Tropescilloscope: Adaptational Villainy
A character is more of a villain in an adaptation than they were in the original material. (read more at tvtropes.org)
More Tropes
Call-Forward
Badass Bookworm
Vomit Discretion Shot
Roger Ebert: Great Movies List
The Dragon
Break the Haughty
Man on Fire
Calling the Old Man Out
Historical In-Joke
Evil Sounds Deep
Disappeared Dad
Action Prologue
Running Gag
Throwing Your Sword Always Works
Sequel Escalation
Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas
Poor Communication Kills
Wrong Genre Savvy
Crazy Jealous Guy
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Character Development
No OSHA Compliance
Apocalypse How
Bland-Name Product
Depraved Bisexual
Paper-Thin Disguise
Sliding Scale of Idealism vs. Cynicism
Rich Bitch
Fate Worse than Death
Australian Movies
The Un-Favourite
aka: The Un Favorite
Tap on the Head
Scary Black Man
The Mafia
I Did What I Had to Do
The Atoner
Humiliation Conga
Kill It with Fire
Badass Normal
Empathic Environment
Our Zombies Are Different
Improbable Aiming Skills
Ass Shove
Shell-Shocked Veteran
Continuity Nod
Dirty Old Man
Non-Indicative Name
One-Man Army
Leave the Camera Running
Double Entendre
Green-Eyed Monster
Chekhov's Gun
Car Fu
Big Damn Heroes
Public Domain Feature Films
Documentary
Hell Is That Noise
Loads and Loads of Characters
Gainax Ending
Broken Aesop
From Bad to Worse
BrotherSister Incest
Alas, Poor Villain
Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique
Grey and Gray Morality
"Where Are They Now?" Epilogue
Groin Attack
Police Brutality
I Need a Freaking Drink
Big Bad
Canon Foreigner
The Film of the Book
Getting Crap Past the Radar
Spiteful Spit
Slasher Smile
Offscreen Moment of Awesome
Vacation Films
Unresolved Sexual Tension
Corrupt Corporate Executive
Anachronism Stew
Major Injury Underreaction
The '80s
Only a Flesh Wound
Ominous Latin Chanting
Only Known by Their Nickname
Bury Your Gays
Break the Cutie
Arch-Enemy
A Minor Kidroduction
Drugs Are Bad
Action Genre
Covers Always Lie
Bar Brawl
No Name Given
Truth in Television
Chiaroscuro
Spell My Name with an "S"
Lampshade Hanging
Smoking Is Cool
Cloudcuckoolander
Soundtrack Dissonance
Mundane Made Awesome
Framing Device
Shoot the Shaggy Dog
The Mole
Camp Gay
War Is Hell
Wham Line
The Musical
Offscreen Teleportation
Disproportionate Retribution
Recycled IN SPACE!
Immune to Bullets
Bond One-Liner
B-Movie
Evil-Detecting Dog
Sci-Fi Horror
Interrupted Suicide
Amusing Injuries
Dressing as the Enemy
Eyepatch of Power
Bald of Evil
Twist Ending
Camera Abuse
Aside Glance
Red Right Hand
Retirony
Affably Evil
Breaking the Fourth Wall
Daylight Horror
Meaningful Name
Dull Surprise
Sir Swears-a-Lot
Anti-Hero
More Dakka
Spiritual Successor
Defrosting Ice Queen
Annoying Younger Sibling
Deliberate Values Dissonance
Extremely Short Timespan
Not So Different
Jerkass
Auto Erotica
From Nobody to Nightmare
Pyrrhic Victory
Informed Ability
Cat Scare
Dying Moment of Awesome
Bloodless Carnage
Not Quite Dead
"Shaggy Dog" Story
Made of Iron
Stealth Pun
Slasher Movie
Parental Neglect
Based on a True Story
Hooker with a Heart of Gold
Blatant Lies
A Father to His Men
Anguished Declaration of Love
Homage
Maybe Ever After
Chase Scene
Body Horror
Manic Pixie Dream Girl
Composite Character
Ascended Extra
Captain Ersatz
Coming-of-Age Story
Jerk with a Heart of Gold
Dark Reprise
Adult Fear
Dwindling Party
Adorkable
Guile Hero
Nice Job Breaking It, Hero!
