List of Crap #117: Top 50 Villains 2: Freddy's Revenge

[Johnny Unusual]

#12

Magneto

48 Points, 5 Lists, #8 George 2.0

The survival of our peoples is diametrically opposed. That sounds like the makings of a war to me.

Wanted For Terrorism, The Whole Xorn Thing

Profile

Magneto is a supervillain in Marvel Comics and a primary antagonist (and later member) of the X-Men.  Magneto (birth name Max Eisenhardt, later Erik Lehnsherr) was a mutant who as a boy was placed in a Jewish concentration camp.  Having been subject to the cruelty of human prejudice first hand, Magneto dedicated himself to preventing mutants from undergoing the same hardship and horror as himself, by any means necessary.  Using his ability to control magnetism, Magneto first allied with Professor Charles Xavier but eventually the two men’s opposed views to saving the mutant population caused a rift and made them enemies.

Magneto has his own team of mutants, the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants (later simply The Brotherhood).  Magneto also has many other followers due to his charisma and promise of a better life for mutants.  Believing that humans and mutants cannot live in peace, he generally believes the only way for peace is for mutants to conquer the Earth and make it their domain.  In addition to being able to control metal, Magneto can also use magnetic fields to create nearly invulnerable bubbles to protect himself from danger and is equipped with a special helmet to repel psychic attacks.

Magneto is another prominent sympathetic villain and in recent years has been more of a hero/antihero figure.  That’s because while he’s done awful things to achieve his goals, the goal of protecting his fellow mutants is one worth fighting for, even if his means tends to be questionable.  The relationship between Magneto and Professor X has also helped in making the character work.  While initially a generic would-be world conqueror, the character evolved emotionally in a way where we want him to turn a corner.  And though he has, he has never let go of the edge that makes him so dangerous, as his personal hurt and mistrust goes very deep into his psyche.
   
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/S7Cozf7D4Wk" target="_blank" class="new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/S7Cozf7D4Wk</a>

Trivia
Why yes, this song by Paul McCartney and Wings is specifically about those Marvel Comics supervillains!

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/sTBukDar6vE" target="_blank" class="new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/sTBukDar6vE</a>

[George-2.0]

The best thing about Apocalypse was Fassbinder's performance when he's cradling his dead wife and child - God that hurt and things like that certainly made him more sympathetic, but the terrible things he'd do in retaliation would remind you of his bad guy roots.

Like the time he pulled the metal out of Wolverine. Yikes

I liked the Claremont/Byrne stories.... Byrne made him look so powerful and, what's the word I'm searching for, glorious? With that flowing cape.

Cullen Bunn, whose best work is with his own creator-owned horror comics (The Sixth Gun, Harrow County), did a superb, if sometimes murky with the details, Magento series, that really brought back the horrific side of the character. Impaling people on spikes, driving nails through their brains (slowly I might add. We get to see at first, the nails in the hand, stuck to the face, blood dripping - before he pushes the nails in deeper. It was the type of gruesome imagery you'd expect from Bunn's scary comics)

So even though he has this sympathetic, anti-hero side to him. He's also been one hell of a dark figure (and very mysterious at first because the helmet hid his face. We didn't know who we was back in the 60s) and that's why I voted for him. (he and Green Goblin were my favorite Marvel villains when I was a kid)

[Johnny Unusual]

 

#11

David Lo Pan

50 Points, 3 Lists, #3 Cole Stratton

Mr. Burton, if you have an influence over your youthful friend, you better exert it now. Otherwise, I will have you both brought out to the hell where people are skinned alive, it's that simple, understand?

Wanted For Running gangs, ancient evil magic, not letting D & D nerds know that beholders are real.

