< The Venture Bros.

The Venture Bros./Characters


The Venture Brothers has Loads and Loads of Characters, any one of which can pop up at any moment. So here's a summary of the recurring characters.


Team Venture

Dr. Thaddeus "Rusty" Venture

"Okay. I'm just turning sixteen and having a birthday pool party. My father invites every girl he knows. And I'm not talking about girls my age, no, not Jonas, he invites Playboy bunnies and models and, I think real prostitutes. So, the band suddenly stops playing, and I hear: 'and now, the man of the hour, Rusty Venture!' All eyes on me, right? Then, almost predictably, the Action Man shoots my groin with a shrink ray right as that fucking jackass Colonel Gentleman pulls my shorts down. ... What I went through today was 'like a nightmare.' What happened when I was sixteen: That is my life."

Overshadowed by his famous-scientist father, Dr. Venture spends most of his time dreaming up ways to make money with his inventions. Abrasive and selfish, he pays very little attention to his sons and depends heavily on the bulky Brock Samson.

Tropes associated with Dr. Venture:

  • Abusive Single Parent: Towards both boys in the first three seasons, now mostly towards Hank.
    • It's eventually revealed in the most recent episode that this is because he believes Dean is the boy adventurer and super scientist he wishes he could be, while he feels bad because he sees himself in Hank and feels bad about that. (But he actually gets this mixed up. Hank is the one who wants to be an adventurer, and Dean is the one who fights against it.)
  • Break the Cutie: His entire childhood was a series of horrific traumas at the hands of his father or his father's friends, leading him to become the mess he is today.
  • Brilliant but Lazy: Rusty is a pretty capable inventor and a competent scientist by himself but due to a mix of his Freudian Excuses and the fact that he's motivated solely by profit means that he usually doesn't do any more than bare minimum with his work.
  • Bungling Inventor
  • Casanova Wannabe: The few women that have been attracted to him have been pretty crazy; he's generally a failure with the ladies.
  • Crazy Prepared: He had begun his clone farm since the boys were still in infancy. Say what you will about the man, but he had foresight.
  • Deadpan Snarker
  • Double Standard: His treatment towards Hank is quite messed up considering he suffers from a massive Inferiority Complex towards his brother and suffers a major case of "Well Done, Son" Guy.
  • Mr. Fanservice: Has a bit of this with the Fandom apparently, who see him as partly Tall, Dark and Snarky and The Woobie.
  • Even Evil Has Standards
  • Fan Yay: In Universe example. The Rusty Venture Show was apparently VERY popular in the gay community, to the point where Rusty is something of a gay icon. With an ambiguous sex act named after him.
  • Fetus Terrible: He ate his twin brother in the womb.
  • For Science!
  • Former Child Star: The super-scientist equivalent. Even his biggest fan, Billy, says that he peaked too early, being an amazing sidekick but a failed scientist. Still, it seems that he's better off than some of his other colleagues.
  • Freudian Excuse: The things he's seen in his childhood and neglect from his father would make any sane person do a lot of questionable actions.
  • Fridge Horror: During the Shallow Gravy special, he apparently hears Dermott's last name and age for the first time. And it rather suddenly dawns on him that he's Dermott's father.
  • Genre Savvy: He had already seen every cliché in the book before he turned 16.
  • Hilariously Abusive Childhood
  • Heel Realization: When Dr. Killinger tried to make him into a villain, he was quite horrified that he's just that evil (which Brock himself is unable to fully disagree with).
  • Informed Ability: Something of an inversion, actually. While we're constantly told what a failure he is, he does invent many quite impressive devices, that often fail for circumstances that were not his fault (or, if they were his fault, related only to his arrogance, and not his lack of talent).
  • Jerkass: To borrow a quote from Order of the Stick, Dr Venture is firmly rooted at the centre of his own personal universe. It's incredibly rare for him to demonstrate any interest in the feelings or needs of anybody who isn't him.
  • Karma Houdini: Considering some of the horrible things that he has gotten away with, such as using an orphan's remains to power a Lotus Eater Machine (in his defense, he didn't use the whole thing).
    • Although when you consider how terrible his life is, you can argue he's gotten away with nothing.
  • Kavorka Man: Granted, the women rarely sleep with him, but when he stops trying so hard with the sleazy come-ons and pick-up lines and just talks to them normally, they find him quite charming. This includes Unlucky Childhood Friend Dr. Quymn, Sally Impossible, and several Femme Fatale specimens such as his old (pre-Gonk) bodyguard Myra, the partner of his arch-enemy The Monarch, Dr. Mrs. The Monarch, and Molotov Cocktease, Brock's main love interest.
  • Lampshade Hanging: Very prone to hanging them. For example, when a villain leaves him in a room with advancing spiked walls, he calls Dr. Orpheus to say he's "trapped in a cliche."
  • Leitmotif: He has a special one for whenever he's being a Jerkass to the boys.
  • Mad Scientist/Mad Doctor
  • Morality Pet: Dean in season four, but Doc keeps up his Jerkass quotient by being even meaner to Hank.
  • Morally-Ambiguous Doctorate: He never finished college, so he is technically not a doctor.
  • Multiple Choice Past: According to Word of God, he has trouble remembering what his actual experiences were and what were embellishments for the Rusty Venture cartoon.
  • Only in It For the Money: His main motivation is to get rich, often through utterly abominable means.
  • Politically Incorrect Villain Protagonist: He's pretty blatantly racist, which fits in with the interpretation of him as a Villain Protagonist. Clips of him saying naively racist things as a child can be marked down as Values Dissonance. Oh, and he tried to find a way to eliminate the "gay gene."
  • Punny Name: Doctor Venture's full name is Thaddeus Venture. Thad Venture. thAd venture.
  • Show Within a Show: He starred in a cartoon named after him; the writers have invoked the Noodle Incident in regard to its overall contents, contending that it is best left to the audience's imagination, as long as they know that it was the most awesome show ever.
  • Villain Protagonist: To some degree.
  • "Well Done, Son" Guy: He still craves his long-dead father's approval. He's gotten better about it in later seasons and is still much better off than other child adventurers.
  • What the Hell, Hero?: He gets these a lot, almost to the point where it may no longer apply because there's little point in invoking this trope against a full-out villain. He's been getting slightly better.
  • You Cloned Hitler: Ordered by Nazis to clone Hitler from a dog. He is not impressed.