All Men Are Perverts
Conspicuous CG
Older Than They Look
She Cleans Up Nicely
Fanservice
Suspiciously Specific Denial
Big Fancy House
Posthumous Character
Those Two Guys
Mooks
Kids Are Cruel
Didn't Think This Through
The Cameo
Big Eater
Morality Pet
Small Name, Big Ego
The Casanova
The Un-Reveal
Took a Level in Badass
Author Appeal
Russian Films
Gold Digger
Ambiguously Gay
Motor Mouth
Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!
Mythology Gag
Fat Bastard
Super Strength
Leaning on the Fourth Wall
Awesome, but Impractical
Works Set in World War II
Bare Your Midriff
Light Is Not Good
Up to Eleven
Blood from the Mouth
Ironic Echo
Artistic License Geography
Action Girl
Psychopathic Manchild
Yandere
Half the Man He Used to Be
Black Comedy Rape
Death of a Child
Bound and Gagged
Martial Arts Movie
Thriller
Cool Car
Our Vampires Are Different
Logo Joke
The Big Guy
Action Survivor
World of Ham
Early Installment Weirdness
Drill Sergeant Nasty
Evil Cannot Comprehend Good
Film Noir Index
Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy
Victoria's Secret Compartment
Stealth Hi/Bye
Mama Bear
Noodle Incident
Villainous Breakdown
Retcon
Rape Is a Special Kind of Evil
Not So Stoic
Line-of-Sight Name
Narrator
Animal Title Index
Mood Whiplash
Soft Glass
Fish out of Water
Does This Remind You of Anything?
Cool Guns
Aluminum Christmas Trees
Shower Scene
Due to the Dead
Historical Villain Upgrade
Cat Fight
After the End
Armor-Piercing Question
Revenge
Freudian Excuse
Enemy Mine
Four-Temperament Ensemble
Plot Hole
Reality Ensues
What the Hell, Hero?
Meet Cute
Roaring Rampage of Revenge
Index of Film Westerns
Superhero
Genre Shift
Hate Sink
Silent Movie
Irony
Police are Useless
La Résistance
Crapsack World
Mighty Whitey
Papa Wolf
Damsel in Distress
Foreshadowing
Adaptation Expansion
Expy
Mistaken for Gay
Serial Killer
Chekhov's Skill
Darkest Hour
Dual Wielding
Instant Death Bullet
Villain Song
Fun with Acronyms
Cool Old Guy
Evil Is Petty
One-Word Title
Danny Peary Cult Movies List
Destination Defenestration
Never Trust a Trailer
Hidden Depths
Nice Hat
Dogged Nice Guy
Crazy-Prepared
Sports Stories
Determinator
Shirtless Scene
Better to Die than Be Killed
Funny Background Event
Pet the Dog
The Vamp
Disney Death
Creator Cameo
Stepford Smiler
Ship Tease
Manly Tears
Country Matters
Intrepid Reporter
Reasonable Authority Figure
Anti-Villain
Vomit Indiscretion Shot
Anyone Can Die
Improbable Infant Survival
aka: Infant Immortality
Badass in a Nice Suit
Sole Survivor
Death Seeker
Riddle for the Ages
Wham Shot
Room Full of Crazy
No Antagonist
The Brute
Last-Name Basis
Exact Words
Pre-Mortem One-Liner
Daddy's Girl
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
Every Car Is a Pinto
Implacable Man
Let's Get Dangerous!
As Long as It Sounds Foreign
Insult Backfire
The Faceless
Central Theme
Genre Savvy
She's Got Legs
The Bully
Black Dude Dies First
Betty and Veronica
Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep"
Mercy Kill
Captain Obvious
Smug Snake
Why Don't You Just Shoot Him?
Aww, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other
Dumb Blonde
Dropped a Bridge on Him
Shown Their Work
Meaningful Background Event
Epic Movie
Award-Bait Song
Decoy Protagonist
Handicapped Badass
Once More, with Clarity!
In Name Only
Bunny-Ears Lawyer
The '50s
Arranged Marriage
And Starring
Adaptational Heroism
Department of Redundancy Department
Product Placement
Closed Circle
An Axe to Grind
Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane
No-Sell
Be Careful What You Wish For
Psycho for Hire
Lock and Load Montage
Ragtag Bunch of Misfits
As the Good Book Says...
