin opted to open a posh nightclub called the Iceberg Lounge, seeming to go straight. In truth, the Iceberg Lounge was a front for his criminal activities but turned out to be so profitable (Gotham's elite would attend for the thrill of being in the presence of many of Gotham's infamous RoguesGallery) and brought Penguin such respect (one of his primary motivations in life) that he began spending much of his time running the place when he wasn't actively involved in a crime. By dealing in information and stolen goods, this allowed Penguin to keep his hands mostly clean while securing himself a position as primary crimelord of Gotham City.
* In ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'', [[BadassNormal Alex]]'s [[ArchnemesisDad par]][[EvilMatriarch ents]], Catherine and Geoffrey Wilder are this, controlling most of the LA underworld through fear and intimidation. They have agents within the LAPD, execute anyone who commits a crime without asking their permission first, and have successfully kept most superheroes and supervillains out of the city. The Pride as a whole might actually count, but since Geoffrey is the BigBad, and the one who handles affairs in LA directly, he and Catherine are the clearest examples (the rest being a collection of {{Mad Scientist}}s, {{Evil Sorcerer}}s, time-travellers, {{Mutant}}s, and HumanAliens who have their own areas of responsibility in TheSyndicate). Bonus points for being {{Badass Normal}}s to boot.
** In subsequent chapters, [[spoiler: 1985!Geoffrey]] shows himself to be an example as well. Having just been pulled into the future he forms The New Pride, while successfully manipulating a superhero group and the Runaways into doing exactly what he wants them to, ultimately [[spoiler:killing one of them]] before being returned to the past.
* ''Franchise/SamAndMaxFreelancePolice'' had recurring nemesis Mack Salmon, who thanks to Sam and Max has a fish in a glass bowl for a head, [[NoodleIncident for some reason]].

* Gru, the VillainProtagonist of ''franchise/DespicableMe'' is a career supervillain who even looks something like a cartoon version of Blofeld.

* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam'':
** [[BigBad Gihren Zabi]] crosses between this trope and a full-on [[GloriousLeader dictator]] or even EvilOverlord. He has an IQ of 240, and makes use of his CultOfPersonality, [[EvilChancellor his offices in the Zeon government]] and various other political and military connections to maintain a stranglehold on Zeon's politics. The spin-off manga ''Manga/ThePlotToAssassinateGihren'' focuses on this aspect of his character, as [[GreaterScopeVillain although he himself is not present]], [[spoiler:he turns out to be behind the assassination plots on himself, which he orchestrated as false flags to draw out any dissidents in the upper echelons of Zeon society.]]
** [[TheStarscream Kycilia Zabi]], his younger sister, manages to rival her brother in this regard. Although she lacks his tremendous charisma and the resources he has access to, she's still able to use her various offices and commands to carve out a powerbase of her own in the Zeon military, in preparation for a move against her brother.
* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam00'' has [[spoiler: Alejandro Corner]], a Celestial Being Observer with designs on hijacking them in his own scheme to control the world. Although [[spoiler:he turns out to be a pawn of his EnigmaticMinion, and the ''true'' diabolical mastermind, Ribbons Almack]].
* In contrast to his predecessor, Muruta Azrael, who operated publicly as a legitimate (if still exceedingly evil) politician and lobbyist, Lord Djibril of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEEDDestiny'' prefers to operate as the terrorist version of this. He rarely leaves his hidden lair, from which he pulls the strings on Blue Cosmos, the Atlantic Federation, and eventually the Earth Alliance. Comes complete with RightHandCat, AGlassOfChianti, and no moral compass.

** Walter White seeks to [[ProtagonistJourneyToVillain establish himself as one]] in his alter ego of Heisenberg, although for the first half of the series his operation is simply too small (consisting only of himself, his partner Jesse, and one or two dealers) to qualify him as such. By Season 5, with his connection to [[MegaCorp Madrigal]], alliances with other drug dealers and his use of the Aryan Brotherhood as muscle, Heisenberg could accurately be described as the "king of meth".