"Really? You went with this cliche??"
"All you Nazis ever want is to clone Hitler!"

The Venture Brothers

"Go, Team Venture!"

Hank and Dean are the eponymous twin brothers of the series, as the the sons of Dr. Venture. Dermott Fictel is also Dr. Venture's son, and is Hank and Dean's half-brother.

The following tropes apply to both of the twins:

Dean Venture

The "aww shucks" boy from down the street, Dean is a good-natured youngster who always thinks of others before himself, a trait that has earned him repeated scorn from his brother Hank. Though not the sharpest bowling ball of the bunch, he's always keen to go on another adventure. While he's physically pathetic, he shows promise as a super-scientist.

Tropes associated with Dean:

"I say follow your dreams, even if they're about a spider with your dad's face and he keeps trying to steal your penis."

    • Then again, he could be referring to 24's dreams (who also seems to have intense daddy issues). One that is certainly one is while first talking to Triana, he eventually brings up that he goes to school in his bed "It gets very hot in the box... that my pop made."
  • Cannot Spit It Out: Two examples one straight and one non-romantic:
    • He could not tell Triana about how he felt. when he finally did he realized that their relationship wouldn't work and "Let Her Down" gently before she could.
    • He cannot tell Doctor Venture he doesn't want to be a super scientist.
  • Cloudcuckoolander
  • Cowardly Lion: Very meek (especially compared to his brother) but, as seen in episodes like "The Revenge Society", a pep talk can help him muster enough courage to face any challenge.
  • Did Not Get the Girl: Triana. He decided it was for the best, though it doesn't stop him from being jealous of her new boyfriend.
  • Follow in My Footsteps: Dr.Venture wants Dean to become a super scientist, but Dean has realized that he'd rather be a Boy Reporter instead.
  • Future Loser: According to Orpheus' Master, this is Dean's fate if he ends up with Triana.
  • Gosh Dang It to Heck: Absolutely refuses to swear. Even "double dammit" is too vulgar for him. Eventually subverted. The final line of the entire fourth season, was him telling the Outrider "Fuck you!"
  • Hey, It's That Voice!: Michael Sinterniklaas. Most Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2003 fans will recall him as Leonardo, and most Bleach fans will recall him as Nnoitra and Luppi.
  • Hopeless Suitor: Apparently, to Triana.
    • Especially after she gets a boyfriend.
  • I Just Want to Be Normal
  • Limited Wardrobe: Defied in season three, when he starts to wear a Venture Blue speedsuit.
  • The Load: It is debatable whether he or Hank is the most useless member of the main cast.
  • Precision F-Strike: You know what I think? Fuck you!
  • Ping-Pong Naivete: Mostly about sex.
  • Red Oni, Blue Oni: The blue to Hank's red.
  • Shout-Out: Dean's resemblance to Peter Parker.
  • Squishy Wizard

Henry Alan "Hank" Venture

Hank often dominates his more timid brother Dean, even though at heart he is just as naive. He dotes on Brock and perhaps could be called the more "realistic" of the two brothers. He is the Bat.

Tropes associated with Hank:

"It's like he's channeling dead crazy people!"

  • Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass:In "Pomp and Circuitry". When Hunter tries throwing every crazy trap he can come up with to kill or scare him off, Hank actually uses every last bit of boy adventurer training to pass every test.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Along with the jacket, Hank seems to have inherited this from Brock.
  • Emo Teen: Hank starts going through a rebellious phase in season four.
  • Expy: He looks almost exactly like Fred from Scooby-Doo.
  • Fearless Fool
  • Generation Xerox: At least from Doctor Ventures viewpoint for himself.
    • And it comes full circle in Everybody Comes to Hank's when, Hank loses his virginity to Dermott's mom. It's later revealed that Rusty is Dermott's father and part of the reason she was attracted to him was because he reminded her so much of Rusty.
  • I Just Want to Be Badass
  • The Load
  • Number One Dime: Brock's Jacket.
  • Red Oni, Blue Oni: The red to Dean's blue.
  • Paper-Thin Disguise: In "Showdown at Cremation Creek".

Hank: "Hello-ski! I am, how you say? Russian Guyovitch!"

    • He tries it three times - it works on Sgt. Hatred and Brock, amazingly.
  • Precision F-Strike: Drops one after meeting Triana's boyfriend just to show Brock that "The New Hank cusses."
  • Shout-Out: His outfit is identical to Fred's from Scooby Doo.
  • Small Name, Big Ego: or Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass, depending on Rule of Funny.
  • Talking to Himself: Literally, at one point, when he makes a quick recording on his watch to describe his first time, before getting his memory wiped. Turns out he knows himself exceedingly well.
  • Too Dumb to Live: Even aside from this being literally true, Hank is far too willing to leap into danger despite his pathetic fighting skills. The creators even specifically note that as the series progressed they developed Hank into an idiot with no sense of danger.
  • Took a Level in Badass: He attempted to join S.P.H.I.N.X, so Col. Gathers put him through Training from Hell....and Hank was able to past every single test.
  • The Unfavorite: Dr. Venture verbally abuses Hank more and more as the series goes on, due to Hank's oblivious disregard for his own life (and because Venture has singled out Dean as his protege). This becomes even more pronounced when Hank goes into Emo Teen mode. Later somewhat subverted and justified in that Dr. Venture actually sees Hank as more like himself than Dean is, since Hank has no more interest in super-science than Rusty did. Dean becomes his protege because he actually wants to be a super-scientist (as far as Rusty is willing to believe, at least).

