Villains outclassed by the hero

[Vanyel]

I saw this in another forum, but chose not to it to post. But what villain(s) are no match in any way, shape or form by the hero(s) they are usually up against?

See Lex Luthor has money, technology and intellect to match him against Superman.

The Joker's insanity matches him to Batman's sense of order and logic. (Logic doesn't always work when used to try to fight the completely illogical.)

At 5 in the morning I can't think of any. But I'm sure there has to be some.

 

[Hermiod]

I'm sure somebody will come up with names but Spider-Man has a huge rogues gallery full of useless villains who are no real match for him.

 

[misskim86]

Honestly, I don't see how Lex is a match for Superman, not like he couldn't just throw him into space if he wanted.

Same with the Joker, how many times did Batman put him into Arkham when he could have just broken his neck?

 

[Hermiod]

^They're the good guys, they aren't in to the whole murder thing.

That star spangled Theymiscrian girl they hang around with, not so much.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Somebody whose Rogues Gallery (used in this case as an unofficial group name, hence the caps) shouldn't have been a challenge to him was the Silver/Bronze Age Barry Allen Flash. This guy could circle the globe four times a second, could run to another city, check some files, and return to the exact spot that he'd left before his after-image had faded from people's retinas...yet non-powered goons with a variety of gimmicky weapons somehow managed to pose a serious threat to him. I don't care if Captain Cold's freeze ray or Heat Wave's heat ray travelled at the speed of light...those clowns shouldn't have had a target to aim at. And even if they somehow managed to see him coming, he should have had them in the hoosegow before they had a chance to pull their triggers. Never mind somebody throwing freaking boomerangs at him...! "Hey, Captain Boomerang...? While you're waiting for that Boomerang to hit the spot that you aimed at, I think I'm gonna run down to China and pick up some lunch. Want anything?"

 

[The Borg Queen]

^They're the good guys, they aren't in to the whole murder thing.

They're bloody idiots.

I mean, what do they honestly expect to happen? They give the bad guys a talking to/roughing up, and suddenly everything's all hugs & puppies?

"Hero" naivety when it comes to dealing with bad guys has been responsible for more deaths than anyone would ever care to admit.

Just ask Malcolm Reynolds in Serenity.

 

[Hermiod]

^Yeah, but the one time any of the Holy Trinity actually did anything like that it backfired on them big time.

 

[The Borg Queen]

^Yeah, but the one time any of the Holy Trinity actually did anything like that it backfired on them big time.

¿Que?

Who did they destroy who they shouldn't have destroyed? And what they do instead of destroying them?

Did they exile whoever it was, so that this person could then build up an army with the goal of eventually exacting revenge and bringing about the End of the World?

If so, then it's another example of my point.

 

[misskim86]

^They're the good guys, they aren't in to the whole murder thing.

That star spangled Theymiscrian girl they hang around with, not so much.

They should get a degree in psychology then, if they are serious about beating their enemies

 

[Hermiod]

^Yeah, but the one time any of the Holy Trinity actually did anything like that it backfired on them big time.

¿Que?

Who did they destroy who they shouldn't have destroyed? And what they do instead of destroying them?

Did they exile whoever it was, so that this person could then build up an army with the goal of eventually exacting revenge and bringing about the End of the World?

If so, then it's another example of my point.

Just before Infinite Crisis, Maxwell Lord took mental control of Superman, convincing him to attack Batman and Wonder Woman. Batman, obviously, couldn't fight him and was nearly beaten to death. Wonder Woman was able to last long enough to figure out what was going on and bound Lord with her lasso. Unable to lie, he told her the only way to stop him would be to kill him - which she did, snapping his neck without hesitation, despite the fact that he was defenceless.

Brother Eye broadcast footage of the murder across the world and then unleashed over a million OMACs to destroy Earth's metahuman population with significant global civilian casualties.

This severely damaged the relationship between the three. In addition, this and the mindwiping of Doctor Light (and the unknown number of other supervillains who received the same treatment) has caused Earth's supervillains to become more unified and thus more dangerous than ever.

