5 Ways to Find your Arch-enemy

Ever wanted your own personal archenemy/nemesis? Of course you have! Check out our top 5 ways of finding one!

By FictionDelight - Sep 16, 2012 12:09 PM EST

Filed Under: Fan Fic

For every great hero there is an equally powerful arch-enemy. Two characters locked in an endless battle. The classic good versus evil.

Red Skull, Lex Luthor, Dr. Doom, Magneto, the Joker, the Kingpin, and Loki are just a few characters whose fame is coupled with that of their heroic counterparts. The more powerful and terrible the villain, the greater our hero must be. So if you are one of the many who intends to become a super-hero, you will need to find your nemesis. Here are the five best ways to do that.

1) Your Arch-Enemy May Be Your Best Friend

It is often the people closest to you than can do the most damage; super-heroes are no exception. Superman and Lex Luthor were childhood bff's, but their boyhood comradery could only last so long. It's the sad tale repeated throughout the world of comics, and remains a great source for finding your arch-enemy.

2) Your Arch-Enemy May Be Related to You

He's my son...he's my arch-enemy...my son, my arch-enemy, he's my son AND my arch-enemy! Darth Vader is the most obvious of the relative-gone-bad, but the list doesn't stop there. The Red Skull in Ultimate Marvel is the Cap's son, Sabretooth and Wolverine have appeared as brothers, and of course Loki and Thor are always battling for pop's attention. If you want an arch-enemy, you may have to look no further than across the kitchen table.

3) Your Arch-Enemy May Be Someone You Have Wronged

No one is perfect, and occasionally even heroes step out of line. For some reason super-heroes' bad karma returns with more unfortunate results than most, and an arch-enemy is often born. Peter Parker wrongs Eddie Brock? Welcome Venom, many reader's all-time-favorite villain. Point being, with more power comes more responsibility, messing things up might be the best way to find your arch-enemy.

4) Your Arch-Enemy May Be Just Like You

It often comes down to the very simple distinction between good and evil, often most aspects of an ultimate nemesis are parallel to that of the hero. Sinestro and Green Lantern, the Flash and Professor Zoom, Abomination and Hulk, and often Wolverine and Sabretooth just to name a few who have nearly identical powers and sometimes origins. If you're at the beginning of your super-hero career, watch out for the ones who are most similar to you. They may just be your own personal villain.

5) Your Arch-Enemy May Be The Reason You Exist

Many heroes are created through a traumatic instance in their lives, and often the villain responsible becomes their arch-enemy. They may have killed your parents, or your girlfriend, or even destroyed your home-world. Sometimes your arch-enemy chooses you, and the reasons for it don't even matter. The only good that can come from them is the hero they create in the wake of their destruction. You may not need to go rushing off to find your arch-enemy, he may already be on his way to find you.

Good luck future heroes. Choose your nemesis wisely, he will always play a big role in the telling of your story.

Follow me on twitter, @FictionDelight

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11 Comments

Tainted87 - 9/16/2012, 3:29 PM

In CBMs, they are either: a) the ones who gave the heroes their powers/motivation, or b) an inverted likeness of the hero.

And the comics aren't especially different, either...
Batman has Joker
Spider-man has Green Goblin
Flash has Professor Zoom
Green Lantern has Sinestro
Captain America has Red Skull
Professor X has Magneto
Martian Manhunter has Malefic (or Despero)
Green Arrow has Merlyn
Wolverine has Sabretooth
Superman has Lex Luthor

StormLoganSummers - 9/16/2012, 5:02 PM

1) I have no friends.
2) Perhaps.
3) In this case, I hope not O.O
4) No one is like me.
5) My parents? O.O

Great article.

LoudNoises - 9/16/2012, 5:17 PM

I arbitrarily chose my arch-nemisis. I walked up to a random stranger on the street and pointed my finger right in his face and yelled "I shall put an end to your reign of evil at any cost!!!" He walked right past me, but I'm pretty sure he won't show his face around my neighborhood again. :p

Nice article btw.

golden123 - 9/16/2012, 6:25 PM

LOL @LoudNoises

FictionDelight - 9/16/2012, 9:27 PM

Funniest. Feedback. Ever. Thanks guys.

FictionDelight - 9/17/2012, 6:34 AM

@jpfola26
Fighting over a girls affection is definitely a common one, I think several comics have mimicked the Count of Monte Cristo in that regard, good catch. Same with the psychological one, the joker especially doesn't fit nicely into my list.

@Tainted87
Professor Zoom, damn I can't believe I forgot him in particular. Hope you don't mind if I make that edit to the article? Thanks for the heads up.

@StormLogan
Your self-description seems to fit that of many soon-to-be super heroes. I suggest you start working on your costume NOW!

@LoudNoises
Thank you for confronting that tyrannical monster, you are a brave and honorable warrior.

@cipher
Glad you got the reference. I don't think its your best friend; if you already suspect him its most likely there will be another twist in your story and he will turn out to be your ally after-all, maybe even taking a bullet or a laser for you. My vote; you pissed off somebody on CBM. Don't be so quick to dismiss. As you "Hahaha" your arch-enemy is probably "Muahaha"ing on another computer.

@ThaReaperAssassin
Glad you liked, more to come soon!

thebearjew - 9/18/2012, 5:51 AM

enemies start as friends Friends start out as enemies

LuckyKyd - 9/19/2012, 1:15 AM

Very nice write up, liked it a lot. It is actually a fun notion that these 5 reason almost fits every arch nemesis ever created

5 Ways to Find your Arch-enemy

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