“ | Hello, brother. Didn't think you could get rid of me so easily, did you? See, my days were numbered, but you oh, you can continue on for me, be my ultimate revenge! So, calm yourself. Don't fight it. Breathe it in. This gas was a special mixture I had made, just for you. Something to finally set you free. It's time to have some fun. Burn it down, brother. Burn it all down! | „ |
~ Jerome Valeska announcing his legacy for Jeremiah Valeska. |
“ | Guy's some piece of work, isn't he? Six feet under and half a face, he's still screwing with us. | „ |
~ Hank Schrader about Gus Fring. |
Posthumous Villains who either died for real or have an unknown fate yet continue to have lasting impacts and presences from beyond their grave/long-time absence in an earthly and terrestrial way. They can even be deceased from the very beginning and appear primarily as Flashbacks (e.g. Bertrand Zobrist). Their actions, legacies and the harm they caused may continue to have lasting impacts after their demise. A good example of this is Scar of The Lion King, as he died but Zira used her son Kovu to continue his plans.
In regards to what characters can be regarded as posthumous villains, Artificial Intelligences can also apply in spite of being machines and therefore have no bodies nor souls if their actions still has any lasting impact on the story (i.e. the Marvel Cinematic Universe iteration of Ultron, whose actions on Sokovia caused the public view on the Avengers to shift, leading to the Avengers Civil War) as so Forces of Nature if their influence likewise remains on the story (i.g. The Black Mass was destroyed by Samurai Jack's father but it created Aku so he could cause chaos and destruction on to continue with the Black Mass' genocidal rampage).
Evil Organizations can also apply as posthumous villains if they were fully disbanded although not all its members have to die (or have died) yet they still have a lasting impact on the story (i.e. the Galactic Empire, which disbanded after Emperor Palpatine's first death but many of its surviving members went to the Unknown Regions and formed the First Order to replace it).
Note: Characters who came back as Noncorporeals, Zombies, Vampires and so on cannot be Posthumous as actions are still being carried out by them as the Undead UNLESS:
- their Undead forms are also killed off and have such effects afterwards (i.e. Shane Walsh),
- they disappear or withdraw from any action and no longer connect with the plot essentially being permanently removed (i.e. Darth Vader),
- are defeated and sent (back) to an afterlife dimension from which they cannot return (i.e. Imhotep)
- or conflicts take place in an afterlife and do not reconnect with a world of the living (i.e. Ernesto de la Cruz).
All items (3469)
- Daniel Holtz
- Daniel Linderman
- Daniel Morris
- Daniel Quinn
- Daniel Whitehall (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
- Daniel Whitehall (Marvel)
- Dante (FMA 2003)
- Dante (The Walking Dead)
- Dante Madarang
- Danzō Shimura
- Daphne (Re:Zero)
- Dario Brando
- Dark Elves (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
- Dark Lord (Ragnarok)
- Dark Specter
- Darkhell
- Darkness Messenger Geildon
- Darksol
- Darkstripe
- Darktail
- Darren Cross (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
- Darrgon
- Darth Andeddu
- Darth Angral
- Darth Bandon
- Darth Bane
- Darth Caedus
- Darth Desolous
- Darth Krall
- Darth Malak
- Darth Maul (Star Wars)
- Darth Millennial
- Darth Nihilus
- Darth Plagueis
- Darth Revan
- Darth Vader (Star Wars)
- Darth Vectivus
- David (The Last of Us)
- David Cartwright
- David Hiles
- David King (I Dared My Best Friend To Ruin My Life)
- David Melrose
- De la Poer Family
- Deacon Frost (Marvel Anime: Blade)
- Dead-Eye Plankton
- Deadshot (Arrowverse)
- Death (Supernatural)
- Death (The Simpsons)
- Deathshead
- Deathstorm (Arrowverse)
- Debo Royaroya
- Debt Collector (Chainsaw Man)
- Decagrammaton
- Decoy Octopus
- Decoy Queen
- Deep Sea King
- Defalt
- Degenerated Dragons
- Degwin Sodo Zabi
- Deidara
- Deliora
- Demagnetron
- Demagol
- Demetra
- Demise (The Legend of Zelda)
- Demon Bear (Chronicles of Ancient Darkness)
- Demon Frog
- Demon King Banriki
- Demon of Destruction
- Demoura Zodd
- Den Watts
- Denholm Reynholm
- Dennis "Denny" Rickman Jr.
