Welcome to another 30 day challenge which in honor of spooky season will cover the topic of Pop Culture Villains!

Sometimes a villain starts out the all powerful tyrant, othertimes this status is what the villain craves. Sometimes they hide their true intentions while waiting to off the current benevolent leader, othertimes a lower-ranked baddie suddenly gains the means to replace their boss.
Regardless, the main prompt of today is: who are your favorite backstabbers, usurpers, and seizers of power? What are the best things associated with this trope?

Bonus prompt: Worst schemers and lamest or worst handled of this trope?

Maniacal prompt: Any villains who’d you’d have liked to see rank up to main antagonist, but didn’t?

Machiavellian Prompt: Who became LESS interesting once they ranked up to main baddie?