The Incredibles: The Art of Supervillain Monologues

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The Incredibles: The Art of Supervillain Monologues, by NerdSync

Pixar's The Incredibles pokes fun at comic book superhero tropes like capes, costumes, and, of course, how a supervillain will stop in his tracks to monologue at the hero for no discernible reason. Why do villains do this? Let's analyze the history and narrative function of the supervillain monologue throughout comics and movies to explain why Syndrome's speech towards Mr. Incredible is actually a brilliant creative tool!

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— SOURCES —
Superhero: The Secret Origin of a Genre
Evil Gloating - TV Tropes
Your Hero is Only as Good as Your Villain
Some History of Pulp Magazines
Cash for Words: A Brief History of Writing for Money

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#Incredibles #Pixar #videoessay

[leviphipps]

In regards to the monologues' theatrics, there is a much better example of this in the third act of Megamind (a criminally underrated movie.)
Megamind: "You may be a villain, but not a super one."
Hal: "What's the difference?"
Megamind: "Presentation!"

[GlitterixYT]

Easily my favorite line in The Incredibles is from Syndrome himself:

"And when I'm old and I've had my fun, I'll sell my inventions so that everyone can be superheroes. *Everyone* can be super! And when everyone's super... *no one* will be."

It's just such a unique and different villain scheme that I absolutely love it.

[TheGuardDuck]

Why didn't you bring up Megamind?
OH YOU'RE A VILLAIN ALL RIGHT, JUST NOT A SUPER ONE!
Oh yeah? What's the difference?
*PRESENTATION!!!*

[dominomasked]

One of the most interesting moments in The Incredibles is when Helen tells her children that the bad guys on the island aren't going to be like the ones on TV, that they aren't going to show restraint. In an alternate universe where both the heroes and villains understand monologuing to basically be a natural law of certain kinds of conflicts, it impressed me that they took time to point out specifically that not all violence, even in that world, is treated with that kind of reverence, and to reiterate to any children in the audience that their first obligation in any conflict is to their own safety and the safety of other children. It plays into the roster of heroes that probably got killed without the ceremonial monologue, humanizing the heroes as people who can be cannon fodder in larger conflicts like anyone else, the same way Helen and the children getting unceremoniously shot out of the sky does. Helen's entire side of the story helps keep the Grand Titanic Struggle rooted in reminders that the difference between heroes and villains is that heroes care about their fallout, even when the struggle is personal.

[eskewroberts]

if you wanna talk about villianous theatrics, then you need to talk about the greatest villian turned hero ever...

... Megamind




fight me

[SylvEdu]

You touched on this, but I think you missed out on the obvious. Everyone has a natural desire to be understood. Heros reinforce the status quo and uphold the ideals of society, so they are already widely understood. Villains seek to change the status quo and are marginalized by society. A good villain doesn't think of themselves as evil -- the monologue is their chance to justify their actions and explain why they are right and everyone else is wrong. For one-on-one monologues, the hero represents society. If the villain can convince the hero, then society joins him. That's why they can't strike the death blow; they are holding out for recognition, understanding, allegiance, and affirmation from society's chosen representative.

[sinvector]

Megamind said it best:
"Oh, you're a villain alright, just not a super one."
"What's the difference?"
"PRESENTATION!"

[FireDragons]

Some monologues feel forced, while others are entertaining and useful. I think it depends on just how it is implemented.

As you were talking about how much showmanship goes into supervilliany I couldn't help but think of Megamind

Megamind: Oh you're a villain alright, just not a super one.
Tighten: Oh yeah! What's the difference?
Megamind: (While walking down the tongue of a giant version of his own head) Presentation!

[carmena.gonzalezrios]

Heath Ledger’s *Joker* has one of the best monologues:

“ _You_ _have_ _nothing_ _to_ _threat_ _me_ _with, _ _nothing_ _to_ _do_ _with_ _all_ _your_ _strength_ ”

[Laezar]

Monologues make sense. But like all tropes they are overused, which means used even when they don't make sense.

