History Main / VisionaryVillain

* On the CompleteMonster level of this trope in real life are AdolfHitler and many other leading [[ThoseWackyNazis Nazis]], who contrary to early political and academic assertions that their entire movement was purely in pursuit of power for its own sake (a so-called "nihilist revolution"), were in fact very much motivated by their deeply racist ideology for initiating WorldWarII. The [[TakeOverTheWorld aggressive conquest of other nations]] and the [[MoralEventHorizon industrialized murder of millions of people]] were ultimately supposed to secure complete dominion and strategic security for NaziGermany, and to expand the population of the "[[YouFailBiologyForever superior Aryan race]]" through the wholesale extermination of lesser ones, together with that of undesirable individuals they considered "unworthy of life" (Jews, Slavs, Roma, communists, homosexuals, the physically and mentally handicapped, etc.)

** His true ultimate goal [[spoiler: is "saving" the Magical World (which will soon suffer complete magical depletion) through {{Instrumentality}}, and he progresses towards it: 1-without informing anyone but select coconspirators about the true plan, playing the rest as XanatosSuckers, 2-by engineering wars, unrest and disasters that cause untold suffering on a massive scale, 3-Stopping at nothing to neutralise anyone who might pose even the slightest threat to his plans, even if that "threat" is the possibility to find out how to TakeAThirdOption where NobodyDies. He's basically a prepubescent [[NeonGenesisEvangelion Gendo Ikari]].]]

* On the CompleteMonster level of this trope in real life are AdolfHitler and many other leading [[ThoseWackyNazis Nazis]], who contrary to early political and academic assertions that their entire movement was purely in pursuit of power for its own sake (a so-called "nihilist revolution"), were in fact very much motivated by their deeply racist ideology for initiating WorldWarII. The [[TakeOverTheWorld aggressive conquest of other nations]] and the [[MoralEventHorizon industrialized murder of millions of people]] were ultimately supposed to secure complete dominion and strategic security for NaziGermany, and to expand the population of the [[YouFailBiologyForever superior Aryan race]]" through the wholesale extermination of lesser ones, together with that of undesirable individuals they considered "unworthy of life" (Jews, Slavs, Roma, communists, homosexuals, the physically and mentally handicapped, etc.)

* [[AvatarTheLastAirbender Fire Lord Sozin]] wanted to "share [the Fire Nation's] prosperity with the rest of the world." This ended up involving the betrayal of his best friend, the invasion and colonization of the Earth Kingdom, the ([[NiceJobBreakingItHerod near-]])complete genocide of the Air Nomads, and raids against the Water Tribes. This "[[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything Great March of Civilization]]" remains the Fire Nation's propaganda, but Sozin's grandson [[BigBad Ozai]] just wants to ''rule'' the world [[spoiler:even if it's nothing but ashes]].

* In the [[Neopets Neopets]] universe, a character named Xandra wants to rule Neopia (the world of Neopets) and have it run by its inhabitants, because she thinks the world's Faeries aren't so reliable. Of course, [[spoiler: to do this she went as far as to [[TakenForGranite turn them to stone]], accidentally unleashed [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel hordes of shadowy creatures]], [[TakenForGranite turn most of the heroes to stone]], and [[ColonyDrop sent the Faeries' kingdom crashing to the ground]]]].

* In the [[Neopets Neopets]] universe, a character named Xandra wants to rule Neopia (the world of Neopets) and have it run by its inhabitants, because she thinks the world's Faeries aren't so reliable. Of course, [[spoiler: to do this she went as far as to [[TakenForGranite turn them to stone]], accidentally unleashed [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel hordes of shadowy creatures]], [[TakenForGranite turn most of the heroes to stone]], and [[DropTheColony sent the Faeries' kingdom crashing to the ground]]]].

As an [[TheAntagonist Antagonist]], their morality can be [[SlidingScaleOfAntagonistVileness anywhere on the scale]] from WellIntentionedExtremist, to AntiVillain, to CompleteMonster; all that changes is the motivation for wanting to achieve their goal. The common thread is that they have seen the state of the world and want to change it, whether into something better or worse varies. A sympathetic villain may want to [[{{Revenge}} kill the people responsible]] for her DarkAndTroubledPast and FreudianExcuse so it never happens to someone else, perhaps becoming an avenging angel of sorts. A [[ForTheEvulz laughing monster]] of a CardCarryingVillain on the other hand, may want to TakeOverTheWorld (or [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt end it]]) because he sees society as nothing more than a thin {{Facade}}, and peeling it away will expose [[HumansAreBastards the true face of humanity]].