Good Is Not Nice
Evil Laugh
Drowning My Sorrows
Sinister Minister
The Great Depression
The Stoic
Ms. Fanservice
Big Bad Duumvirate
The X of Y
Pretty Little Headshots
Bring My Brown Pants
Costume Porn
20 Minutes into the Future
Karma Houdini
Monumental Damage
Earn Your Happy Ending
Big-Bad Ensemble
Dies Wide Open
Deus ex Machina
Left the Background Music On
Death by Adaptation
Love at First Sight
Unspoken Plan Guarantee
Neck Lift
N-Word Privileges
Really Gets Around
Authority Equals Asskicking
The Load
Death Glare
Historical Hero Upgrade
Comically Missing the Point
Villain Ball
Mystery and Detective Films
Whole Plot Reference
Unwitting Instigator of Doom
Combat Pragmatist
Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds
Nice Guy
Took a Level in Jerkass
All for Nothing
Celebrity Paradox
Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold
Your Cheating Heart
Time Skip
The Bad Guy Wins
He Who Fights Monsters
Early-Bird Cameo
A God Am I
German Films
Gorn
Horror Doesn't Settle for Simple Tuesday
Blood Knight
My Greatest Failure
Dramatic Gun Cock
Horror Films
Heroes Want Redheads
Fourth Date Marriage
Suspiciously Similar Substitute
Fire-Forged Friends
Imagine Spot
Overly Long Gag
Artistic License Military
Actually Pretty Funny
Hollywood Darkness
Fiery Redhead
Ambiguous Disorder
Science Fiction Films
Advertised Extra
A.I. Is a Crapshoot
Not What It Looks Like
As You Know
Star-Crossed Lovers
No-Holds-Barred Beatdown
Reality Has No Subtitles
Dark and Troubled Past
Punny Name
The '70s
Black Comedy
Reality Is Unrealistic
Token Minority
Humans Are Bastards
Heel Realization
Agony of the Feet
Bittersweet Ending
Disguised in Drag
Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking
Ooh, Me Accent's Slipping
What Happened to the Mouse?
Romantic False Lead
Bloodier and Gorier
Protagonist Title
Improbable Weapon User
Does Not Like Shoes
NO INDOOR VOICE
Brutal Honesty
British Films
Cool Shades
Beware the Nice Ones
Sudden Sequel Death Syndrome
Punctuated! For! Emphasis!
Ungrateful Bastard
Those Two Bad Guys
Beta Couple
Funny Foreigner
Gory Discretion Shot
Deadpan Snarker
Artistic License Law
Idiot Ball
Adaptation Name Change
Butt-Monkey
Karmic Death
Race Against the Clock
Hair-Trigger Temper
Author Avatar
Did Not Get the Girl
My Beloved Smother
Punch-Clock Villain
Made of Explodium
Never Found the Body
Beauty Is Never Tarnished
Market-Based Title
Rule of Three
Spared by the Adaptation
Evil Brit
Precision F-Strike
Animated Credits Opening
The '60s
Pretty in Mink
Translation Convention
Together in Death
Broken Pedestal
Nice Job Fixing It, Villain!
Word of God
Fatal Flaw
Death by Sex
Almost Kiss
Foregone Conclusion
Properly Paranoid
Pun
aka: Incredibly Lame Pun
Fantastic Racism
"Well Done, Son!" Guy
Sadistic Choice
Flashback
Madness Mantra
How We Got Here
Adaptational Badass
Gone Horribly Right
Babies Ever After
The Hero Dies
Stalker with a Crush
Berserk Button
Amoral Attorney
Faking the Dead
Screw the Money, I Have Rules!
Heterosexual Life-Partners
For the Evulz
Everyone Has Standards
Real Life Writes the Plot
There Is No Kill Like Overkill
Real Life
Despair Event Horizon
Heroic Sacrifice
Casting Gag
Slap-Slap-Kiss
Sassy Black Woman
Bad "Bad Acting"
Needs Wiki Magic Love
Mr. Fanservice
Film Noir
Animal Motifs
Artistic License Gun Safety
The Starscream
Recap /
RiffTrax
aka: Riff Trax Movies
Freeze-Frame Bonus
Big Applesauce
Here We Go Again!
Dutch Angle
Brainless Beauty
Gratuitous English
Tempting Fate
Beard of Evil
Horror Comedy
Sexy Discretion Shot
Screw This, I'm Outta Here!
Contrived Coincidence
Red Shirt
Silence Is Golden
As Himself
Insane Troll Logic
Fainting
Leitmotif
Adaptational Attractiveness
Sanity Slippage
Rule of Cool
The Chessmaster
Taking You with Me
Foil
Parental Abandonment
Flipping the Bird
I Just Shot Marvin in the Face
The Smurfette Principle
Dirty Cop
Male Frontal Nudity
Boom, Headshot!
