Sophisticated

Sophisticated villains are characters who are exceptionally cultivated, mannerly, and refined in behavior, often as a result of coming from or interacting with a higher social status. As a common, they are clever, intuitive, manipulative, experienced, worldly-wise, aware, and tend to be knowledgeable in regards to deep, obscure, psychological, philosophical, ideological, and/or uncommon topics of contemplation. They usually act in a generally polite albeit condescending and opprobrious manner ranging from genuine respect to manipulating others with false kindness. It is also common for them to look down on others they consider "lower" or less cultured than them.

Although they are descriptively the exact opposites of Barbarians, they can often devolve into such, either through losing their sanity as the story progresses, or once their true selves are revealed (e.g. Eddie Gluskin, Ridley, Kingpin, Red Skull, Dr. Robotnik, Professor Ratigan, Kokushibo, Hannibal Lecter, Judge Holden, Oswald Cobblepot, Esdeath, Mrs. Tweedy, Green Goblin, many versions of the Joker, Shredder, Nicole Wallace, Thanos, Ajax, Clayton, Morlun, Junko Enoshima, James Hook (2003), Darkseid, Dick Hardly, Major and Sir John Talbot).

This may also encompass complex villains with moral standings and views others are unable to describe (i.e. Rick Sanchez, Anton Chigurh and Shadow the Hedgehog).

They are the villainous counterparts of sophisticated heroes and the opposite of the heroic jerks.