Iconic Villains by Genre?

[Mark Chance]

Consider these genres: fantasy, science fiction, western, horror, and high school melodrama. What are the iconic villains for each genre?

Fantasy: black knight
Sci-Fi: HAL
Western: land baron
Horror: serial killer
High School: killjoy teacher

 

[Morrus]

Your examples are so broad that I can only answer "yes". If you were after zeroing in more specifically:

Fantasy: Sauron
Sci-Fi: Darth Vader
Western: Nobody particular
Horror (thriller): Hannibal
Horror (gore): No idea
High School: (is this a genre) No idea

 

[GSHamster]

Adding some other genres.

Fantasy: Evil Wizard
Fairy tales: Stepmother
Sci-Fi: Artificial intelligence (HAL, Skynet, Matrix)
Western: Outlaw gunslinger
High School: Bullies (usually jocks, Biff Tanner, etc.)
Regency (Male): Relative in line for the title, French spy
Regency (Female): "Fast" woman competing for male lead

 

[Morrus]

Horror: Vampire
Spy: Evil Dictator
Superhero: Evil Scientist

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Fantasy: dragon; Lich; evil priest

Western: train robber; cattle rustler; corrupt official; bandit leader/gunslinger

Sci-Fi: alien horror (single or uncommon monster); alien invaders (sometimes robotic); megalomaniacal corporation and/or its leadership; the government; manmade robots (recently, especially nanobots)/AI

HS: mean girls; jocks; victims of bullying/outsiders turned vengeful/nihilistic

 

[edemaitre]

• Fantasy: Evil spellcaster, cult leader
• Western: Cavalryman turned bandit lord, double-crossing gambler
• Steampunk: Mad inventor, or aristocratic enemy of progress
• High school: Clueless principal, interfering parents
• Horror: Serial murderer, thing man was not meant to know
• Superhero: Mirror/nemesis of hero, genius "normal" human
• Cyberpunk: Megacorporations, uncontrollable A.I.
• Space opera: Relentless and cunning aliens, corrupt space fleet officers

 

[Jhaelen]

Most have been covered already, here's a couple of variants:
- Sci-Fi (dystopian): 'The Party' / Big Brother
- Fantasy (faerie): Witch
- Fantasy (generic): Dragon
- Fantasy (epic): Evil Deity
- Thriller: Intelligence Service (e.g. NSA)
- High-School: Bully Gangleader