Dermott Fictel

As of season three, Hank's best friend and connection to the world outside the Venture Compound. He is pretty much every jerk you ever met in high school. Dermott's mother told him that his father is at the Venture compound, and Dermott figured that Brock Samson was his father. He's actually the son of his own "sister" Nikki Fictel and Dr. Venture himself. His "sister" was a teenager, so her mother raised Dermott as her own son, while Dr. Venture was forbidden to see them again. By the 4th season, both the Order of the Triad and the members of SPHINX have learned these facts, but Dr. Venture, Hank, Dean and even Dermott himself have still been in the dark. In the Shallow Gravy Mockumentary special, Dr. Venture, upon learning Dermott's surname and age for the first time, finally had a Fridge Horror moment. The episode itself kept hanging a lampshade on this, proverbially saying that that Hank and Dermott had become brothers, and found the same father--in music.

Tropes associated with Dermott:

  • Cain and Abel and Seth
  • Child By Statutory Rape: The sex itself was consensual.
  • Dumbass Has a Point: In the episode "Better Man," he gives good advice. Dean asks if someone can go check the temperature in Hell.
  • Internet Tough Guy: Except in real life. This is a kid so absorbed in convincing people he's cool that he directly insults Brock freaking Samson.
  • Jerkass: Stupid, obnoxious, and arrogant.
  • Know-Nothing Know-It-All: Goes hand in hand with internet tough guy. He also thinks Triana is a goth stereotype who will apparently orgasm just because Dean puts on some goth clothes and lights a fire on her lawn and immediately assumes there's an attack on the Venture Compound.
  • Luke, I Am Your Father: Well technically, half-brother, but still.
  • Shirtless Scene: He takes off his shirt for Shallow Gravy's performance in "Operation P.R.O.M."
  • Sixth Ranger: Hangs around with the boys (mostly Hank) a lot and even does a "Go Team Venture" with them in the season four finale. He's also their half-brother, but none of the three of them know that.
  • Small Name, Big Ego: He talks about himself as if he is the ultimate Badass to end them all.
  • Vitriolic Best Buds: With Hank.
  • X Meets Y: Napoleon Dynamite with a dose of unadulterated Jerkass.

H.E.L.P.eR.

H.E.L.P.eR. stands for Helpful Electronic Lab Partner Robot (with the extra 'e' for aesthetic purposes). He was created by Jonas Venture to serve as a nanny for his son Rusty and performed well in that regard. He now serves as nanny to Hank and Dean and frequently helps the Venture family and bodyguard Brock Samson in their adventures. Years of neglect by Thaddeus have left H.E.L.P.eR. a wreck, both physically and emotionally, and it was only recently Dr. Venture realized that H.E.L.P.eR. truly did have feelings. Hank and Dean tend to treat H.E.L.P.eR. better, even if their attempts to help the robot end up occasionally causing more trouble.

Tropes associated with H.E.L.P.eR.:

  • Chew Toy: H.E.L.P.eR. gets destroyed in a variety of ways throughout the show.
  • Robot Buddy: A battered and abused one.
  • Took a Level in Badass: He is now the WALKING EYE! Time will tell if this is put to good use.
    • A deleted scene suggests he also lost a level in Badass- when Rusty was a kid, he was equipped with an arsenal of hidden weapons that quickly fell into disrepair when Rusty wouldn't do the upkeep.
  • The Unintelligible: He only communicates in beeps and boops.

Sgt. Hatred

"There's less hatred left in this ol' Hatred."

Sgt. Hatred is a veteran member of the Guild of Calamitous Intent. A convicted pedophile, Hatred frequently has to announce that he cannot be within fifty feet of any nearby minors. He was repeatedly mentioned in season two whenever 21 and 24 stole supervillain equipment, and he becomes Dr. Venture's official Arch Enemy after the Guild reassigns The Monarch in season three. As Venture's nemesis, Sgt. Hatred has vowed to be as nice as possible to Dr. Venture to get under The Monarch's skin in retaliation for all of the technology stolen by The Monarch's henchmen.

It is important to note that even before he reformed, he had begun actively working against his pedophilic urges, making him a rare sympathetic pedophile.

As of season four, he takes over as the Venture Family bodyguard after Brock quits. The OSI gave him the medication Nomolestol to alleviate his pedophile urges, the effectiveness of which seems to vary from episode to episode.

