History Main / VillainProtagonist

* [[ArmyOfThievesAndWhores Everyone]] in ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2''. The Pyro is a {{pyromaniac}} PsychopathicManchild; The Scout [[BloodKnight treats killing like a sport]]; The Soldier is so AxCrazy he was killing Germans on his own little campaign until ''four years'' after the end of World War 2; The Demoman is a MadBomber who is disturbingly casual about his job from what we've seen through the glimpses at his home life; The Heavy is insane enough that he talks to his guns while using them to mow down endless opponents; The Engineer finds mechanically induced death both hilarious and apparently fascinating, and a great thing to do around campfires; The Sniper, while he claims to be a [[NothingPersonal morally upright professional]], loves childish insults and the sounds of exploding skulls far too much to be considered one; The Medic is ''heavily'' implied to be a Nazi or at least cut from the same cloth, and has a [[NightmareFetishist morbid fascination with pain, diseases, injuries, and general human suffering]]; finally, the Spy ''is'' an actual professional soldier, but his sadistic nature ensures he is still this trope.

* No. 47 in the ''VideoGame/{{Hitman}}'' series. Granted, he is for the most part killing people [[PayEvilUntoEvil much nastier than himself]] (arms dealers, terrorists, mobsters etc.) and might even qualify as a HitmanWithAHeart depending on one's interpretation, but that doesn't really dull the force of playing as a ProfessionalKiller who's not above utilizing some pretty unpleasant methods to get the job done. What's more, [[SlowlySlippingIntoEvil he becomes more and more evil as the series progresses]].

* ''AShockToTheSystem'' follows an AverageJoe (played by MichaelCaine) who, after accidentally killing a hobo, decides to also ingeniously murder his wife and boss, seduce his secretary, and get that job he's always wanted. [[spoiler:And he [[KarmaHoudini gets away with it all]], too.]]

An interesting twist on conventional storytelling is to make TheProtagonist a villain. Sometimes (but not always), this villainous main character will even get the SympatheticPOV or be portrayed as an AntiVillain. Although "[[HeroicArchetype hero]]" and "protagonist" are frequently used interchangeably, it can be fun to take the side of evil. However, it is not necessary for a villain to be sympathetic for them to be this trope. Sometimes, it's done by having the protagonist facing [[EvilVersusEvil even worse people]].

A Villain Protagonist (especially in a comedy) is quite likely to go down in flames at the end. Whether this counts as a DownerEnding or not generally depends on [[KickTheDog how many dogs they kick along the way]] and/or how entertaining their HumiliationConga or KarmicDeath is. They may also do a HeelFaceTurn and become a HeroProtagonist.

* ''SecretSix'': It has Bane, the man who ''broke [[{{Batman}} the Bat]]'', Scandal Savage, the psychotic daughter of ''the first murderer'', and Ragdoll, who is just freaky. Add to that Catman (an honorable but crazy hired killer), Deadshot (a sociopathic hitman) and an actual freakin' ''Banshee'' and you know this is not a team of nice people. Nice to look ''at'', [[FetishFuel sure]], but not nice. ''Definitely'' not nice.

* Is [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/9311942/1/Cultist-chan-Destroyer-of-Worlds Cultist-chan of Warhammer40k fame adorably stupid?]] Maybe. [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/9426250/1/Cultist-chan-and-the-Re-re-re-re-re-re%C3%ABlection-of-Ronald-Reagan Does she have any redeeming features?]] Arguably. Is she still an [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/9384175/1/Cultist-chan-and-the-Glorious-BolognaTown-Groxburger-Crusade infantacidal, genocidal, buffoonish villain who causes catastrophic destruction everywhere she goes?]] Without a doubt.

* Woody Allen loves the Trope, as [[MeaningfulName Judah]] of ''Crimes & Misdemeanors'' follows a similar path to the protagonist of ''Match Point''. Judah wrings his hands a lot, but he's still a complete monster.
* Babs Johnson, the main character of ''PinkFlamingos''. She's a serial killer, robber, thief [[ImAHumanitarian among other things]], but you just have to love her.

