8/25/22, 5:49 PM Not-So-Harmless Villain - TV Tropes

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From a funny chimp to a frightening champ.

"Perhaps you'll laugh, but I know him better than most, and this is the truth; Littlefinger is one of the most dangerous
men in Westeros."
— Varys, Game of Thrones

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Okay, so you have a villain, and, for whatever reason, either because they're harmless, ineffectual or
both, you do not take them seriously. You might not even think about them at all. They might have a
lame gimmick or a weird name or maybe they just do not stand out among the Mooks. They are not
exactly on your radar. Even if you do remember them, you think they are either a nobody or a total
joke.

Then they go on to subvert your expectations. Some put themselves through Training from Hell.
Others turn out to be the villainous kind of the Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass. And the rest may be
Obfuscating Stupidity. Either way, the villain ends up as someone who is not only able to show the
heroes exactly why they are called their enemy, but often even become the Big Bad or The Man
Behind the Man. This is when a villain decides to become their own Sorting Algorithm of Evil, or at
least be recognized as more dangerous.

Should they fail to do the former, they will become a Big Bad Wannabe. Often the result of a Darker
and Edgier reinvention of a franchise.

The villain may become a Knight of Cerebus.

Compare Dead Serious, From Nobody to Nightmare, Beware the Silly Ones. Breakout Villains are
prone to becoming Not So Harmless. Contrast Villain Decay and Boisterous Weakling. When applied
to minor heroes instead of minor villains, it's Let's Get Dangerous!. See also Team Rocket Wins. If it is
later revealed that the villain always was that vile and/or dangerous, but the heroes or audience were
misled into dismissing or liking them, see Bait the Dog.

Not to be confused with The Not-So-Harmless Punishment.

Possible spoilers ahead — read at your own risk.

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Video Example(s): Feedback

All-Powerful Crocker
After finally capturing a fairy (namely Wanda), Crocker fulfills his goal of becoming a supreme magical
ruler.

They're Not a J...

Alternative Title(s):
Not So Harmless

Previous Index Next

No One Respects the Spanish

Well-Intentioned Extremist Quirky Miniboss Squad
Inquisition

Nightmarish Nursery Subverted Innocence Nun Too Holy

Nothing Nice About Sugar and Spice Hidden Badass Not So Weak

Monster Clown Hidden Evil Not the First Victim

Not Me This Time Villains Not-So-Well-Intentioned Extremist

Not-So-Forgotten Birthday RenamedTropes/L to P Not-So-Phony Psychic

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Not Brainwashed Heel/Face Index The Paragon Always Rebels

Western Animation ImageSource/Animated Films The Princess and the Goblin

Not Quite the Right Thing NoRealLife/Morality Tropes Not-So-Well-Intentioned Extremist

The Not-So-Harmless Punishment Adverbly Adjective Noun Not-So-Imaginary Friend

Non-Human Lover Reveal More than Meets the Eye Not the First Victim

Canon Discontinuity Overdosed Tropes Screw Destiny

No-Nonsense Nemesis Sliding Scale of Villain Effectiveness Not the First Victim

Nice Job Fixing It, Villain ImageSource/Western Animation Prison Rape

Not Like Other Girls QuoteSource/Live-Action TV The Oath-Breaker

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