Tropes associated with Sgt. Hatred:

  • Affably Evil
  • Annoying Arrows: Averted with the Monarch's darts, as the only reason he managed to recover so quickly was because he had taken a shot of adrenaline beforehand...in order to counteract the darts of the Monarch's henchmen.
  • Ascended Extra: Merely referred to in season two before making a cameo in the season finale, became a recurring character in season three, and now is part of the main cast.
  • Badass Boast: "I saw a guy's head spin around! Like right off his neck! Y'know why? 'Cuz I punched him!" and "I ate a whole Labrador retriever once!" No evidence yet on whether either one is truth or hyperbole, but his high rank while acting as The Mole in OSI indicates that he used to be a genuine Badass.
  • Becoming the Mask: He seems to legitimately enjoy working with the Ventures, beyond just fouling up the Monarch's attempts on their lives.
    • He's even removed his tattoos (except the D, due to the sensitivity of the area) and added a V tattoo on his face for "Venture". Hilariously enough, it now spells out "VD".
  • Driven to Suicide: Tries to kill himself when Princess Tinyfeet leaves him.
  • Foot Focus: Sergeant Hatred licks the bare feet of his girlfriend, Native American Princess Tinyfeet, in "Showdown at Cremation Creek, Part 1".
  • Friendly Enemy: He wants to make Dr. Venture's life wonderful to piss off The Monarch.
  • Have I Mentioned I Am A Pedophile Today?: In his first several appearances he reminded everybody Once an Episode that he had a restraining order preventing him from being near minors. Justified in that he was required by law to inform people.
  • Heel Face Turn: Oddly enough, he barely changes in personality. (He wasn't necessarily evil or good to begin with, and was something of a Punch Clock Villain.)
  • Henpecked Husband: According to creator commentary, and the same source said that it was going to be his main character quirk in season three. That didn't really happen.
  • I Cannot Self-Terminate: His attempts at suicide in the season three finale did not go well.

"I tried to blow my head off with a damn shrink ray and now I got a little baby tongue!"

  • Idiot Ball: Carried it a lot after his Heel Face Turn, less so over time.
    • The creators discuss this and ultimately decided that Hatred is basically a good and sympathetic character because he knows that his attraction to children is wrong and actively tries to avoid acting on his urges.
  • The Mole: He previously held a high position in the OSI and kept them out of the Guild's business.
  • No Indoor Voice: He always talks like a Drill Instructor, loud and raspy.
  • Obfuscating Stupidity, or at least Affability. He's more cunning than he lets on at first, but he's also a bit of a clear-cut buffoon.
  • The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: Inverted in season three, when he insists that Rusty be the one to kill him when he's Driven to Suicide.
  • Overshadowed by Awesome: Compared to Brock. It's very easy to forget that they take completely different approaches to protecting the Ventures, Brock being a One-Man Army and Hatred coming closer to a Gadgeteer Genius. He seems to be training the boys to be more effective on their own as well.
  • Refuge in Audacity: His aforementioned attraction to young boys, even having molested the Venture Bros. at one point before his introduction.
  • Replacement Scrappy: Dr. Venture thinks of him as one for The Monarch, and later Hank and Doc consider him one to Brock.
  • Shotacon: As he constantly reminds us. He seems to be getting better with time, though.
  • Small Name, Big Ego: Not quite as bad as Hank, but he's a bit out of shape and far too attached to the Idiot Ball to brag as much as he does. This trope applies to him less as his tenure goes on.
  • Talking to Himself: Jackson Publick voices Hatred, Hank, the Monarch, and Pete White, so he does it a lot while playing this role.
  • Villain Of Another Story: Prior to his debut, he was a catch-all reference for a villain that 21 and 24 raided for equipment.

Pete White

"Oh, FYI, I issued some shares back when we needed cash for the Nintendo Wii."

The "ever popular" Pete White is an unlikely friend of Dr. Venture who attended State University with him and Baron Underbheit in the early 1980s. He is a computer scientist and lives in a trailer with Master Billy Quizboy, where the two have launched their own tech company, Conjectural Technologies. He patterns his trademark new wave look after Phil Oakey of The Human League. And he's an albino.

Tropes associated with Pete:

Master Billy Quizboy

"It's industrial espionage, you've come to steal our great ideas. You've been foiled; we have none!"

A hydrocephalic neurogeneticist of dubious professional accomplishment, he was once a child prodigy and often capitalizes on his pedomorphic looks to pass for one in his adulthood. His nickname stems from his reign as champion of a TV quiz show in his youth. He lives, platonically, with Pete White in a trailer which doubles as the headquarters of their startup tech business, Conjectural Technologies. His real name is William Whalen.

Tropes associated with Master Billy:

  • Ascended Fanboy: Billy is Rusty's biggest fan. He has "ascended" as far as being able to help his idol.
  • Brilliant but Lazy: It is implied that he and White actually have some pretty decent skills between the two of them; they successfully cured Dean when he had a rare and embarrassing medical condition despite having no medical experience, and Billy reattached Rusty's arm after a Guild member ripped it off. However, they mostly just goof off in their spare time.
    • If Pete is the 'Lazy' one, Billy is the 'Brilliant' one; by "The Diving Bell Vs. The Butter-Glider" he's guiding a miniaturized submarine through Rusty's vascular system, apparently from memory.
    • As shown by "The Silent Partners" He's not lazy; he just never got his medical degrees and seemed to always regret it.
  • Butt Monkey: Being a Butt Monkey on a Sadist Show where everyone is either a Jerkass, a failure, or both is a major accomplishment. What's even funnier is that he gets so much flak despite being the useful half of his duo.
  • Catch Phrase: "High five!" His constant attempt to trick people into slapping his metal hand.
  • Eyepatch of Power
  • Heterosexual Life Partners: With Pete.
  • Honor Before Reason: He was willing to restore Monstroso, first for the money, but then because of his doctor's honor. He was still willing to let Brock kill Monstroso after he recovered, though.
    • To be fair, Monstroso had treated him more than fairly, was offering him his life's dream, and had spent a while bonding with him; he had plenty of reasons to like the guy even knowing he was a monster.
  • Locked Out of the Loop
  • A Man Is Not a Virgin: Rusty and White come to the conclusion that since he's a virgin, killing Billy wouldn't be murder, "just a very late abortion."
    • No longer a Virgin thanks to Monstroso and some prostitutes
  • My Brain Is Big: Billy claims that his excess of brain fluid makes him smarter. This is debatable.
  • Noodle Incident: He doesn't know how he got his metal hand. He eventually finds out ...or maybe Col. Gathers wiped his memory again.
  • Properly Paranoid: Apparently, Billy was right to look for conspiracy clues on his Rusty Venture DVDs.
  • Teen Genius: Subverted on two occasions. First, when it is revealed that he is actually in his 30's; secondly, in a flashback showing him in his actual Teen Genius phase, he is completely overwhelmed by college-level classwork. He was smart and racked up the points on quiz shows, but he didn't really display any real-world talent until he grew up and began successfully sewing limbs onto bodies with full function.
    • Also discussed when he acts as Dean and Hank's guidance counselor - he reminds Rusty, privately, that the boys really don't have the life skills to face the real world, and you realize that he's speaking from experience.


