“ | On your feet, dad. You're not done yet. In case you've forgotten, you had your own reasons for coming here. You had a little sister until that man fed her to those dogs... Think of your slaughtered comrades... of Kruger... of Dina... Avenge them, to keep moving forward. Even if you die, even after you die... After all, this whole ugly story, has been started with you... | „ |
~ Eren Yeager ruthlessly pushes his father Grisha to achieve his goal. |
“ | When your heartless mother abandoned you as a child, anyone else would’ve drowned you. And this is my thanks for taking you in and raising you as my son? | „ |
~ Judge Claude Frollo manipulating Quasimodo into thinking that his mother “abandoned” him when it’s not the case. |
Psychological Abusers are characters who inflict emotional and psychological torment on their victims. They can be Mind-Breakers but do not have to focus on actually breaking someone's state of mental health; instead, many of them rely on emotional and spiritual abuse for the sake of tormenting them or even as something as petty as making them feel bad about themselves. Common examples are antagonists who try and convince someone they are worthless, ugly, unwanted, etc. This also applies to those who try to inflict prolonged periods of distress, fear and general despair in another person (e.g. Gil Yepes, Diane Simmons, Lady Tremaine, Chris Hargensen, White Diamond).
These villains can also be manipulative as well as cruel, and use a form of psychological manipulation called Gaslighting, which is where they trick their victim's feelings in order to manipulate them, both mentally and emotionally. This can be the case with villains whose victims are essential to their plans and/or are unwilling to let go of easily, or at all (e.g. James Hook (2003), Mother Gothel, Kai Chisaki, Zhan Tiri, Emperor Belos, Scar (The Lion King), Bill Cipher, Setsuna Sumeragi and Shadow Weaver (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power)).
Due to the nature of psychological abuse it is considered by many as a special "breed" of evil since it either focuses on attacking those who are deemed vulnerable or trying to devalue another person's confidence and well-being (core principles of what many consider basic human rights).
Ironically, even though this category is technically the opposite of kindness, these villains can still be Affably Evil because they might have limits on their cruelty, being affable sometimes and abusive at other times. (e.g. Mr. Donatti, Death (Puss in Boots), Sideshow Bob, Plankton, Hannibal Lecter, Beavis and Butt-Head, Jimmy Hopkins, Rick Sanchez, Anastasia Tremaine, Beast (Disney), and The Collector (The Owl House)).
IMPORTANT NOTES: This category is for Villains who tend to lean towards emotional and/or psychological abuse instead of physical violence. They do not always seek to drive their victims insane (as Mind-Breakers do) but they can sometimes become Mind-Breakers due to their actions. Many Psychological Abusers use words over violence but some will resort to it (even becoming Homicidal Murderers) if their initial cruelty fails. Furthermore, those who use this tactic often do so on top of physical violence in order to break their victim's body and mind.
-
AM -
Jinu -
Death (Final Destination) -
Jax (The Amazing Digital Circus) -
Ernesto de la Cruz -
Alternate Mark Graysons -
Front Man (Squid Game) -
Grimmel the Grisly
All items (9992)
- A (Pretty Little Liars)
- A Friendly Man
- A Major Corporation
- A-90
- A-Train (comics)
- A. Paul Cramblemo
- A.L.I.E.
