Note to Super villains: World Domination? Again?

The world seems to have no shortage of super villains- especially in popular culture. Whether comic book heroes, blockbuster movies, or even real historical people who have somehow achieved the status of super villain when it may have been better if they’d been ignobly forgotten and neglected. But, in either situation, the goal of the super villain seems to be either world domination or destruction. I mean, really? Always? Indeed, I’ve even had a villain or two with these goals in my own writing. But why? Aren’t there more original goals?

Megamind, one of my favorite "villains" (depending on how you look at it.)

Sure, I get why they’d want to destroy / rule the world – what could be more horrific and yet still kind of within the human capability to imagine? What else fascinates us across cultures and time more than apocalyptic fears?

Of course it’s popular for a reason, and I have 10 why you (or your super villain character) may want to destroy or take over the world.

1. He / she is fed up with the world, in pain and angry, and would rather see it destroyed than try to fix it.
2. He / she is out for vengeance, and schoolyard bullying has turned into a thirst for revenge against everyone … and the planet.
3. He / she is nuts.
4. It snowed, again, when its supposed to be spring.
5. It’s Monday (or Sunday night, the eve of Monday and almost as bad).
6. They’re villains, not creative geniuses; it seemed like a pretty badass idea at the time.
7. They researched the most common goal by super villains, and decided it probably worked for them too.
8. He / she has a desire for chaos – even trying to destroy the world and failing could result in chaos and destruction.
9. He / she has a desire for power and control and either wants to rule the world, or possess the power to destroy it if they have a bad Monday.
10. It’s the “cool” thing to do (if you’re a super villain.)

All right, so it’s pretty tempting, I can see that, but if you’re a super villain out there (or if you’re considering creating one), why shouldn’t you want to take over or destroy the world? Personally, I think the whole “I will rule the world with an iron fist!” thing may be a bit over done.

1. It’s not very original – I mean, it’s been “done” a lot, even if thus far, no villain has completely succeeded (so far as we know).
2. The snow will eventually melt – spring has to start some time.
3. Ruling the world will eventually get boring – then what will you do?
4. Tomorrow will be Tuesday … and eventually it will be Friday night and then Saturday again if you just hang in there.
5. Making everyone feel your pain will not make you happy … okay, maybe for a little while, but in the long run, pain will only beget more pain.
6. Do you really think you’ll be able to come up with a new AND original way to establish world domination that hasn’t been tried and foiled before?
7. If it’s such a common goal, if there’s more than one super villain who wants to rule the world, who wins? Maybe choose something else.
8. The world is a beautiful, expansive place – you can probably find something you like about it if you look hard enough.
9. We only have one of them (at least, so far as current science can prove).
10. Dreaming about ruling the world is probably a lot more fun than actually doing it.

So, what do you think? Are you pro-world domination, or against it?

Thanks for reading, and have a great week – taking over the world or not as you’ll have it. 🙂