Profile

David Lo Pan is the main villain of the film Big Trouble in Little China.  David Lo Pan was once Lo Pan (sans David, obviously), a power wizard and warrior in ancient China.  After being defeated by the emperor, he was made incorporeal until the day he would marry a girl with green eyes.  Lo Pan has long sought such a woman, only able to become corporeal for a little while each day as a frail old man.  Nonetheless, in this form he became a powerful criminal leader and eventually moved to America to control the gangs in Chinatown.  Eventually upon finding two girls with green eyes (which isn’t as rare as you think, Lo Pan), Lo Pan found himself against his old wizarding enemy Egg Shen, Wang and the hapless but well-intentioned Jack Burton.

Lo Pan’s wizarding power is great but also severely limited by his curse.  But in his corner, he also has three magic martial artists (the Three Storms), a Borneo Wildman (who actually ends up not doing all that much) and a friggin’ beholder.  If Lo Pan is able to re-assume mortal form, he’s been told he will actually be even more powerful than he’s even been, which he wishes to use to finally rule the world.  His lair is full of replications of various Chinese “Hells”, promising horrible torture to all who are subject to them.

Lo Pan’s a fun flashy villain with a crazy lair, crazy powers and crazy henchmen.  But he’s also a lot of fun in personality, thanks in large part to the performance of James Hong.  If you have an hour, watch this great video about the career of James Hong…

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/mGRmmasmeVk" target="_blank" class="new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/mGRmmasmeVk</a>
   
To put it short, Hong brings your classic menace and grandiosity to this classic Fu Manchu-type villain.  But while that archetype has fallen out of favour in general, Lo Pan is still a fan favourite due to him having a lot of personality.  He’s really quite funny (the video rightly chooses the moment when he just gets pissed at seeing our heroes on a security tape) and the character goes in some different directions while still feeling whole.  The movie overall is a lot of fun and a lot is owed to James Hong as Lo Pan.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/J4c2hFeD7GQ" target="_blank" class="new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/J4c2hFeD7GQ</a>

Trivia
The Three Storms were partly the inspiration for the popular character of thunder god Raiden from Mortal Kombat fighting video game series, while David Lo Pan was the inspiration for the evil sorcerer Shang Tsung.

[Darth Geek]

Lo Pan is a great villain. Funny, but still menacing.

And thanks for the James Hong video, I'll definitely check that out. He's a cool character actor that is always nice to see him pop up. With the possible exception for R.I.P.D., where he was made into a joke and it was just embarrassing.

[Lunquewill]

#11

David Lo Pan

Here's a Tamara's Never Seen about Big Trouble in Little China
https://youtu.be/7oAy9WtyvPQ

[linszoid]

#12

Magneto

Cerebro...

[PsychoGoatee]

Gotta love Magneto, one of the most epic characters ever. And Lo Pan is quite good no doubt about it.

I liked the Claremont/Byrne stories.... Byrne made him look so powerful and, what's the word I'm searching for, glorious? With that flowing cape.

Good stuff for sure, I was just reading that run lately. I noticed Magneto wasn't around much for Byrne's tenure, I think he only drew Magneto in about two issues in that run, Uncanny 112 & 113. With Dave Cockrum drawing the appearances earlier in the Claremont run, and other artists later in the Claremont run.

[George-2.0]

Gotta love Magneto, one of the most epic characters ever. And Lo Pan is quite good no doubt about it.

I liked the Claremont/Byrne stories.... Byrne made him look so powerful and, what's the word I'm searching for, glorious? With that flowing cape.

Good stuff for sure, I was just reading that run lately. I noticed Magneto wasn't around much for Byrne's tenure, I think he only drew Magneto in about two issues in that run, Uncanny 112 & 113. With Dave Cockrum drawing the appearances earlier in the Claremont run, and other artists later in the Claremont run.

Seriously, only twice? It must have left a deep impression on me then. That kidnap story really blew me away.

[Johnny Unusual]

#10

Khan Noonien Singh

52 Points, 4 Lists, #6 Russoguru

I've done far worse than kill you. I've hurt you, and I wish to go on hurting you.

