The Super Villain

Not to be confused with the Supervillain.

The one who truly sits on top of the hierarchy of the Bad Guys. Although the story puts much emphasis on the Hero challenging the Villain, they aren't the strongest enemy for the Good Guys to face. The Super Villain holds the Villain as their number-one follower and gives them and their own henchmen orders. The Super Villain is usually a secret for the audience to find out about down the line. This doesn't stop earlier indirect hints to the Super Villain from being used though. As you could have guessed, the presence of a Super Villain guarantees the Good Guys to be up against an organization of baddies.

The Super Villain is typically a very powerful individual, both in social and mighty terms. They have easy access to high-tier weapons or magic that would impress and terrify even the main antagonist. It's sometimes because of this outright strength the Super Villain's loyalists stick to them. However, some bolder and more independent followers might ignore this clear power and betray the Super Villain through leaving the Villain, leaving it up to the latter to punish the Traitor. This often happens after they've been touched by the words of the Good Guys and understand the meaning of Big Idea. However, a patient Super Villain may command their right-hand assistant to hold back on the immediate retaliation as they have a more painful idea in mind. If the Villain is the one to forsake the Super Villain, their odds of such a seemingly merciful action are much slimmer. When a more important figure in the organization breaks away from the head, this can cause serious problems for the boss's scheme. The Super Villain will either immediately execute the Villain on the spot or replace them with a more adherent underling. The cause of anyone's betrayal might also be pinned squarely on the Super Villain themselves for their cruel control over the expendable pawns beneath them.