Insecure

Villains who are insecure sometimes lack self-esteem or confidence. This may range from believing that they are monsters or thinking that they don't have what it takes to be successful. These villains may not actually be evil as much as they lash out to assert themselves and find their place. They are similar to the tragic villains, but the defining characteristics of an insecure villain is that they are lying to both themselves and others. Alternatively, they might act in a deranged and/or homicidal manner due to severe pain inflicted upon them and can sometimes be victims of abuse or neglect (e.g. Crona, Spinel, Zuko, Thaddeus Sivana, Ash Graven, Catra, Yuno Gasai, Gil Yepes, Andrew Detmer, Mikan Tsumiki, Credence Barebone, Horus of Dawn, Cassandra, Moxxie, New Goblin, Jin Seon, Joker, Mutant Gang, Tyler Down, Eren Yeager, Kylo Ren, and The Phantom). Furthermore, not all insecure villains are tragic in nature. Some use their lack of confidence as an excuse to lash out or make themselves look like more of a victim than they are.(Lucan, Greg Hunt, Lee Na-yeon, Jax, Sunset Shimmer, Bluey, Brutus, Dr.Eggman, Thanos or Lord Shen). The same applies to villains who bring any poor treatment they experience onto themselves.

As a result, these villains can even have the chance to be Pure Evil as these villains use cruelty and arrogance because they are unwilling to accept that they aren't the perfect beings they believe themselves to be (e.g. Patrick Bateman, Infinite, Marlo Stanfield, Bill Cipher, Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear, Brian Banner, Scar, Yoon Gwi-nam, Junko Enoshima, Mo Tae gu and Scarlet King). The keynote, however, is that their self-loathing issues should NOT present these villains in a sympathetic light. If their insecurities are presented in a sympathetic way, then they cannot be Pure Evil.

Usually, these villains just need those who understand them or acceptance, yet it is also common for insecure villains to be too far gone and too absorbed in their own troubles to want or accept help. Some of them are attention seekers or are seeking for love or happiness. In some cases, they can be psychopaths or sociopaths if their insecurities prevent them from feeling genuine empathy for others (e.g. All For One, Eric Cartman, Prince Hans, Johan Liebert, Lucifer (Supernatural), Penguin, Monty de la Cruz, Monaca Towa, Cinder Fall, Oh Sangwoo, Adam Taurus, Makima, Pitch Black, Ellen, and Hiro Shishigami).

Ironically, many also qualify as arrogant and/or egotistical as they often delude themselves into thinking that they deserve more respect. These villains suffer from a superiority complex where they feign grandeur and self-righteousness to hide their flaws from others and themselves (e.g. Walter White, Tai Lung, Darth Vader, Plankton, Zim, Azula, Lord Shen, Travis Bickle, Blitzo, Count Bleck, The Grinch, Homelander, Rick Sanchez, Dr. Eggman, Rob, Heinz Doofenshmirtz, Herrscher of the Void, Roxanne Wolf, Shadow the Hedgehog, Loki Laufeyson, Ken, Punguari, Dracula, The Once-Ler, and Megamind).

Not to be confused with Hypocrites, who pretend to have beliefs that they don't really have simply because they believe they are above other people. This is specifically for villains who tell lies to themselves and others in an attempt to hide their flaws, though the two tend to overlap.