Order of the Triad

Dr. Byron Orpheus

"Well, if you must call me [a magician], yes. But if you are after mere parlor tricks, you'll be sorely disappointed. For if I reach behind your ear, it will not be a nickel I pull out... BUT YOUR VEEERY SOOOOUUL!!"

Necromancer extraordinaire Dr. Byron Orpheus has the tendency to speak in an overly dramatic and loud tone, often at inappropriate times and usually accompanied by dramatic music. Dr. Orpheus is divorced, has one child (Triana Orpheus). Currently living in back of the Venture Compound, in the old Advanced Arachnid Research Lab with his daughter. Although his title is 'Doctor', it is because in college he majored in Communication and minored in Women's Studies. He does, however, claim that his title comes from a higher power. He can be an absent-minded parent, but he means well.

Tropes associated with Dr. Orpheus:

  • Actually Not a Vampire: Dr. Orpheus is easily mistaken for "a dracula."
  • Aesop Amnesia: Apparently a common result of his chats with his Master, such as when he declared "I already know that I know nothing!" when he clearly hadn't learned that lesson.
  • Arch Enemy: He spends the first season pining for one, and is eventually given one in the form of Torrid, who bears a physical resemblance to Dr. Strange's nemesis Dormammu, but little more.
  • The Artifact: Introduced as a "necromancer", and he attempts to resurrect somebody at one point while saying that it's perfectly routine. This does not get visited again for a while, and he later says that he only uses the word "necromancer" because "wizard," "sorcerer," and "magician" have fallen out of favor.
  • Berserk Button: HIS DAUGHTER'S VIRGINITY IS NOT A PRIZE TO BE WON!
  • Captain Ersatz: of Dr. Strange.
  • Dark Is Not Evil: In fact he's one of the most morally decent people on the show.
  • Informed Ability: If his master and other statements are to be believed, Orpheus is likely a very powerful necromancer. This being The Venture Bros., however, a large portion of his feats are usually just alluded to while he tends to fail on a regular basis on-screen. (Not that he doesn't have his moments.)
    • He does trap the souls of two rednecks in a tiny figurine because they were interfering with his quest to look out for the Venture Brothers.
  • Large Ham: Dr. Orpheus cannot stop being a ham.
  • Leitmotif: This plays anytime he's extra Large Ham mode, which is quite often.
  • Milking the Giant Cow
  • Mundane Utility: He uses his powers as a powerful necromancer to cook frittatas, among other things.
  • Nice Guy: Seriously, he's the nicest guy in the show.
  • No Indoor Voice
  • Out of Focus: Orpheus was a major supporting character throughout the first three seasons but was scaled back, almost to the point of absence in the first half of season four.
  • Papa Wolf: For both his own daughter and the Venture Brothers
  • Powered by a Forsaken Child: Didn't have anything to do with the incident, but named the trope.
  • What Do You Mean It's Not Awesome?: Any time he RAISES HIS VOICE to deliver MUNDAAAAANE INFORMATION to the tune of SWELLING MUUUUSIC!

"Get me... my BLUE WINDBREAKER!!!"

Jefferson Twilight

"What's the use in training? I have no magic powers. The second someone uses magic, I get killed!"

An old friend of Dr. Orpheus. He is a black man who fights Blaculas for a living and wields two swords. He is a pastiche of the superhero Blade and the blaxploitation movie protagonist, Shaft. As a play on Blade's half-vampire thirst for blood or an artificial replacement, Jefferson Twilight suffers from diabetes and low blood-sugar, leading him to heavily thirst for sugared liquids, such as Nik-L-Nips. His left eye is discolored as it is a magical Blacula tracker he calls the "Blood Eye." The episode "What Goes Down, Must Come Up" revealed a lot of his Backstory. For example: his mother was taken by marauding Blaculas when he was ten, and he was a tank commander in the USMC.

Tropes associated with Jefferson:

The Alchemist

"I care about the true spirit of the divine. I care about the universal truth. But being a magic superhero that keeps chasing the same guy is completely gay! And that is coming from a guy that voluntarily has sex with men!"

Another old friend of Dr. Orpheus, who is searching for the philosopher's stone ("as a metaphor for enlightenment") as well as a cure for AIDS. Unlike Twilight and Orpheus, it would seem that he is much less serious about his business and would rather mix business with pleasure; however, his true opinion on the Triad was revealed in the episode "Showdown at Cremation Creek", where he stated that he was more into helping the balance of the Universe than running around fighting one Super-Villain. It has been openly acknowledged that he is gay and a fan of Jimmy Buffett. He is sometimes referred to as "Al", but whether this is his real name or merely short for Alchemist is uncertain. He has an open hatred of the internet due to finding out his boyfriend was cheating on him via Myspace.