If a vilain doesn't care about the hero and is only driven by their goal then they shouldn't be monologuing. Monologues only make sense when the character does have a superiority complex or when there is an emotional link between the vilain and the hero. Monologues that happen out of those situations do break suspension of disbelief thougn in my opinion.

[wickedcrayon]

I have always thought that a villainous monologue would be incredibly cathartic. I think most people can probably relate to the feeling of frustration that comes when you feel strongly about something and you just aren’t being listened to. The pressure builds and builds until you just need to let it out. A good villainous monologue would be fantastic for that. Imagine having a captive audience that has no choice but to listen to you rant about all the crap that pisses you off. It doesn’t even matter that they don’t agree or care really. They have to listen! I’d love to lock everyone in management where I work into a room and monologue the hell out of them😂

[vanderengland]

Nah, phineas and ferb is the best mocking of super villain monologues. It’s allegedly a kids show, but it’s so meta and awesome
EDIT: Specifically, the villain, doctor doofenshmirtz, continually talks about how important monologues are.

[adc]

Honestly, Supervillian monologues aren't too unbelievable when you consider that there are many cases when a 'soon to be criminal' writes a manifesto before going on their rampage. In the end the manifesto/monologue can be used to either gloat to others, or to justify what they're about to do (look up the killdozer, ironic since it didn't kill anyone just demolish buildings, and how it's creator described himself as a rational man driven to act irrational).

[starfyredragon]

The Cape: "Now that you've caught me, what's your evil plan?"
The Threat: "Evil? You jump to some conclusions there."
The Cape: "Huh?"
The Threat: "Have you ever asked yourself why the 'villian' monologues? Why they tell you everything they're doing?"
The Cape: "Because you're arrogant, right?"
The Threat: "There is that sometimes... but... it's because WE are actually the good guys. Think about it. You come in, swinging fists, beating people down, smashing people around like some kind of street thug. You beat them in submission in the ultimate display of 'might makes right', a world that strongarms people into obeying, and after you've beaten them to a pulp, you throw them to an oligarchial system that doesn't care about making the world better; only that the status quo isn't disrupted. Do you know how much strength of personality, and internal drive it takes to pull yourself out of the norm, to stand up, and do something, even if people will hate you for it? And then, on top of that, when we've sacrificed so much already, rebuilt ourselves from the ground up, we find someone is actually attacking our place of operations, a home invader if you will, rather than just pull out our shotgun and shoot, instead, we care. We try to peacefully capture instead of kill the intruder. And we explain what we're doing; to prove that things don't have to be solved with violence, that we can talk things out. You never see it, but we 'Villians' have one thing you don't: Moral superiority. You really should take some time to think about who the Villian is here. And that's exactly why I'm going to walk away right now... to leave you with your thoughts. To give you a chance to think it over. Sure, you might try to break out, but that's the risk I take for trying for a more peaceful route. And if I can't lead by example, then I'm no better than you."

[subsandwich]

I always forget the Incredibles is set in the 1960s

[johnnytt]

Finally! Someone else who loves villain monologues!! Loved the video, Scott, glad you made it!

My favourite might be Professor Zoom's from Flashpoint, specifically the film version because the voice acting by C. Thomas Howell is just... Perfect 👌

"Her hero. How noble...
Oh wait, you didn't stop JFK from getting assassinated, or make sure Hitler stayed in art school.
You saved your mommy.
You missed her.
And in a supreme act of selfishness, shattered time like a rank amateur. Turned the world into a living hell moments away from destruction...
And I'm the villain?"

[rodrigoarellano]

The world after Infinity war: Thanos is the best villain in a super hero movie!
Me whispering: I’m Syndrome your nemesis

[doofs]

Remember that time a Japanese David Bowie look alike talks to a middle schooler for a solid 2 minutes about his personal life and evening routine because the kid stole his sandwich (and then proceeds to blow him up)?

Yeah JoJo is pretty wild.

[KoongYe]

Villian monologues actually feel authentic because that's what everyone would do when they become a villain themselves. Out of hope for recognition.

[sblower]

Megamind: "Your a villain alright, just not a SUPER one."
Titan: "Yah, what's the difference."
Megamind: "PRESENTATION"

Sorry, I couldn't resist.