5 Ways Syndrome Is The Best Villain (& 5 Ways Evelyn Deavor Is Better)

Syndrome and Evelyn Deavor are the villains in the films in Pixar's The Incredibles franchise. We look at each to see who is a better baddie.

Pixar's The Incredibles franchise is one of the most popular that the studio has ever created, and with these being classic superhero stories, they were always going to require villains. Pixar is typically very good at creating villains for their heroes to overcome, and the two Incredibles movies are no different in that regard.

Both Syndrome and Evelyn Deavor are fantastic characters that provide equally great threats to The Incredibles in completely different ways. While each character does an effective job at providing obstacles for the family to overcome, they are completely unique as characters, both in terms of their personality and how they go about their business.

10 Syndrome: Lair

Superhero villains having an evil lair is something that works perfectly, and that is something that Syndrome has going for him over Evelyn Deavor. His volcano location is a perfect lair, and the fact that he gets his enemies to actually come to him is very clever.

The setting just makes him seem like a much scarier character than he actually is because Syndrome can be quite goofy in reality. However, this location is perfect and is a big part of the movie.

9 Evelyn Deavor: Master Manipulator

Something that really sets Evelyn Deavor apart from Syndrome is her ability to manipulate people and situations. She's smart enough to know that pulling Mrs. Incredible away from the family will take down Mr. Incredible on its own through jealousy and tiredness, while she fools Mrs. Incredible into thinking they're friends.

But Evelyn shows no limits in who she is willing to manipulate, as she actually tricks her own brother as well, showing just how far she is willing to go in order to stop superheroes from becoming legal again. That makes her a scary prospect.

8 Syndrome: A Bigger Personality

Out of the two characters, it is certainly Syndrome that has the bigger and more adventurous personality. Evelyn has a very relaxed demeanor about herself throughout the movie, which is how Mrs. Incredible gets sucked into thinking they're friends. However, Syndrome is far more memorable because of his over-the-top mannerisms.

His personality is one that really does make him stand out, with everything that Syndrome does having a purpose and a thought behind it. He's loud and obnoxious, but it works perfectly with being a villain in this type of movie.

7 Evelyn Deavor: More Intelligent

While Syndrome certainly has some intelligence as he creates his suit and the Omnidroid, he is also very silly at times as well, making rookie mistakes and showing an inability to control certain situations due to his anger. That isn't the case with Evelyn, who is calm, composed, and wickedly smart.

The technology she uses to create the Screenslaver character showcases how smart she is. She devises an elaborate plan and it almost plays out exactly as she wants it to. Even though it doesn't, she is certainly a smarter character than Syndrome.

6 Syndrome: A Classic Superhero Villain

Ultimately, when it comes down to the two villains, it is Syndrome that fits into the superhero world more. Evelyn Deavor might be a very clever character who can use technology to her advantage, but she has no powers or abilities of her own.

While Syndrome isn't born with any powers either, like The Incredibles are, he is more of a classic superhero villain, with his costume and the manner in which he presents himself. That is what people want to see within a superhero movie, which is what makes him the standout villain.

5 Evelyn Deavor: Comes Closer To Success

Out of the two villains, it is Evelyn that comes closer to actually succeeding, which proves she is a better villain overall. While Syndrome does manage to capture Mr. Incredible and cause him problems in their fights, ultimately, he is no match for the family.

Whereas Evelyn actually uses her technology to get the best of countless superheroes, and she does come very close to achieving her goal, which makes her a more impressive character.

4 Syndrome: Targeting The Baby

Right at the end of the original The Incredibles movie, it seems like the family has overcome the odds and dealt with every issue in front of them. That is until they get home to see that Syndrome has captured Jack-Jack and is ready to use him to get what he wants.

While things don't go to plan for Syndrome due to Jack-Jack's own abilities, the fact that he is willing to stoop this low makes him a great villain. It shows there are no limits he won't go to and that sort of desperation is certainly scary, which is what you want in a good villain.

3 Evelyn Deavor: Grander Scheme

While Syndrome ends up causing huge damage when he finally confronts The Incredibles, the fact is that it is only Mr. Incredible that he is aiming to destroy. The other characters merely get in his way. However, for Evelyn Deavor, her scheme is much grander and therefore more sinister as well.

She wants to prevent all the superheroes from becoming legal again, rather than just stopping one character. Because of that, she targets way more characters and that makes her an even scarier villain in the long run.

2 Syndrome: Stronger Backstory

When it comes to superhero movies, a lot of the time the villains can be forgotten about in terms of their individual backstory. To some degree, both of these movies suffer from that as well, but out of the two, it is Syndrome who has the stronger backstory and is one that is easier to invest in.

A great villain is a character that you can sympathize with slightly, and that is very much the case with Syndrome. While Evelyn's backstory is certainly sad, seeing Mr. Incredible reject Syndrome is a great reason to turn him into a villain, being betrayed by his own hero. That makes for a much stronger plot.

1 Evelyn Deavor: The Big Reveal

Evelyn Deavor is a very well-written character by Pixar, as she is someone who seems like a genuine friend to Mrs. Incredible throughout the majority of the movie. That is why when she reveals herself to be the main antagonist, it is actually a shock.

It's one of Pixar's best plot twists and that instantly makes her an incredibly memorable villain. She does a great job at seeming relatable to Mrs. Incredible, and the connection they make only for Evelyn to turn against her is an amazing moment.

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