“ | This isn't happening to you for a reason - well, one reason: I enjoy it! | „ |
~ Ramsay Bolton admitting his sadism while torturing Theon Greyjoy. |
“ | I said we all have our pleasures. Mine is the pain of others. | „ |
~ Judah Earl admitting what he enjoys the most. |
Sadists are villains who feel a sense of enjoyment at seeing others suffer, either physically, mentally, or both. This kind of cruelty is also known as "schadenfreude" (from "schaden" = "injury"; "freude" = "joy"). Although the term itself for sadism generally refers to cases where they derive pleasure from pain inflicted on others by someone or something other than themselves, they are often not averse to directly inflicting it. Contrary to common belief, sadism does not necessarily entail extensive brutality so long as the person shows some staunch cruel enjoyment and/or such proclivity in others’ misery.
These villains can be delusional, for example, if they convince themselves that their enemies must suffer and take enjoyment in doing so (e.g. Judge Claude Frollo and Akainu).
Notes[]
- Do NOT add ANY sadomasochists (who also take pleasure out of inflicting pain unto themselves) under this category, no matter how sadistic they may be, no exceptions.
- Villains who simply enjoy the thrill of their crimes without taking joy in anyone's suffering do not fall under here. They go under Thrill-Seekers instead. Although the two tend to overlap. They might see the suffering of others (but not themselves) as a big exciting game.
- Villains who simply give off creepy or slasher smiles without being outwardly sadistic or enjoying anyone's pain (e.g. Cartoon Cat and Shou Tucker) also do not qualify.
- Being a sadist does not always mean that the character is Chaotic Evil and vice versa. In fact, it is also possible for Neutral Evil and Lawful Evil villains (e.g. Emperor Palpatine, Lord Shen, Syndrome, Randall Boggs, Turbo (Wreck-It Ralph), Lots-o'-Huggin'-Bear, Dawn Bellwether, Emperor Belos, Light Yagami, Lord Voldemort, and Chief McBrusque) or even characters with Lawful Neutral and Chaotic Neutral alignments to be sadists too (e.g. Dwayne LaFontant, Death, Revy, Haruna Kurodate and Cornette).
- Being a sadist does not always mean that the character is Faux Affably Evil. Affably Evil villains can also have quite sadistic tendencies (e.g. Death, Bowser (Super Mario), Mojo Jojo, Megamind, Carl Johnson, Felonious Gru, El Macho, Rick Sanchez, and the Collector)
- Just because a villain is extremely evil and ruthless doesn't automatically mean they are sadistic, as some of them can be completely indifferent about other's suffering (e.g. Rip Blazkowicz, Ego, Hans Gruber, Decagrammaton, Sweyn, John Godolkin, Bob Barnes, Lord Cutler Beckett, Claire Wyden, Carter J. Burke, Kingpin, Lydia Rodarte-Quayle, Stanley Poole, Sebastian Shaw, and Void).
All items (20060)
- Alexandra Springer
- Alexandrina Victoria Hannover
- Alexei Dionia
- Alexei Luthor
- Alexei Volkoff
- Alexia Ashford (Resident Evil)
- Alexia Ashford (The Darkside Chronicles)
- Alexis Butler
- Alexis Reeves
- Alexis • Kerib
- Alfie Blessington
- Alfie Solomons
- Alfonso (Blue Seagull)
- Alfred Alfer
- Alfred Ashford
- Alfred Drevis
- Alfred Hardeberg
- Alfred Hitchcock (The Girl)
- Alfred, Duke of Meinz
- Alfred, Hunter of Vilebloods
- Alfredo Grossi
- Algernon
- Algol (Chouseishin Gransazer)
