VILLAINESS TROPES
What are Female Villains and HOW to use them
Every villainess has her reasons for being bad. What those reasons are will determine which trope, or combination of tropes, she falls into. It is ok to let your villainess be evil because of selfish choices and not just from tragedy. It is important to keep in mind that becoming a villainess is a choice and showing her making the bad/evil choices will give her greater depth.
Here are the villainess tropes in all their infamous glory.
DARK QUEEN or ICE QUEEN: A villainess who is emotionally distant, aloof, and often portrayed as cold and unfeeling. She rules with cruelty and with a desire for power, tends to have a connection to the supernatural. Some examples:
Queen Of Hearts from “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”: A tyrannical ruler who orders beheadings.
Queen Ravenna from “Snow White and the Huntsman”: An evil queen with a desire for eternal beauty and power.
Queen Jadis from “The Chronicles of Narnia”: The White Witch who brings eternal winter to Narnia.
VENGEFUL SPIRIT: A villainess motivated by revenge from beyond the grave, often seeking justice for a perceived wrongdoing. The wrongdoing does not need to be real and can make things interesting when it is not. Some examples:
Samara from “The Ring”: A vengeful spirit associated with a cursed videotape.
La Llorona from Latin American folklore: A weeping woman seeking revenge for the loss of her children.
Hannya/Oni from Japanese Noh theater: Females who give in to their jealousy and vengefulness in life.
EVIL SORCERESS: A powerful villainess magic user who employs her magical abilities for nefarious purposes. Often combined with the Dark/Ice Queen. Some examples:
Maleficent from “Sleeping Beauty”: A dark fairy who curses Princess Aurora.
Morgana le Fey from Arthurian Legends: A sorceress known for her magical mischief.
TRAGIC MONSTER: A villainess who turns to the bad due to tragic circumstances or a traumatic past. This is so commonly used it has become a part of nearly every female character whether she is a villainess or not. Some examples:
Elektra Natchios from Marvel Comics: A trained assassin with a tragic upbringing.
Maleficent from “Maleficent”: Explores the backstory of the iconic villainess, revealing a tragic past.
Hellene Myths: nearly every villainess in these myths
DEVOTED DISCIPLE: A villainess who is a loyal follower or disciple of an evil figure, often carrying out their master's bidding. Some examples:
Bellatrix Lestrange from the Harry Potter series: Devoted Death Eater and follower of Voldemort.
Harley Quinn from “Suicide Squad”: Initially devoted to the Joker, later becomes more independent.
JILTED LOVER: A villainess due to a romantic betrayal or unrequited love. This is another trope used so much that it has almost become a checkmark on the crafting of a villainess. Some examples:
Amy Dunne from “Gone Girl”: Manipulates events to seek revenge for perceived betrayals.
Meredith Palmer from “Swimfan”: Develops a dangerous obsession after a brief romantic encounter.
FEMME FATALE/SUCCUBUS: A seductive and cunning villainess who uses her charm and attractiveness to manipulate others, often leading to their downfall. This includes supernatural female entities that seduce and manipulate victims, often draining their life force. Some examples:
Catherine Tramell from “Basic Instinct”: A crime novelist with a dangerous allure.
Catwoman (Selina Kyle) from DC Comics: A cat burglar who uses her charm to navigate the criminal underworld.
Mata Hari during World War I: a historical figure who was a spy who toyed with both sides
DARK MOTHER/WICKED STEPMOTHER: A villainess who uses motherhood for malicious purposes, manipulating or harming her children. Some examples:
Mother Gothel from "Tangled": Kidnaps Rapunzel to exploit her magical hair.
Norma Bates from "Psycho": A complex mother-son relationship with sinister undertones.
Lady Tremaine from "Cinderella": Cruel stepmother who mistreats Cinderella.
QUEEN BEE: A villainess who establishes dominance through social manipulation, often in high school or social settings. Some examples:
Regina George from “Mean Girls”: A high school "queen bee" known for her manipulative behavior.
Blair Waldorf from “Gossip Girl”: A socialite who uses manipulation to maintain her status.
LET ALL THESE VILLAINESSES BREATHE NEW DANGERS AND CONFLICTS INTO YOUR STORIES AND TTRPG ADVENTURES!