- A.O. Neville (Rabbit-Proof Fence)
- Aakon Foulbreath
- Aaravos
- Aarfy
- Aaron (The Aristocrat's Otherworldly Adventure)
- Aaron Peel
- Aaron Stampler
- Aaron the Moor
- Aaron Wesley Parker
- Aaroniero Arruruerie
- Aarti Kaushik
- Aatrox
- Abalone Cookie
- Abby Anderson
- Abby Anderson (TV series)
- Abdul Rafai
- Abdul-Aziz al-Razim
- Abe Cheney
- Abel Bisette
- Abel Hazard
- Abeloth
- Abendroth
- Abi Branning
- Abigail Craven
- Abigail Hill
- Abigail Lazar
- Abigail Roberts
- Abigail Williams (Murdered: Soul Suspect)
- Abigail Williams (The Crucible)
- Abijah Fowler
- Abis Mal
- Abomination (2010 Marvel Animated Universe)
- Abra Kadabra (Arrowverse)
- Abracadabra
- Abrasive Sponge
- Absolute Hades God N Ma
- Absolute Solver
- Abstergo Industries
- Abstract Daddy
- Abusive Father
- Abyss Order
- Abyssal Fleet
- AC-DC
- Accelerator
- Ace Hardlight
- Acheron (Winx Club)
- Acidicus
- Acnologia
- Actors (The Truman Show)
- Actrise
- Ada Tucker
- Adagio Dazzle
-
- Adam (Dark)
- Adam (Hellaverse)
- Adam (Medieval Cop)
- Adam (The Case of the Bloody Iris)
- Adam Barker
- Adam Brubeck
- Adam Cain
- Adam Carrington
- Adam Grafton
- Adam Harrison
- Adam Jones
- Adam Lockwood
- Adam Murray
- Adam Pratt
- Adam Sewell
- Adam Smasher
- Adam Smith
- Adam Styler
- Adam Sutler
- Adam Taurus
- Adam Veile
- Adam Weishaupt
- Aden Syed
- Adeptus Mechanicus
- Adiane the Elegant
- Admiral Haruki Kusakabe
- Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (Pearl Harbor)
- Admiral Whiskers
- Admiral-General Aladeen
- Adolf Hitler (Captain Planet)
- Adolf Hitler (Downfall)
- Adolf Hitler (Hitler: The Rise of Evil)
- Adolf Hitler (Supernatural)
- Adolf Hitler (The King's Speech)
- Adon Coborlwitz
- Adonis (Teen Titans)
- Adra
- Adria (Diablo)
- Adrian Baker
- Adrian Bale
- Adrian Cross
- Adrian Garff
- Adrian Graye Vernworth
- Adrian Harris
- Adrian Neville
- Adrian Ripburger
- Adrian Yates
- Adrian Țofei
- Adriana Petrescu
- Adrius Ossian
- Adsız
- Adu Du
- Advent Coalition
- Advisor (Dan the Man)
- Advocate
- Aegon II Targaryen
- Aemond Targaryen
- Aerospace Sanitation Inc.
- Aerys II Targaryen
- Afro God (Goodnight Punpun)
- Agatha (Dark Deception)
- Agatha Culpepper
- Agatha Harkness (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
- Agatha Harkness (Marvel)
- Agatha K. Plummer
- Agatha Trunchbull
- Agent Clappers
- Agent Dunbar
- Agent Kruger
- Agent Ohlm
- Agent One and Agent Two
- Agent Smith (The Matrix)
- Agent Trout
- Agents of DIO
- Aggie Prenderghast
- Aggregor
- Agnes (Monica's Gang)
- Agnes Skinner
- Agnes's Parents
- Agniezjka Bogdani
- Aguilera
- Aguilla Beckersted
- Agustin Allende
- Ahab (Limbus Company)
- Ahide Alobo Agatze
- Ahmanet
- Ai Imari
- Ai Magase
- Aiden Crane
- Aido Kagerou
- Aigaron
- Aileen Rao
- Aimee Slocum
- Ainsley
- Ainz Ooal Gown
- Airi Himekawa
- Aisrehdar
- Aiwass
- AJ (American Reunion)
- AJ Lee
- Ajax (Marvel)
- Ajax (X-Men Movies)
- Ajay Sharma
- Akachi
- Akainu
- Akan
- Akane Hiyama
- Akari Abe
- Akeel Min Riah
- Akemi Hinazuki
- Akemi Nakajima
- Aki (Blood Drive)
- Aki Myojin
- Aki Tsukino
- Akio Ohtori
- Akira Ichijou
- Akira Nishikiyama
- Akira Takaoka
- Akito Sohma (Fruits Basket 2001)
- Akito Sohma (Fruits Basket)
- Akomaru
- Aku
- Akudaikan
- Akumaro Sujigarano
- Akuro
- Akyanba
- Al-G Rhythm
- Al-Qatala
- Aladdin (Twisted: The Untold Story of a Royal Vizier)
- Alameda Slim
- Alan (Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things)