Tropes associated with The Alchemist:

  • Deadpan Snarker
  • Foil: To Orpheus. Even more apparent when they move in together.
  • Hey, It's That Voice!: Dana Snyder voices him with the same voice as Master Shake from Aqua Teen Hunger Force.
  • Leitmotif: Okay, so it may have only been in one episode ("What Goes Down Must Come Up"), but when the triad are performing magic, it's implied that The Alchemist has one too. When Orpheus does some magic, his leitmotif plays and when The Alchemist does some magic immediately afterward, a little trumpet piece plays. And immediately after that, when it's Jefferson's turn and it's revealed that he has no magic to do, it's completely silent.
  • Only Sane Man: Frequently the voice of reason for the Order of the Triad.
  • Reed Richards Is Useless: Once turned someone's tire into gold. Why does he need to shack up with Orpheus, again?
  • Invisible to Gaydar: Mostly.
  • Will They or Won't They?: With Shore Leave in "Operation P.R.O.M." They did

Orpheus's Master

A snarky, mysterious magician who taught Orpheus everything he knows...and takes every opportunity to shove Orpheus's failures in his face. Likes to take a form that relates to whatever problem Orpheus needs help with, which is often just an excuse for him to try out the Power Perversion Potential of Voluntary Shapeshifting. He wishes Orpheus would loosen up and act like a normal guy instead of a Large Ham.

Tropes associated with Orpheus's Master:

  • Comically Missing the Point: Loves to needle Orpheus for this - apparently their chats often result in Aesop Amnesia.
  • Cynical Mentor
  • The Faceless: We've never seen his true form, if he even has one.
  • Hey, It's That Voice!: Voiced by H. John Benjamin, with pretty much the same voice as Coach McGuirk.
  • Power Perversion Potential: He turns into Catherine the Great's horse so that he can re-enact Catherine's supposed sexual encounter with it teach Orpheus a lesson about biting off more than he can chew, turns into Cerberus to lick his own genitals and talk at the same time teach Orpheus a lesson about being a stuffy know-it-all, and takes the form of Orpheus's ex-wife to enjoy the curvy, sexy body hit Orpheus where it hurts the most. His shapeshifting always has a purpose and a point, but nonetheless he milks the Perversion Potential as much as he can.
  • Serious Business: From his dialogue, it sounds like Orpheus's supposed higher calling is actually pretty insignificant fluff that Orpheus treats as Serious Business. Of course, this could just be part of his attempt to puncture Orpheus's stuffed shirt.
  • Throw It In: Doc Hammer commented that it is impossible to stop H. John Benjamin when he wants to ad-lib, and as a result his dialogue is a middle ground between the original script and Benjamin's ad-libs.
  • Trickster Mentor: For all the grief he gives Orpheus, he honestly does give him useful advice... albeit indirectly and in the form of riddles. His fondness of Voluntary Shapeshifting also suggests a Trickster background.
  • Voluntary Shapeshifting

Triana Orpheus

Triana is the daughter of Dr. Orpheus and lives with her father in a rented out laboratory-cum-apartment within the Venture compound. She is 17, a bit of a goth, but otherwise a completely normal teenage girl. She is possibly the most down-to-earth character on the show, despite her father's tendency to dramatize. She takes an interest in kitsch. Dean had nurtured a crush her for most of the show's run. The very moment that Dean decided to tell her, Triana revealed her non-interest in him.

Tropes associated with Triana:


The Monarch and his men

The Monarch

"I just...I just wanted to kick his [Dr. Venture's] ass! I wanted to build a machine to kick his ass! I wanted to build an empire to house the machine to kick his ass!"

As Dr. Venture's self-proclaimed arch-nemesis, the Monarch plots the downfall of Team Venture with the utmost glee. His back is adorned with the wings of the mighty Monarch Butterfly from which he takes his name. Insecure and uncertain at heart, he leans on Dr. Girlfriend probably more than a super-villain should. His first name, as stated by his wife and in flashbacks, is Malcolm, while his last name is revealed in the season 1 finale to be The Monarch.

Tropes associated with The Monarch:

