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For the month of October, we are highlighting the top villains in gaming. Andrew, Jeff, and Jeremie have teamed up to take all those guys you love to hate, and rank them. We will reveal them to you in a countdown, starting with #31 and ending with #1 on Halloween. Check us out each day of the month to see where your favorite villains rank!
#4: Dr. Wily
First Appearance: Mega Man
Most Noteworthy Appearance: Mega Man 2
Part of what makes a villain compelling, no matter whether they’re in books, movies, or video games, is that they have a brilliant mind. We are fascinated by their creativity and genius, wondering, “How do they even think of something like that?” Well, if there is a character that fits that mold, it’s Mega Man’s Dr. Wily.
What makes Dr. Wily such a great villain is his elaborate and maniacal nature, making cyborg after cyborg – each with its very own unique powers and appearance. He’s cranking out these evil robots like Big Macs at a McDonalds. Classic creations like Yellow Devil, Cut Man, Gemini Man, and Doc Robot are just a handful in an exhaustive roster of creations. What always blows my mind is that the reason he’s making these robots into weapons is because he’s jealous that he didn’t get proper recognition for his technological contributions to the world. So, naturally, the only proper reaction is to take over the world.
However, Wily’s brilliance turns out to be his undoing. Given Mega Man’s ability to absorb the powers of his fallen opponents, Dr. Wily is in essence making Mega Man more powerful with every encounter. I’m not insinuating that he made it easy on Mega Man. On the contrary, those stages are difficult and most often, come down to timing and memory. But still, for all his genius, this evil genius created his own undoing. So if there is a moral here, it is this: give smart people credit for their work or they might take over the world with evil robots. Thanks for teaching us that, Dr. Wily.