 

[Ceridwen]

Just before Infinite Crisis, Maxwell Lord took mental control of Superman, convincing him to attack Batman and Wonder Woman. Batman, obviously, couldn't fight him and was nearly beaten to death. Wonder Woman was able to last long enough to figure out what was going on and bound Lord with her lasso. Unable to lie, he told her the only way to stop him would be to kill him - which she did, snapping his neck without hesitation, despite the fact that he was defenceless.

Defenseless? The man was mind-controlling Superman. Yeah, they were on time-out, but how long was that supposed to last? Either they kill Superman, or they kill Lord. I think Diana made the right choice, but for some reason everyone in the entire world decides to hate her for it?

That whole storyline could barely be read through all the editorial fingerprints all over it.

 

[OptimusPete]

^They're the good guys, they aren't in to the whole murder thing.

That star spangled Theymiscrian girl they hang around with, not so much.

IMO by NOT killing the Joker who kills, kills and kills again Batman is borderline aiding and abetting him. He should just kill him to save his (inevitable) future victims.

 

[Hermiod]

Defenseless? The man was mind-controlling Superman. Yeah, they were on time-out, but how long was that supposed to last? Either they kill Superman, or they kill Lord. I think Diana made the right choice, but for some reason everyone in the entire world decides to hate her for it?

That whole storyline could barely be read through all the editorial fingerprints all over it.

Well, I already hated her anyway, but she could have knocked him out at the very least.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Darth Vader could have kicked Luke's butt if he hadn't been such a sentimental old fool.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

Dick Jones in RoboCop. The man is senior vice president with all of OCP's resources at his disposal. From the ED-209 to Clarence Boddicker and his goons armed with Cobra Assault Cannons, they're still unable to bring down RoboCop.

 

[Lapis Exilis]

Just before Infinite Crisis, Maxwell Lord took mental control of Superman, convincing him to attack Batman and Wonder Woman. Batman, obviously, couldn't fight him and was nearly beaten to death. Wonder Woman was able to last long enough to figure out what was going on and bound Lord with her lasso. Unable to lie, he told her the only way to stop him would be to kill him - which she did, snapping his neck without hesitation, despite the fact that he was defenceless.

Defenseless? The man was mind-controlling Superman. Yeah, they were on time-out, but how long was that supposed to last? Either they kill Superman, or they kill Lord. I think Diana made the right choice, but for some reason everyone in the entire world decides to hate her for it?

That whole storyline could barely be read through all the editorial fingerprints all over it.

Come now, what would modern day DC comics be without contrived soap opera melodrama to set up ridiculous interpersonal conflicts between the heroes? First there was Batman being kicked out of the League for having contigency plans to neutralize everyone, then Wonder Woman ostracized for this. I'm sure eventually they'll do some narrative backflips to get Batman and WW pissed at Superman.

 

[The Old Mixer]

On the OT, just because we respect Luthor doesn't mean Superman doesn't have some villains who shouldn't be a challenge to him. Toyman and the Prankster? They'd be second-rate as Batman villains.

 

[Broccoli]

If the good guys, like Supes and Bats, start killing people, they'd be no different then the villains they fight. This was the whole point of Batman Begins.

 

[The Borg Queen]

If the good guys, like Supes and Bats, start killing people, they'd be no different then the villains they fight.

So?

It's not like they're going to win any awards for "Highest number of bad guys who they didn't kill who went on to kill more innocent people".

 

[nx1701g]

One of the interplays between Huntress and Oracle from Birds of Prey:

Barbara Gordon: She knows how to get in. What if she knows who we are?
Helena Kyle: We could kill her.
Barbara Gordon: We're the good guys. We don't kill innocent people. We don't kill... anyone.
Helena Kyle: Speak for yourself.

Or (later when Barbara is about to kill Harley Quinn)

Helena Kyle: Barbara, we don't kill. No matter what. I can't let you do this. It
makes us less.