  • Arch Enemy: To Dr. Venture.
  • Bad Boss: He actually stays away from You Have Outlived Your Usefulness murders, but he often kills his henchmen for either startling him, annoying him, or in one case, to downsize. It later turns out that just about all of his henchmen except Mauve Shirts 21 and 24 are suicidal Death Seekers.
  • Bi the Way: When 21 revealed that he accidentally made out with his wife, Monarch scoffed stating that villains have threesomes all the time.
    • Not to mention the photo in his unauthorized biography of him "making out with Stiv Bators and Lydia Lunch."
  • Big Bad Wannabe: How he started out, even taking on Captain Sunshine while still an unlicensed rookie villain. As of season four, he's reversed that position to be a big fish in a small pond.
  • Camp Straight
  • Card-Carrying Villain: He is proud to say that he is evil and lives for the torment of a guy he just doesn't like.
  • Companion Cube: The Butter-Glider. He even took it on a picnic. He had it in bed with him. And defended it from his wife.
    • Before that it was revealed that he talks to his dead stuffed cat, Mister Mostly Mittens.
  • Contractual Genre Blindness
  • Foe Yay: He molested, nay, raped a robot that had Dr. Venture's face and taunted Captain Sunshine with a Hannibal Lecture in which he claimed, at length, that Sunshine would really enjoy having sex with him.
    • Also, when Dr. Girlfriend seduced Rusty for him, he looked like he was about to masturbate while watching the proceedings. The only other time he watched Dr. Girlfriend have sex with someone else just ended up... awkwardly.
  • For the Evulz: His sole motivation is hating Dr. Venture. It is implied that the only reason he does so is because he just feels like it.
  • Freudian Excuse: When Monarch tried to kill Venture during college years, it injured Baron Underbheit and people thought Venture did it so now Monarch wants vengeance
  • Evilly Affable
  • Jerkass: He's a jerk to his men (kills them or sends them to their deaths), his fellow villains (steals their technology and frequently belittles them), and on several occasions, to his wife (pre and post marriage) as well. By numbers the only reason Rusty doesn't get the brunt of it is because they don't usually get much screen time together.
  • Large Ham: He loves classic-style villain speeches.
  • Loophole Abuse: When the Guild prevented him from arching Dr. Venture, he signed up to arch Jonas Venture, Jr. and after a clever Xanatos Gambit, earned the right to terrorize JJ's immediate relatives.
  • Not-So-Harmless Villain: Posterboy for this trope. At first he seemed like an Ineffectual Sympathetic Villain, but it quickly turned out that he was a significantly bigger threat to people who didn't have Brock Samson on their side.
  • The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: Gets into rivalries with Baron Underbheit and Sgt. Hatred over who gets to be Rusty's Arch Enemy.
  • Raised by Wolves: Claims to have been raised by monarch butterflies after his parents died in a plane crash when he was a preteen. The money for his college education and villainy were provided for by a trust fund.
  • Skewed Priorities: Everything takes backseat to tormenting Dr. Venture, except for his relationship with Dr. Girlfriend.
  • Talking to Himself: Voiced by Jackson Publick, and frequently interacts with Hank, 24, and Sgt. Hatred.
  • The Un-Reveal: When remembering his first atttempt to kill Venture in college (which failed and blew off Ünderbheit jaw) in Shadowman 9, the Monarch remembers a fellow student telling him what happened. Said student used his real first name: apprently the Monarch's real name is Malcolm.
  • Trigger Happy: Approach him cautiously; he tends to shoot a lethal dosage of darts into the mouth of anybody who startles him.
  • Villain Protagonist: He is the story's protagonist as often as the antagonist.
  • You Fail Biology Forever: A lot of jokes are made at his expense in the first season for not knowing nearly as much about monarch butterflies as he should.

Dr. Girlfriend/Dr. Mrs. The Monarch

"I was thinking of something that plays off my abilities more than my sexuality."

The husky-voiced Dr. Girlfriend is perhaps the only voice of reason in the Monarch's sad little world. Skilled and capable, she is often the only thing that makes the Monarch's plans even remotely viable. Before teaming up with the Monarch, she was involved with the Phantom Limb under the name of Queen Etherea.

Tropes associated with Dr. Girlfriend:

  • Aren't You Going to Ravish Me?: She still holds a grudge against Brock Samson for not taking advantage of her when he had the chance.
  • Cross-Dressing Voices: voiced by Doc Hammer, who uses the most masculine voice that he can manage.
  • Dark Action Girl
  • Dark Mistress: A classic example.
  • Deadpan Snarker
  • The Dragon: She's the Monarch's right-hand woman and is in charge of his security and gadgetry; she's also a very capable combatant on her own.
  • Evilly Affable: When Dr. Monarch was torturing H.E.L.P.eR for the Ventures' location, she put a stop to it and put a comforting arm around him. And soon had exactly the information the Monarch was trying to get...
    • Eh, honestly? That sonds more affably evil to me.
  • Friendly Enemy: She gets along really well with Dr. Venture.
  • Gadgeteer Genius: She designed the Monarch's wings, built his security system, replicated Captain Sunshine's solar powers, and more.
  • Hypercompetent Sidekick: She's The Dragon for someone she can outdo in a lot of things.
  • I Have Many Names: She has been officially known as Lady Au Pair, Queen Etherea, Dr. Girlfriend, and Dr. Mrs. The Monarch; The Monarch has also called her Dr. Ex Girlfriend, Dr. Fiancee, and Dr. My Wife.
    • Incidentally, her first name is Sheila.
  • Morality Pet: Her main purpose is to make the Monarch more relatable.
  • Morally-Ambiguous Doctorate: But at least she is clearly an engineer of some sort, and Word of God confirms that she has a Ph. D.
  • Nice Hat - based on that of Jackie Kennedy Onassis (along with her entire look for the first couple of seasons). Ironically, she has no idea who that is. It's implied that the guild came up with the persona for her when she wanted a 'competent female counterpart of a great leader' motif and rejected their more Stripperiffic ideas.
    • Nowadays she typically dresses as like a female version of the Monarch, complete with Nice Crown.
  • Only Sane Man - Among most of the other supervillains in the show, she's arguably much more saner and competent, and capable of being amicable with Team Venture when she wants to be.
  • Stripperiffic: Her Queen Etherea and Dr. Mrs. The Monarch costumes.
  • Transsexual: All evidence says that she is a cisgendered female, but the man voice still raises suspicion.
    • The voice is explained as the results of a heavy cigarette regimen.
  • Unusually Uninteresting Sound: Her voice was completely ignored for a little less than half a season before being lampshaded, and it is usually ignored.
  • Vocal Dissonance: And HOW!

The Murderous Moppets, AKA The Pupa Twins

Tim-Tom and Kevin originally served as Dr. Girlfriend's muscle when she was known as Lady Au Pair. She eventually got back in contact with them after she left The Monarch. She brought them back into the fold in time for her wedding to The Monarch, after which they started terrorizing the henchmen.

Tropes associated with Tim-Tom and Kevin:

Doc Hammer: "You want one to be named like a Moppet - like Tim-Tom - and the other one to just walk in with like, 'What's your name?' 'Kevin.' 'Good enough!'"

Tim-Tom Moppet: We can take out his tongue...
Kevin Moppet: (with relish) With a knife!
Tim-Tom Moppet: Or remove 'is 'eart...
Kevin Moppet: (with great relish) Yeah, with a knife!
Tim-Tom Moppet: A bigger knife!
Kevin Moppet: (with greater relish) Fucking knife!

