The Evil Overlord List

I first came across the Evil Overlord List (The Top 100 Things I won't do if I Ever Became Became an Evil Overlord) in the late 1990s. But in the last few weeks I've seen it mentioned three times: in a Jim Butcher/Dresden Files book and by two of my favorite bloggers (Steve Bainbridge at Professorbainbridge and Joe Carter at Evangelical Outpost). So, I guess that means I should post it on the blog (after all, it is a Monday).

The EOL contains a fairly complete list of caricature mistakes made by villains. A few of my personal favorites are:

• I will be secure in my superiority. Therefore, I will feel no need to prove it by leaving clues in the form of riddles or leaving my weaker enemies alive to show they pose no threat (#11)
  
• One of my advisers will be an average five-year-old child. Any flaws in my plan that he is able to spot will be corrected before implementation (#12)
• I will not turn into a snake. It never helps. (#34)
• And, showing that a good Evil overlord understands the power of incentives: I will spare someone who saved my life sometime in the past. This is only reasonable as it encourages others to do so. However, the offer is good one time only. If they want me to spare them again, they'd better save my life again. (#68)
  

If 100 things not to do isn't enough and you want to be the best Evil Overlord possible, there are a couple hundred more here and here.