* The critically acclaimed freeware game ''Videogame/EmilyEnough]]'' revolves around a [[EnfanteTerrible little girl who has slaughtered her entire family]] and who proceeds to kill several innocent people over the course of the game.

* ''DespicibleMe'', it's hero is Gru, he's a villain but he isn't the best in the world.

* TheBlingRing from Sofia Coppola's biopic is most definitely this. What makes Nicki stand out is that [[PlayingAgainstType she's portrayed by]] Creator/EmmaWatson.

* EmmaWatson as Nicki (based on real-life burglar Alexis Neiers) in SofiaCoppola's upcoming biopic of ''TheBlingRing''.

* Paul from ''Film/TheManhattanProject'', when he's not pranking the school nerd with chemical explosives, he's building nuclear weapons that he then uses to hold the military hostage until he gets his way.

* While her quirkiness does make her endearing at certain points, Mavis Gary from ''Film/YoungAdult'' does spend most of the film doing everything she can to break up a happy, wholesome marriage (with a newborn girl, no less). Not to mention she is absolutely horrible and demeaning to most people who are unfortunate enough to come across her in her hometown.

* Everyone in ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2''. The Pyro is a {{pyromaniac}} PsychopathicManchild; The Scout [[BloodKnight treats killing like a sport]]; The Soldier is AxCrazy he was killing Germans on his own little campaign until ''four years'' after the end of World War 2; The Demoman is a MadBomber who is disturbingly casual about his job from the glimpses of his home life; The Heavy is insane enough that he talks to his guns as he uses them to mow down endless opponents; The Engineer finds mechanically induced death both hilarious and apparently fascinating; The Sniper, while he claims to be a professional, loves childish insults and the sounds of exploding skulls far too much to be considered one; The Medic is ''heavily'' implied to be a Nazi or at least born from the same cloth, and has a [[NightmareFetishist morbid fascination with pain, diseases, injuries, and general human suffering]]; finally, the Spy ''is'' an actual professional, but his sadistic nature ensures he is this trope.

* Everyone in ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2''. The Pyro is a PsychopathicManchild and {{pyromaniac}}; The Scout is an [[AxCrazy aggressive twerp]] who [[BloodKnight loved beating up people with his bat]]; The Soldier is an AxCrazy who was rejected by the US Armed Forces and as a response, came to Europe, trained himself, and went on his own [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge streak of killing Nazis during WorldWar2]] [[OneManArmy alone]] and continued even after the war ended until 4 years after the war ended; The Demoman is a MadBomber who was [[ParentalAbandonment abandoned by his biological parents]] until his [[TykeBomb skills manifest themselves]] and whose obsession with killing the Loch Ness Monster resulted in the deaths of his adoptive parents; The Heavy cheerfully laughs as he mows people down and talks to his weapons as if they are real people and [[BerserkButton would kill]] [[MurderTheHypotenuse anyone who]] [[{{yandere}} touched his weapons]]; The Engineer gets [[InLoveWithYourCarnage too jolly from his sentry gun killing people]]; The Sniper thinks he's a professional but he enjoys his work and spits out insults far too much for that; The Medic is a HerrDoctor who has a [[NightmareFetishist morbid fascination]] [[InLoveWithYourCarnage with human suffering]]; and finally, the Spy ''is'' an actual professional who nonetheless mocks his victims with a jaunty cackle.

* There was a Creator/MarvelComics mini-series called ''Deadly Foes of Spider-Man'' was that was like this. The series focused on the Sinister Syndicate (a villain team made up of guys usually thought of as [[InefficientSympatheticVillain Inefficient Sympathetic Villains]] and actually gave them complex personalities, motivations, and in one case, a love interest. SpiderMan was pretty much a "hero antagonist" through the whole thing. Unfotunately, the story ended up with the villains splitting into two factions and an EnemyCivilWar breaking out, where ultimatly, the only real winner was [[spoiler: [[TheManBehindTheMan the Kingpin]], the guy who had been funding them.]]