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