Wanted For War crimes, fake chests

Profile

Khan Noonien Singh is a villain in the Star Trek franchise.  In the 1990s, during the Eugenics Wars (remember them?), Khan controlled about a quarter of the Earth with his empire.  But eventually he was deposed and, in his escape, went into cryogenic stasis on the ship SS Botany Bay with his other most loyal followers.  Khan was awakened centuries later by the crew of the starship USS Enterprise who were shocked to learn whom they had awakened.  Khan attempted to conquer the ship and return to Earth to rebuild their empire anew only to be defeated by Kirk, who came up with a compromise: exile on a hostile world that he was free to tame.  Khan accepted but years later vowed revenge when Kirk failed to see his progress and was unaware of a tragedy that befell the planet, nearly killing all of the Botany Bay survivors.

Khan Noonien Singh was one of several superhuman created as a result of genetic engineering.  One of the warlords of the Eugenics Wars, he was often considered the most benign of the rulers of that era.  However, he still believes in rule solely by those with the power to do so, using his army of super soldiers to accomplish his goal.  In the events of Wrath of Khan, he becomes obsessed with revenge against Kirk and dedicates all his intelligence to outmaneuvering him and making him suffer, though his focus on revenge rather than victory partially proves to be his undoing.

Ricardo Montleban brings a lot of presence to Khan in his appearances as them.  In the first episode he brings both menace and charisma while showing a man of honour.  In the second, he is powerful still, but a much more tragic figure, driven by his hatred.  Star Trek films have struggled with good villains since then (Search for Spock’s villain is pretty OK but far less memorable) with four wisely forgoing a real villain altogether.  Star Trek has had its share of military men and space gods, but Khan stands out as a unique and personal threat to the crew, one that ends in both tragedy and hope.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/geCfrrS4GKo" target="_blank" class="new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/geCfrrS4GKo</a>

Trivia
In the DVD bonus feature "The Captain's Log", Ricardo Montalban says that once he committed to this film, he realized that he had trouble getting back into the character of Khan. After years of playing Mr. Roarke on Fantasy Island (1977), he found that he was "stuck" in that character. He requested a tape of Star Trek: Space Seed (1967) from Paramount, and proceeded to watch it repeatedly. By the third or fourth watching, he had recaptured the essence of Khan's character.

[PsychoGoatee]

Seriously, only twice? It must have left a deep impression on me then. That kidnap story really blew me away.

Right on, great run for sure. I was just looking it up, looks like he had some scenes in some other issues in the run too. http://www.comicbookdb.com/character.php?ID=68

And man gotta love Khan! What a legend. One of the best movies ever. The episode is pretty cool too, but that movie elevates it quite a bit I'd say.

[linszoid]

Fake chests?

[MartyS (Gromit)]

Fake chests?

I was about to post that.  That was all him, he bulked up for months before filming.

[Darth Geek]

While I do like Wrath of Khan, I don't find it as great as a lot of other people. Khan is an interesting character, and very well played by Montalban. But his constant quoting of Captain Ahab just makes it seem like he either never finished reading Moby Dick, or somehow missed one of the most obvious examples of self destructive characters ever written.

[The Lurker]

While I do like Wrath of Khan, I don't find it as great as a lot of other people. Khan is an interesting character, and very well played by Montalban. But his constant quoting of Captain Ahab just makes it seem like he either never finished reading Moby Dick, or somehow missed one of the most obvious examples of self destructive characters ever written.

It’s an ego thing.

[Darth Geek]

While I do like Wrath of Khan, I don't find it as great as a lot of other people. Khan is an interesting character, and very well played by Montalban. But his constant quoting of Captain Ahab just makes it seem like he either never finished reading Moby Dick, or somehow missed one of the most obvious examples of self destructive characters ever written.

It’s an ego thing.

Oh I know it is. And I get that that is the point. But it just undercuts his supposed intelligence in my opinion.