“ | Even the Machine Empire's Führer Hell Saturn has a weakness. That is the wicked God of the Sun, whom he worships and fears. | „ |
~ The Narrator for Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan describing Führer Hell Saturn's meeting with the Black Sun God. |
“ | Did you truly think you could defeat me? Your powers were a gift from me. It was I who possessed the serpent that bit your hand! It was I who corrupted the Great Devourer and sent it against you! All that has happened was by my design! The Devourer was merely a pawn... set in motion by me to provide a worthy vessel for my return! Now, at last, I have such a vessel! I am complete! | „ |
~ The Overlord revealing to Lloyd and Garmadon that he was the one who corrupted the Great Devourer, and thus caused Garmadon’s corruption and the death of Harumi’s parents. |
In works of fictions starring many villains, there can be either a main antagonist for each story arc or a Big Bad standing at the top of the hierarchy. In the latter case, however, one (or sometimes more than one) villain even more powerful and influential than the Big Bad themself can be introduced: the aptly-named Bigger Bad, also known as a Greater Scope Villain or Overarching Antagonist. Exceptions aside, the Bigger Bad ultimately has a smaller role than the Big Bad in focus.
However, the Bigger Bad is pretty much the main reason for the circumstances in the story that usually wouldn't be (naturally) possible to occur (pollution, artifact of doom, evil ancient group to which the Big Bad used to belong/is acting as a leader, etc). They can also be the main supply of power for the Big Bad, and sometimes the very motivation for said Big Bad to act villainously. Should the story ultimately end up putting more focus on the Bigger Bad, it may over-cede the current antagonist as the Big Bad. This type of villain often serves as an unseen character or is revealed at the very end of the story.
HIGHLY IMPORTANT: a Bigger Bad can logically ONLY appear in stories with a Big Bad and as such Bigger Bads also can only appear in long-running franchises. A Big Bad CANNOT be a Bigger Bad at the same time, unless there is a spin-off series in which one of his servants serves as the Big Bad. Examples of Big Bads who are also Bigger Bads in spin-offs include Emperor Palpatine, Gihren Zabi, Alien Empera, Ozai, and the Great Leader of Shocker.
All items (1495)
- A.J. the Alien
- A.L.I.E.
- Aaravos
- Abraxas (Marvel)
- Absolute Being
- Absolute Hades God N Ma
- Acheron
- Acnologia
- Adam (Evangelion)
- Adam (Kamen Rider)
- Adam el Asem
- Adolf Hitler (Hunters)
- Adolf Hitler (Indiana Jones)
- Adolf Hitler (Kamen Rider)
- Adolf Hitler (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
- Adolf Hitler (Marvel)
- Adolf Hitler (South Park)
- Adolf Hitler (Tarantinoverse)
- Adolf Hitler (Wolfenstein)
- Aegon I Targaryen
- Aeon
- Aerys II Targaryen
- Aesir
- Agent Ohlm
- Aggie (The Loud House)
- Airi Himekawa
- Ajunta Pall
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- Aki (Blood Drive)
- Alan Connor
- Alan Gray
- Alan Rikkin
- Alan Wilson
- Alan’s Brother
- Aldrin Klordane
- Alec Stoke-d'Urberville
- Aleksei Bessolov
- Alexa Christine Carlisle
- Alexander J. Mercer
- Alexander Leland Cayne
- Alexei Volkoff
- Alfred the Great (Assassin's Creed)
- Alien Empera
- Alien Rayblood
- Alien Visitors (South Park)
- All For One
- Aloysius Minch
- Alpha Diablosaurus
- Alucard (Rosario+Vampire)
- Alyona Ivanovna
- Amadum
- Amagi Kureshima
- Amaru
- Amberfuce
- Ambrose Brandenham
- Americon Initiative
- Ammit (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
- Amon (StarCraft)
- Amshel Goldsmith
- Anankos
- Anathos
- Ancestral Witches
- Ancient King OOO
- Ancient Master Org
- Ancient Pop Trolls
- Ancient Spirits of Evil (1985)
- Ancient Spirits of Evil (2011)
- Angela Baker (real)
- Animdude
- Anise
- Anna Morgan
- Anna Sprengel
- Anti-Monitor (Arrowverse)
- Anti-Monitor (DC)
- Anti-Spiral
- Anubis (Overwatch)
- Apex (Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures)
- Apocalymon
- Apocalypse (X-Men Movies)
- Apocalypse (X-Men: Evolution)
- Apophis (Kane Chronicles)
- Apothicon
- Arcadius
- Arceus
- Arch Orphnoch
- Archons (SCP Foundation)
- Ares (God of War)
- Argall
- Ariels
- Arioch (Eternal Champion)
- Arlo Sabian
- Armageddon (Chaos!)
- Armagedroid
- Armando (Elite)
- Arsenio Castillo
- Arthur Edwards
- Arthur Lott
- Artorius Collbrande
- Asa Sweet
- Ash Crimson
- Ashera
- Ashtar
- Askeladd
- Asmodeus (D&D)
- Asmodeus (Helluva Boss)
- Astaroth (Catherine)
- Astram Schiller
- Auditors of Reality
- Ava Paige
- Avatar of Evil
- Avatarr
- Ayanami
- AZ
- Azathoth
- Azazel (Tekken)
- Azura
- Baal (Disgaea)
- Ballas (Warframe)
- Bane (D&D)
- Bansai Ichiyanagi
- Baron Samedi (Akuji)
- Baron Zemo (Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes)
- Baron Ünderbheit
- Barton Foundation
- Basim Ibn Ishaq
- Batsu
- Bayagototh
- Beauregard Salt
- Bed of Chaos
- Behemecoatyl
- Behemoth (SteamWorld)
- Beliar
- Beyonders
- Bibidi
- Big Bad Wolf (fairytale)
- Big Venus
- Bill Fisk
- Bill Van Camp
- Billiam Milliam
- Bio Hunter Silva
- Black Book Club
- Black Dragon (Sonic the Hedgehog)
- Black Hat Organization
- Black Hole (Pretty Cure All Stars)
- Black Lord
- Black Moon
- Black Thing
- Black Winter
- Black Zetsu
- Blight (Forever Evil)
- Blinky (Politicats)
- Blood Tribe
- BloodClan
- Bloodfang Sabertooth
- Bloodwolf
- Blue (Bullet Head)
- Bogeyman (folklore)
- Bombinating Beast
- Bones Darley
- Boram Darkwill
- Lord Boreal
- Bosquito
- Boss (Katana Zero)
- Brainiac (DC Animated Universe)
- Brainiac (Red Son)
- Brewmaster
- Brightburn's species
- Brock Mason
- Brother Moons
- Bruce Macchabée
- Bruno Costa
- Burglar (Benji)
- Cahu
- Cain Knightlord
- Calasmos
- Caleb Warrens
- Caliban (Cowboy Bebop)
- Caligula (The Trials of Apollo)
- Captain Hatch
- Captain Turner
- Captain Zero
- Carl Ingram
- Carlito Keyes
- Carlos Sandoval
- Carnage (Earth-98311)
- Carnage Dark
- Carol and Dylan's Mother
- Cash Buckzo
- Cat Painting
- Category A
- Cathy Ames
- Cave Johnson
- Cecil Adams
- Center for Chaos Containment
- Cernunnos (Lostbelt)
- Chairman Platinum
- Chaos (Castlevania)
- Chaos (Sailor Moon)