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An '''evil laugh''' is a stock [[narcissistic personality disorder|megalomaniacal]] [[laugh]] by a [[villain]] in [[fiction]]. In comic books, where [[supervillain]]s utter such laughs, it is variously rendered as '''mwahahahaha''', '''muhuhahaha''', '''mwahahaha''', and '''mwa ha ha''' or '''BooWHAHAHA!'''. (Compare [[Ho ho ho]].) These words are also commonly used on internet [[Blogs]], [[BBSes]], and games. There, they are generally used when some form of victory is attained, or to indicate [[superiority]] over someone else. The words are often used as either [[interjection]]s or nouns.
evil luagh

The evil laugh has been used for thousands of years to convey a villans feeling of significance.
For men it starts off as a low rumbling, in the back of the throat, slowly accending to a loud cackle. For women, on the other hand, it begins as a hoarse scratchy sound, and then rises to a maniacal laugh- however, this could work either way.

The [[Evil Overlord List]] notes that evil laughter often distracts the villain from important details that the hero can use to escape or prevail.

==Popular culture==
Characters that use an evil laugh include:
*[[Doctor Claw]] from the popular childrens cartoon series [[Inspector Gadget]]
*[[Mojo Jojo]] from [[The Powerpuff Girls]]
*[[Shao Kahn]] from the ''[[Mortal Kombat]]'' series
*[[Bryan Fury]] from the ''[[Tekken]]'' Series
*[[Devil Jin]] from ''[[Tekken 5]]''
*[[General Skarr]] from ''[[The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy]]''
*[[Grim (Billy and Mandy)|Grim]] from ''[[The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy]]''
*[[X-Death]] in ''[[Final Fantasy V]]''
*[[Kefka]] in ''[[Final Fantasy VI]]''
*[[Luca Blight]] in ''[[Suikoden II]]'' (HOO HOO HOO HA HA HA!!!)
*[[Ernst Stavro Blofeld|Blofeld]] in the opening sequence of ''[[For Your Eyes Only (film)|For Your Eyes Only]]''
*[[King Bowser|Bowser]] from the ''[[Mario]]'' series
*[[Ganondorf]] from the [[Legend of Zelda]] series
*[[Joker (comics)|The Joker]] from ''[[Batman]]''
*[[Green Goblin]] from ''[[Spider-Man (film)|Spider-Man]]''
*[[Hobgoblin (comics)|Hobgoblin]] from ''[[Spider-Man]]''
*[[Zim (Invader Zim)|Zim]] from [[Nickelodeon (TV channel)|Nickelodeon]]'s ''[[Invader Zim]]''
*[[Ming the Merciless]] from ''[[Flash Gordon]]''
*[[Doctor Evil]] from the ''[[Austin Powers]]'' movie
*[[Doctor Eggman]] from the Sonic the hedgehog video games ("HOO! HOO! HOO! HOO! HOO!")
*[[Yautja|Alien hunter]] from the film ''[[Predator (film)|Predator]]''.
*[[Covenant Elite]] from the video game [[Halo: Combat Evolved]]. Usually they make evil laughter when they defeated the [[Master Chief (Halo)|Master Chief]].
*[[Malcolm Betruger|Dr. Malcom Betruger]] from [[Doom 3]]
*Professor Miloch from ''[[Blake and Mortimer]]''
*"Lamont Cranston" in the [[radio drama]] ''[[The Shadow]]''.
*[[Jack Spicer (Xiaolin Showdown)|Jack Spicer]] in ''[[Xiaolin Showdown]]''
*[[Wuya]] in ''[[Xiaolin Showdown]]''
*{{rvbchar|O'Malley}} in the [[machinima]] series ''[[Red vs. Blue]]''
*Mandark in the animated series ''[[Dexter's Laboratory]]'' ("HA-Haha! Ha Haha Haha!")
*[[Freeza]], [[Raditz]] and [[Cell (Dragon Ball)|Cell]] from ''[[Dragon Ball Z]]''
*[[Kodachi]] "the Black Rose" from ''[[Ranma 1/2]]'' ("OHHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO!")
**[[Ayeka Masaki Jurai|Ayeka]] from [[Tenchi Muyo!]], and
**Naga the White Serpent from [[Slayers]] also have the same laugh.
*[[Katsuhiko Jinnai]] from ''[[El-Hazard]]''
*[[Albel Nox]] from the video game ''[[Star Ocean 3]]''
*[[Lezard Valeth]] from the video game ''[[Valkyrie Profile]]''
*Isaac from the video game ''[[Castlevania: Curse of Darkness]]''
*[[Albedo (Xenosaga)|Albedo]] from the game ''[[Xenosaga]]''
*[[Robert Blake (actor)|Robert Blake's]] unnamed character in ''[[Lost Highway]]''
*[[Sarevok]] from ''[[Baldur's Gate series#Baldur's Gate|Baldur's Gate]]''
*The Summoner from ''[[Diablo II]]''
*[[Purple Tentacle]] from ''[[Day of the Tentacle]]''
*[[Minor characters in Monkey Island#Murray the demonic talking skull|Murray]] the talking skull from the [[Monkey Island series|''Monkey Island'' game series]]
* Master Hand from [[Super Smash Brothers]]
*[[Dark Samus]] from [[Metroid Prime 2: Echoes]]
*[[Evil Emperor Zurg]] from [[Toy Story]]'s [[Buzz Lightyear of Star Command]]
*Hector Con Carne from [[Evil Con Carne]]
*[[Jabba the Hutt]] and [[Emperor Palpatine]] (exhibiting the rarer "evil cackle") from [[Star Wars]]
* Various characters from [[One Piece]]
*[[Jafar]] from [[Disney's Aladdin]]
*[[Sideshow Bob]] from [[The Simpsons]]
*[[Megabyte]] from [[ReBoot]]
*The Phantom from [[The Phantom of the Opera]] (musical only)
* ZeeBad from [[The Magic Roundabout (film)|Doogal]] (American version) "The evil laugh comes from deep down the throat" in a parodical direct self-reference.
*[[Dr. Nefarious]] from the video game [[Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal]]