Naïve Newcomer
Broken Bird
Deconstruction
Death by Irony
Trailers Always Spoil
Crucified Hero Shot
Title Drop
The Ditz
The End... Or Is It?
Very Loosely Based on a True Story
Straight Gay
Hypocrite
MayDecember Romance
Television Movie Index
Bullying a Dragon
Hero Antagonist
Novelization
The Hero
In Medias Res
Rape as Drama
Tranquil Fury
Bloody Hilarious
Age Lift
Visual Pun
Hypocritical Humor
Zombie Stories
Never Trust a Trailer
aka: Trailers Always Lie
Bolivian Army Ending
I Have Your Wife
Creative Closing Credits
The Dreaded
Spanner in the Works
Hong Kong Films
Insistent Terminology
Antagonist Title
HeelFace Turn
Random Events Plot
Worthy Opponent
Pay Evil unto Evil
Stock Footage
Sealed Evil in a Can
An Arm and a Leg
Not So Above It All
I Want My Beloved to Be Happy
Vampire Fiction
Important Haircut
Demonic Possession
Darker and Edgier
timeperiod
Greater-Scope Villain
Deliberately Monochrome
Men Are the Expendable Gender
Attempted Rape
The Alcoholic
Show Within a Show
Bad Boss
Eiffel Tower Effect
Unusual Euphemism
Christmas Movies Index
Off-into-the-Distance Ending
Expository Hairstyle Change
No Ending
Evil Plan
Kubrick Stare
Badass Boast
Curb-Stomp Battle
Developing Doomed Characters
The Cavalry
Children Are Innocent
A Date with Rosie Palms
Fingore
Your Head A-Splode
Peek-a-Boo Corpse
Actor Allusion
An Aesop
Put on a Bus
Hero of Another Story
Adaptation Distillation
Those Wacky Nazis
Reckless Gun Usage
Failed a Spot Check
Disney Villain Death
BFG
The Smart Guy
O.O.C. Is Serious Business
Evil Counterpart
Say My Name
Chewing the Scenery
Manipulative Bastard
Call-Back
Scenery Gorn
It Will Never Catch On
Manchild
Book-Ends
Heroic BSoD
Ambiguous Ending
Take That!
Large Ham
The Ghost
It's All About Me
Not Using the "Z" Word
Alliterative Name
Historical-Domain Character
Arc Words
Exactly What It Says on the Tin
Meaningful Echo
You Killed My Father
Politically Incorrect Villain
Psychological Thriller
Knife Nut
The Lost Lenore
Bilingual Bonus
Storming the Castle
Bitch in Sheep's Clothing
Defiant to the End
Vitriolic Best Buds
Only Sane Man
Chuck Cunningham Syndrome
Serious Business
Even Evil Has Standards
Retired Badass
Mr. Exposition
Plucky Comic Relief
And the Adventure Continues
Action Film, Quiet Drama Scene
Batman Gambit
Tagline
Artistic License Biology
Only in It for the Money
Evil Is Hammy
Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass
Fanservice Extra
Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?
Colour-Coded for Your Convenience
aka: Color Coded For Your Convenience
Dirty Coward
Kick the Dog
Suddenly SHOUTING!
Film Series
Love Triangle
In the Back
Credits Gag
Rasputinian Death
He Knows Too Much
What You Are in the Dark
Even Evil Has Loved Ones
Adaptation Dye-Job
It's Personal
Impaled with Extreme Prejudice
The Sociopath
Eye Scream
Make It Look Like an Accident
Asshole Victim
Moment Killer
Fatal Family Photo
All There in the Manual
Gender Flip
Nothing Is Scarier
Genre Throwback
Girl-on-Girl Is Hot
The Chick
Adaptational Villainy
Accidental Misnaming
Obviously Evil
French Films
Mad Scientist
Match Cut
I'm a Humanitarian
Red Oni, Blue Oni
Wounded Gazelle Gambit
Intergenerational Friendship
Video Credits
Pragmatic Villainy
Black Best Friend
Fan Disservice
The Place
All There in the Script
Malevolent Masked Men
Screw the Rules, I Have Money!