- Dennis Carradine
- Dennis Nedry (film series)
- Dennis Nedry (novel)
- Derek Lucks
- Dereputa of the Meteor
- Dermot "Lucky" Quinn
- Desann
- Destiny
- Destro (My Hero Academia)
- Destroyer (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
- Destroyer (The Legend of Spyro)
- Deus
- Deviot
- Dexter Jackson
- Dexter Morgan
- Diabolico
- Diaboromon
- Dian Wei
- Diane Simmons
- Dick Pickens
- Dickie Moltisanti
- Diego Almagro
- Diego Gomez
- Dimensional Horror
- Dimentio
- Dimitri Rascalov
- Dina (Saw 3D)
- Dina Fritz
- Dino Ortolani
- Dio Brando
- Director Leonard Church
- Director Phobos
- Dirge (Shadow of the Colossus)
- Dix Perdix
- Diz
- DJ Drowsy Drawers
- Dobrynya Nikitich (The Last Warrior)
- Doc Scratch
- Doctor Apgar
- Doctor D
- Doctor Frankenollie
- Doctor Hinelar
- Doctor Man
- Doctor Prospect
- Dogai Singh
- Dokyura
- Dollmaker (Arrowverse)
- Dolores (Shutter Island)
- Doma (Demon Slayer)
- Dominic Greene
- Dominick (Becky)
- Dominus Ghaul
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- Don Eladio
- Don Horror
- Don Mitchell Jr.
- Don Moyaida
- Donald ”Mr. Sigint” Anderson
- Dong Bai
- Dong Zhuo (Romance of the Three Kingdoms)
- Donkeyvac
- Donovan (Berserk)
- Doomsday (DC Animated Movie Universe)
- Doronjo
- Dorothy Walker
- Dosu Kinuta
- Double (Mega Man X)
- Doug Houser's mother
- Dr. Albert Hirsch
- Dr. Angus Bumby
- Dr. Arthur Gallup
- Dr. Crane
- Dr. David Kruipen
- Dr. Douglas Grey
- Dr. Eric Bronze
- Dr. Gaul
- Dr. Gero
- Dr. Glickenstein
- Dr. Gross
- Dr. Henry Frankenstein
- Dr. Henry West
- Dr. Huesca
- Dr. Ivan Kintobor
- Dr. J.B. Worley
- Dr. John T. Foster
- Dr. Julius No
- Dr. Labcoat
- Dr. Malbarn
- Dr. May Updale
- Dr. Meridian
- Dr. Moreau (The Island of Dr. Moreau)
- Dr. Natas
- Dr. Oliver Thredson
- Dr. Pac-Man
- Dr. Penelope Young
- Dr. Pickman
- Dr. Preterius
- Dr. Ranbir Sartain
- Dr. Robotnik (Archie Comics)
- Dr. Roy Curien
- Dr. Starline
- Dr. Theodore Erswick
- Dr. Totenkopf
- Dr. Victor Mott
- Dr. Weil
- Dr. Wily (Mega Man X)
- Dr. Wily (Mega Man)
- Dr. Zaius
- Dr. Zander Rice (Marvel)
- Dracula (Castlevania)
- Drago Bludvist
- Dragon Eye
- Dragon King (DC)
- Dragon King (Stargirl)
- Dragonkin
- Dragons (Elder Scrolls)
- Drahmin
- Dren (Splice)
- Dreyfus
- Drilla Doggler
- Drogo
- Drosselmeyer
- Druaga
- Duchess Gertrude
- Duke Dermail
- Duke of St. Carta
- Dumas Gloomsbury