Other notable occurrences of the evil laugh in popular culture include:

*the fade-out of the video for the song "[[Tribute (song)|Tribute]]" by [[Tenacious D]]
*the song "[[Welcome to the Pleasuredome (song)|Welcome to the Pleasuredome]]" by [[Frankie Goes to Hollywood]]
*the end of [[Vincent Price]]'s spoken "rap" in [[Michael Jackson]]'s ''[[Thriller (song)|Thriller]]''
*the song "[[Feel Good Inc]]" by [[Gorillaz]]
*various occurrences in the [[Dilbert]] cartoons, usually though not always by [[Dogbert]], and usually spelled "Buwahahah" or some variation.
* Manolo Yanes From CSBS
*the song [[Peek-a-Boo]] by [[Devo]]
Professional wrestler [[Ted DiBiase]] was well known for an evil laugh whenever he performed as the Million Dollar Man during his run in the WWF. Although he doesn't usually laugh, [[Mark Callaway|The Undertaker]] does give a spine-chilling laugh once in while at the end of a promo, especially to his brother [[Glen Jacobs|Kane]].
Also, [[Marty Wright|The Boogeyman]] is known to use an evil laugh to coincide with his gimmick.

The "evil laugh" has become an almost-total [[cliché]] in recent pop culture and is now almost only used in a [[comedy]] light or [[satire]]. For example, [[Gary Larson]] drew a ''[[Far Side]]'' cartoon which portrayed a lecture hall full of science students aspiring to be [[mad scientist]]s. The mad science curriculum, asserts Larson, requires all students to take "one semester of maniacal laughter".

==See also==
*[[Megalomania]]
*[[Evil genius]]

==External links==
* [http://www.halfbakery.com/idea/evil_20laugh_20activated_20hand_20dryer a proposal for an evil-laugh-activated hand dryer]

[[Category:Clichés]]

Revision as of 18:11, 23 September 2006

An evil laugh is a stock megalomaniacal laugh by a villain in fiction. In comic books, where supervillains utter such laughs, it is variously rendered as mwahahahaha, muhuhahaha, mwahahaha, and mwa ha ha or BooWHAHAHA!. (Compare Ho ho ho.) These words are also commonly used on internet Blogs, BBSes, and games. There, they are generally used when some form of victory is attained, or to indicate superiority over someone else. The words are often used as either interjections or nouns.

The evil laugh has been used for thousands of years to convey a villans feeling of significance. For men it starts off as a low rumbling, in the back of the throat, slowly accending to a loud cackle. For women, on the other hand, it begins as a hoarse scratchy sound, and then rises to a maniacal laugh- however, this could work either way.

The Evil Overlord List notes that evil laughter often distracts the villain from important details that the hero can use to escape or prevail.

Popular culture

Characters that use an evil laugh include:

Other notable occurrences of the evil laugh in popular culture include:

Professional wrestler Ted DiBiase was well known for an evil laugh whenever he performed as the Million Dollar Man during his run in the WWF. Although he doesn't usually laugh, The Undertaker does give a spine-chilling laugh once in while at the end of a promo, especially to his brother Kane. Also, The Boogeyman is known to use an evil laugh to coincide with his gimmick.

The "evil laugh" has become an almost-total cliché in recent pop culture and is now almost only used in a comedy light or satire. For example, Gary Larson drew a Far Side cartoon which portrayed a lecture hall full of science students aspiring to be mad scientists. The mad science curriculum, asserts Larson, requires all students to take "one semester of maniacal laughter".

See also

External links

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