History Main / EvilNerd

He's often an EntitledBastard who thinks that his superior intelligence (which may or [[KnowNothingKnowItAll may not be as superior as he thinks]]) should automatically make him adored and successful, and that the people failing to give him his due deserve some sort of [[DisproportionateRetribution exaggerated punishment]] for it. He often does suffer from genuine [[FreudianExcuse bullying and mistreatment,]] but by the time he gets to his MotiveRant he's done so many horrible things that his audience will be [[FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse less than sympathetic]] - no matter how many lockers you were stuffed into, it just doesn't justify sending demons to rip the living souls out of peoples' bodies.

The NerdyBully and InsufferableGenius are this trope's somewhat more benign cousins, who settle for being [[{{Jerkass}} Jerkasses]] instead of going straight for outright villainy [[note]]and are usually more impressive than him besides - the Evil Nerd may ''think'' he's a genius, [[KnowNothingKnowItAll but he usually isn't,]] and he tends to be [[DirtyCoward too afraid of direct confrontation]] to become a successfully bully[[/note]]. On the flip side, the EvilGenius or MadScientist are what the Evil Nerd often ''wants'' to be but can't quite live up to - while he may or may not be smart, he's fundamentally [[EvilIsPetty too petty and narrow-minded]] to conceive of a genuinely visionary plan, evil or otherwise.

And then there's this guy (though ''definitely not'' [[AlwaysMale always a guy]]). Either his lack of social niceties is caused by [[TheSociopath a complete disregard for other people,]] or else the loneliness and rejection they've led to has turned him bitter and twisted. Either way, he's out to get everything he's ever wanted, by any means necessary, including revenge on any real and imagined slight he's suffered.

He's often an EntitledBastard who thinks that his superior intelligence ( which may or may [[KnowNothingKnowItAll not actually exist]]) should automatically make him adored and successful, and that the people failing to give him his due deserve some sort of [[DisproportionateRetribution exaggerated punishment]] for it. He has often genuinely [[FreudianExcuse been bullied and hard done by,]] but by the time he gets to his MotiveRant he's always done so many horrible things that the protagonists will be [[FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse less than sympathetic]] - no matter how many lockers you were stuffed into, it just doesn't justify sending demons to rip the living souls out of peoples' bodies.

The NerdyBully and InsufferableGenius are this trope's somewhat more benign cousins, who settle for being [[{{Jerkass}} Jerkasses]] instead of going straight for the outright villainy [[note]]and are usually more impressive than him besides - the Evil Nerd may ''think'' he's a genius, [[KnowNothingKnowItAll but he usually isn't,]] and he tends to be [[DirtyCoward too afraid of direct confrontation]] to become a successfully bully[[/note]]. On the flip side, the EvilGenius and MadScientist is what the Evil Nerd often ''wants'' to be but can't quite live up to - while he may or may not be smart, he's fundamentally [[EvilIsPetty too small and dull a person]] to conceive of a genuinely visionary plan, evil or otherwise.

Since the Evil Nerd is generally [[GeekPhysiques not the fittest or best-looking,]] there is likely to be overlap with BrainsEvilBrawnGood and BeautyEqualsGoodness as he faces off against the better-groomed and more physically capable heroes. Compare the EvilCripple, whose broken morality is also symbolised and/or caused by a more visible handicap, as well as NerdyBully, which he may overlap with or have graduated from if he's past his high school years.

He's often an EntitledBastard who thinks that his superior intelligence ( which may or may [[KnowNothingKnowItAll not actually exist]]) should automatically make him adored and successful, and that the people failing to give him his due deserve some sort of [[DisproportionateRetribution exaggerated punishment]] for it. He has often genuinely [[FreudianExcuse been bullied and hard done by,]] but by the time he gets to his MotiveRant he's always done so many horrible things that the protagonists will be [[FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse less than sympathetic]] - no matter how many lockers you were stuffed into, it just doesn't justify sending demons to rip the living souls of people out of their bodies.

* Simon Says of ''ComicBook/AstroCity'' is a TeenGenius who turned to crime after being relentlessly bullied in school.

The common nerd is, at worst, a bit annoying. Sure, he might have NoSocialSkills and be overly fond of telling people about his Franchise/{{Pokemon}} collection, but his heart is generally in the right place.

* ''Film/{{Ghostbusters|2016}}'' (2016) has Rowan North, a geeky guy whose misanthropy pushes him to summon evil ghosts. His MotiveRant toward the Ghostbusters leaves them unimpressed.

* The Technical Boy in ''Series/AmericanGods'' may be the literal embodiment of the trope, being the God of Technology and the Internet who takes the form of the most odious sort of tech-geek. Interestingly, he's [[AdaptationalVillainy even more evil than his book counterpart]], reflecting the creators' belief that nerds have gotten more evil since the book was published.
* Robert Daly from the episode "USS Callister" of ''Series/BlackMirror'' is a nerdy, asocial programmer. He disproportionately takes out his frustrations with his co-workers by creating virtual copies of their minds, placing them in a video game mod, and abusively forcing them to reenact his power fantasies. He finds it easier to use his technical skills to force clones of his coworkers to act out his sci-fi fantasies than to actually learn how to get along with them in real life.

* The Bureau of Normalcy in ''Series/DoomPatrol'' employs the Beard Hunter, who is fat, awkward and still lives with his mother. Somewhat downplayed in that as dorky and clueless as he is, he's technically less dysfunctional than [[DysfunctionJunction the heroes.]]