As an [[TheAntagonist Antagonist]], their morality can be [[SlidingScaleOfAntagonistVileness anywhere on the scale]] from WellIntentionedExtremist, to AntiVillain, to CompleteMonster; all that changes is the motivation for wanting to achieve their goal. The common thread is that they have seen the state of the world and want to change it, whether into something better or worse varies. A sympathetic villain may want to [[{{Revenge}} kill the people responsible]] for her DarkAndTroubledPast and FreudianExcuse so it never happens to someone else, perhaps becoming an avenging angel of sorts. A [[ForTheEvulz laughing monster]] of a CardCarryingVillain on the other hand, may want to TakeOverTheWorld (or [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt end it]]) because he sees society as nothing more than a thin facade, and peeling it away will expose [[HumansAreBastards the true face of humanity]].

* Seymour in ''FinalFantasyX'' wants to end the cycle of life and death on Spira... by killing everyone on the planet. WhatAnIdiot.

* [[spoiler: Kerghan]] in ''{{Arcanum}}'' might be the most well-intentioned and extreme extremist of all. [[spoiler: He's traveled beyond the veil of death and knows it as plain fact that the dead eventually do reach a state of perfect tranquillity in death. Since he's all too aware of how much the living and the undead suffer, his grand scheme is to permanently sever the mortal ties of every soul in existence.]] He's quite insane, but there's nothing in the story that indicates that things wouldn't work out exactly as he'd foreseen if given the chance.

* [[CommandAndConquer Kane is probably most famous.]] He even provides page quote. [[spoiler: He is also clearly on to something there]].

* [[AvatarTheLastAirbender Fire Lord Sozin]] wanted to "share [the Fire Nation's] prosperity with the rest of the world." This ended up involving the betrayal of his best friend, the invasion and colonization of the Earth Kingdom, the ([[NiceJobBreakingItHerod near-]])complete genocide of the Air Nomads, and raids against the Water Tribes. This "[[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything Great March of Civilization]]" remains the Fire Nation's propaganda, but Sozin's grandson [[BigBad Ozai]] just wants to ''rule'' the world [[spoiler:even if it's nothing but ashes]].

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* Heath Ledger's Joker.
-->This town deserve a better class of criminal.

[[caption-width-right:350: History is on the move, Captain. Those who cannot keep up will be left behind, to watch from a distance. And those who stand in our way will not watch at all.]]

->''One Vision, One Purpose! Peace Through Power!''
-->--'''[[DarkMessiah Kane]]''', ''CommandAndConquer''

Contrast CutLexLuthorACheck. Frequently sneer at minor or petty villains who yell "ScrewTheRulesIHaveSupernaturalPowers!" Done properly, TheUbermensch will always be this trope.

* Fate Averruncus's organization in ''MahouSenseiNegima''.

* Seymour in ''FinalFantasyX'' wants to end the cycle of life and death on Spira... by killing everyone on the planet.

** Victor Steiner-Davion fought the Clans because they were invading the Inner Sphere; they were a danger to the Sphere as a whole. After forcing them to halt their invasion, he tried to open up more peaceful dialogues (With varying levels of success). Victor is rarely anything but heroic, remembered with respect even by his enemies (Except Katherine).

** Katherine Steiner killed her mother (Despite a disturbing sort of hero-worship) along with several other "obstacles", and essentially stole the Lyran half of Victor's nation. And then when Victor was off trying to stop the Clans, she decided to steal the rest of it. All while trying to depict Victor as the "actual" murderer and spending most of her time trying to paint him as a traitor to their realm for being friendly toward their traditional enemies. Her goal was never anything more than simple powermongering, with a dash of sibling hatred for flavoring; she was depicted as being very much a villain in everything she did. Even her public image as a peacemaker was invented solely to grab more power (Usually from Victor, who was a soldier first and a politician distant second).

* In the BattleTech novels, VisionaryVillain types are quite different than those that amass power for it's own sake.
The bigger heroes generally do things for the good of humanity overall, lesser heroes and some villains generally grab power for their own nation or group, and the real big villains are just in it for themselves. Examples:
** Victor Steiner-Davion fought the Clans because they were invading the Inner Sphere; they were a danger to the Sphere as a whole. Victor is rarely anything but heroic.

** Katherine Steiner killed her mother (Despite a disturbing sort of hero-worship) along with several other "obstacles", and essentially stole the Lyran half of Victor's nation. And then when Victor was off trying to stop the Clans, she decided to steal the rest of it. All while trying to depict Victor as the "actual" murderer and spending most of her time trying to paint him as a traitor to their realm (Mostly for not hating the Combine). Her goal was never anything more than simple powermongering, with a dash of sibling hatred for flavoring; she was depicted as being very much a villain in everything she did. Even her public image as a peacemaker was invented solely to grab more power (Usually from Victor, who was a soldier first and a politician distant second).