Corpsing
Fantasy Films
Anachronic Order
It Can Think
Would Hit a Girl
This Is Gonna Suck
Totally Radical
Parental Substitute
Would Hurt a Child
Face Death with Dignity
Artistic License Physics
Dark Action Girl
Redshirt Army
The Dog Bites Back
Scare Chord
Sir Not-Appearing-in-This-Trailer
Double-Meaning Title
Outrun the Fireball
Fake Shemp
Sequel Hook
Eureka Moment
Cold-Blooded Torture
For Want of a Nail
Same Language Dub
The Stinger
The Lancer
The '90s
Overprotective Dad
"Awesome McCool" Name
Card-Carrying Villain
Belligerent Sexual Tension
Stuff Blowing Up
Toilet Humour
aka: Toilet Humor
Affectionate Parody
Too Dumb to Live
Never My Fault
Woman Scorned
Rousing Speech
Unreliable Narrator
Pragmatic Adaptation
Epic Fail
Henpecked Husband
Japanese Films
Friend to All Children
Race Lift
Deal with the Devil
The Power of Love
Refuge in Audacity
My God, What Have I Done?
Pre-Asskicking One-Liner
Downer Ending
Mind Screw
Ugly Guy, Hot Wife
Catch-Phrase
Not Even Bothering with the Accent
Frame-Up
Neck Snap
Oh, Crap!
Dissonant Serenity
Cassandra Truth
Chekhov's Gunman
Rated M for Manly
Redemption Equals Death
Establishing Character Moment
Shut Up, Hannibal!
Brick Joke
Undying Loyalty
Determinator
aka: The Determinator
Bi the Way
Cluster F-Bomb
Villain with Good Publicity
Ghost Fiction
Hope Spot
Shout-Out
Big Brother Instinct
Dramatic Irony
Curse Cut Short
Get Out!
Artistic License History
Evil vs. Evil
Driven to Suicide
Famous Last Words
Parental Incest
Bowdlerise
Catapult Nightmare
Adapted Out
Villain Protagonist
Abusive Parents
Biopic
Laser-Guided Karma
Lighter and Softer
Abhorrent Admirer
Unusually Uninteresting Sight
The Remake
Wretched Hive
Stylistic Suck
Take a Third Option
Cruel and Unusual Death
Blonde, Brunette, Redhead
Re-Cut
Only One Name
Laughing Mad
And I Must Scream
Canadian Movies
Jerkass Has a Point
Dramedy
Married to the Job
Ax-Crazy
Five-Man Band
Mexican Standoff
Mugging the Monster
Red Eyes, Take Warning
Killed Mid-Sentence
Bavarian Fire Drill
You Have Failed Me
Self-Deprecation
Scenery Porn
One Steve Limit
True Companions
Back from the Dead
FaceHeel Turn
Domestic Abuse
Woman in White
The Oner
Wicked Cultured
Naked People Are Funny
Badass Longcoat
Distracted by the Sexy
Eagleland
You Have Outlived Your Usefulness
Jerk Jock
Alpha Bitch
Gilligan Cut
Taking the Bullet
Adults Are Useless
Eldritch Abomination
Names to Run Away from Really Fast
Toplessness from the Back
Training Montage
'80s Hair
Bond Villain Stupidity
Rewatch Bonus
Skewed Priorities
Rule of Funny
Missing Mom
Extreme Doormat
Easily Forgiven
Kill 'em All
Cool Old Lady
Final Girl
Villain Opening Scene
Obfuscating Stupidity
Grievous Bottley Harm
Air-Vent Passageway
Setting Update
Creepy Child
The Stoner
Hollywood Law
Big "NO!"
Have a Gay Old Time
Dark Is Not Evil
The Alleged Car
"The Reason You Suck" Speech
Ripped from the Headlines
Off with His Head!
Sacrificial Lion
No Celebrities Were Harmed
Romantic Comedy
The Voiceless
Playing Gertrude
You Have Got to Be Kidding Me!
Italian Films
Rule of Symbolism
The Quiet One
Hoist by His Own Petard
Well-Intentioned Extremist
All Just a Dream
All Girls Want Bad Boys
Obstructive Bureaucrat
Diabolus ex Machina
Drives Like Crazy
Slashed Throat
Cowboy Cop
Becoming the Mask
Facial Horror
Happily Married
Kick the Son of a Bitch
Badass Grandpa
Military and Warfare Films
Music Stories
Knight Templar
Bottomless Magazines
Cain and Abel
The Ace
Demoted to Extra
Guns Akimbo
Jump Scare
MacGuffin
Red Herring
Honor Before Reason
Accidental Murder
Shipper on Deck
Femme Fatale
The Reveal
Bait-and-Switch
Faux Affably Evil
Black and Gray Morality
Loophole Abuse
Pimped-Out Dress
Improvised Weapon
Blackmail
Male Gaze
Jitter Cam