- Algol (Fire Emblem)
- Alhazad
- Ali Al-Saachez
- Aliana
- Alice (Arrowverse)
- Alice (Bibliomania)
- Alice (Murder Drones)
- Alice (Pilgrim)
- Alice (Tales of Halloween)
- Alice (The Well Speaks to Me)
- Alice (Transformers)
- Alice Anotherbible
- Alice Cotton
- Alice Cunningham
- Alice Killer
- Alice Morgan
- Alice Ribbons
- Alice Spages
- Alicia Sierra
- Alie Peters
- Alien (Popee the Performer)
- Alien (The Hidden)
- Alien (Without Warning)
- Alien Adacic
- Alien Bat
- Alien Catcher General
- Alien Chefs
- Alien Empera
- Alien Nackle
- Alien Pedan (ULTRAMAN Series)
- Alien Prisoner
- Alien Rayblood
- Alien Rice Weevils
- Alien Temperor
- User:AlienDutch5
- Aliens (Battle: Los Angeles)
- Aliens (Calvin and Hobbes)
- Aliens (Spelunky)
- Aliens (The Faculty)
- Aliens (The Watch)
- Aliens (V/H/S/2)
- Alighiero Alighieri
- Alik
- Alina Gray (Anime)
- Alina Gray (original)
- Alisha Whitley
- Alison DiLaurentis (Literary)
- Alissa Giordano
- Alistair Becket
- Alistair Beldingford
- Alistair Covax
- Alistair Crane
- Alistair Fitz
- Alistair Harper
- Alistair Patton
- Alistair Pratt
- Alistair Ryle
- Alistair Simcoe
- Alistair Smythe (Spider-Man: The Animated Series)
- Alister Dalimar
- Alizarin
- All For One
- Allan (Tintin Film)
- Allan Shaye
- Allegiant General Pryde
- Allentown Boys
- Alliser Thorne
- Allison (The Babysitter)
- Allison Hargreeves
- Allura
- Allura (My Little Pony)
- Ally Allston
- Ally Mayfair-Richards
- Alma Negra
- Alma Reynard
- Alma Wade
- Almec
- Almighty Tallests
- Alois Trancy
- Alonzo Harris
- Aloyse Von Roddenstein
- Aloysius Animo
- Alpha (One Piece)
- Alpha (Up)
- Alpha Diablosaurus
- Alpha Prime
- Alpha Richter
- Alric (Wolfblood)
- Altaaf Khan
- Altair (Re:Creators)
- Alternate Mark Graysons
- Alternate Reality Mr. Krabs
- Alternate Timeline Benjamin Krupp
- Alternate Timeline Melvin Sneedly
- Alternates
- Alti
-
- Altruist Cult
- Alucard (Rosario+Vampire)
- Alva (Arifureta)
- Alva (Pokémon)
- Alvaro D'Alvade
- Alvin and the Chipmunks (Disaster Movie)
- Alvin Dutch
- Alvin Marsh
- Alvin the Treacherous (books)
- Alvin the Treacherous (DreamWorks)
- Alyona Ivanovna
- AM
- Am (Star Wars Visions)
- Amachi (Naruto)
- Amaimon
- Amalia G. Lobelia
-
- Amancio Malvado
- Amanda (Detroit: Become Human)
- Amanda (Rule of Rose)
- Amanda Killman
- Amanda Matthews
- Amanda O'Reilly
- Amanda the Adventurer
- Amanda the Doll
- Amanda Waller (Arkhamverse)
- Amanda Waller (DC Extended Universe)
- Amaru
- Amazo (Injustice 2021)
- Amazon Killer
- Amazoness
- Amazonia (Wild Wild West)
- Amazonian Anacondas
- Amazons (mythology)
- Ambassador Hell
- Ambassador of Alagadda
- Ambassador Sobiesky
- Amber Canardo
- Amber Freeman
- Amberfuce
- Ambrose Brandenham
- Ambrose Jakis
- AMEE
- Amelia (Amelia's Cafe)
- Amelia Chase
- American Client
- Amerika
- Amiable Vagabond
- Amiba
- Amikiri
- Amir Asif
-
- Amma Crellin
- Ammit (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
- Amnon (Terra Finite)
- Amok Mon Ra
- Amon (Devilman)
- Amon Goeth
- Amos Thorpe
- Amshel Goldsmith
- Amunet Black
- Amy (Total Drama)
- Amy Elliot-Dunne
- Amy Kirio
- Amycus Carrow
- Ana Patov
- Anacondas
- Anacondy
- Anankos
- Anarky (Beware the Batman)
- Anastasia (Project Altered Beast)
- Anastasia Tremaine
- Anathar
- Anathos
- Anatoli Knyazev (DC Extended Universe)
- Anatoly Dubinin
- Ancano
- Ancestral Witches
- Ancient Enemy
- Ancient Master Org