Category:Mastermind

Masterminds are considered geniuses among geniuses; in other words, they are among the most intelligent beings in existence and are characterized by a personality in which they will plan things to amazing lengths and always have a backup plan. They are often weaklings, but these characters should not be underestimated, as they can be extremely difficult to catch or defeat due to their incredibly complex schemes. They are usually referred to as "the brain behind it all", and just like master manipulators, they rarely show themselves directly towards their enemy.

The only way a Mastermind can be defeated is if the hero or another character (whether evil or not) finds a way to exploit their arrogance (e.g.in Hannibal, Mason Verger was pushed by his assistant amongst the boars and then eaten alive by them), if they are of similar intelligence (e.g. Near eventually cornered and forced Light Yagami to confess he was Kira the whole time), or by a huge stroke of luck (e.g. in The Dark Knight, Batman caught off-guard the Joker at the very end of the movie).

Also, manipulative Machiavellians, or skilled tricksters are not necessary masterminds unless they meet the aforementioned criterias, and proved to be successful in most of their plans.