  • The Mole: According to Phantom Limb, they're "well-placed sleeper agents". We don't know for sure if this is correct, but the recent revelation that they were likely the ones who killed 24 (and are messing with 21's mind by crossing names off his list of suspects, which would contribute towards Limb's plan from "Bright Lights, Dean City") adds some additional proof.
  • Psycho for Hire
  • Quirky Miniboss Squad: to The Monarch and Dr. Girlfriend.
  • Salt and Pepper
  • The Scrappy: In-universe: everyone they work with has tried to get to know, them, generally for Dr. Girlfriend's sake. They all hate them. Even Dr. Girlfriend has started feeling uncomfortable around them. The Monarch has intended to kill them.
  • Slasher Smile
  • Those Two Guys: An Axe Crazy version. They don't qualify as Those Two Bad Guys because they don't act like TTBGs typically do.

Henchman #1/Scott Hall/Zero

A by-the-book henchman that was a stark contrast to #21 and #24. He followed all the old cliches, for which he was fiercely mocked by the Genre Savvy duo. He did go up in one final showdown with Brock that apparently ended with his death. But later came back as a centurion named Zero who used Captain Sunshine's butler Desmond (disguised as the Greek god Zeus) to kidnap Henchman and Sidekicks to fight to the death. He's later found out by 21, who distracts him while an army of supervillains attack. It's unknown whether he survived or not.

Tropes associated with Henchman #1:

  • Badass:Just like #21 he took on Brock Samson one on one And Lived
  • The Caligula: He makes supervillains and super scientists fight for next to no reason other than as penitence and for his amusement.
  • Evil Counterpart: To 21. Both changed after a big event, both got a large number of minions. Both Took a Level in Badass. But while 21 was largely unmotivated before, Scott was already motivated. Whereas 21 has avoided becoming a villain on his own but is slowly growing into one, Scott immediately became one. Whereas 21 is fully willing to rely on dirty tactics when the situation calls for it, Scott fights with honor.
  • Genre Blind
  • Knight Templar: His scheme is revenge on what he believes to be the problem with superheroes and villains
  • Mauve Shirt
  • The Man Behind the Man: Zeus is actually a holographic puppet used to inspire fear and confusion. He's the real one behind the Super Death Camp
  • Meaningful Name: His name Zero is due to the fact he used to be a henchman. It's how 21 guesses his secret identity.
  • My Hero Zero
  • Never Found the Body: Becomes a plot point in season four when he turns out to be the villain of "Every Which Way But Zeus".
  • Nominal Importance: A Deconstruction of this trope.
  • Red Shirt: Again, Deconstructed.
  • "Stop Having Fun!" Guys:To #21 and #24.
  • You Bastard: Gives this to #21

SPHINX

An organization named after a group of the same name that the OSI defeated decades before, and having recovered much of the former organization's equipment. The current SPHINX is mostly made up of former OSI agents and one former Monarch henchman, and its secret headquarters are Dr. Venture's compound. Even the Ventures themselves did not become aware of their presence until halfway through the fourth season. Since then, they openly associate with Team Venture.

Col. Hunter Gathers

"Lesson number one: trust no one! The minute God crapped out the third caveman, a conspiracy was hatched against one of them!"

Brock Samson's world-weary, boisterous mentor.

Tropes associated with Gathers:

  • Arbitrary Skepticism: Doesn't believe in vampires despite the fact that they exist in the Venture-verse.
  • Attractive Bent Gender: Subverted in that while the his sex change fulfilled his dream "to have big beautiful tits", his post-op body being quite nice, his face and voice remained exactly the same.
  • The Chessmaster: He manages to pull off some elaborate schemes, although they often fall into Xanatos Roulette.
  • Cynical Mentor
  • Double Reverse Quadruple Agent: The sex change operation was reversed and Hunter was a triple-agent working for SPHINX. Even a psychic couldn't see that one coming.
    • Also "Operation P.R.O.M." goes from the usual spy business to Treister already taking care of the double agents and shooting himself into space, leaving hunter in charge of the OSI
  • Drill Sergeant Nasty: He began Brock Samson's OSI training with a metal stick to the kneecap.
  • No Celebrities Were Harmed: His appearance, voice, and mannerisms are based on the public persona of Hunter S. Thompson.
  • Noodle Incident: He frequently throws out snippets of anecdotes about the "true" history of the United States, such as the fact that OSI has been defending the country since the Second American Revolution - "the invisible one!"
  • Properly Paranoid: Always tells Brock to be wary of conspiracies. He's proven that he's quite a Chessmaster, so it's wise to listen to him.
  • Running Both Sides: His fate in the season four finale.
  • Training from Hell: Largely responsible for turning Brock Samson into a one-man army.
  • Transsexualism: He eventually had it reversed, but eventually admits to miss being a woman.
  • Xanatos Roulette: A rather gigantic one that is either a patently insane Roulette or the world's best-played game of Xanatos Speed Chess.

Brock Samson

"Look, you don't want my life, Hank. This job's not all it's cracked up to be. I've been at this for over twenty years and what do I have to show for it? A metal plate in my chest, Vatican karate gorilla blood on my hands and a footlocker full of Manboro miles?"

Brock Samson is the man's man of secret agents. Disdaining guns in favor of his ever-present Bowie knife, he has a license to kill and the overpowering desire to use it. Fiercely loyal to Dr. Venture and the boys, Brock will let nothing stand in the way of their safety, be it ninja, super-villain or Chupacabra.

In season four, after quitting the OSI, he joined Hunter and SPHINX. However, after the Ventures discover the SPHINX compound, he regularly interacts with them during the season's second half.

Tropes associated with Brock:

Shore-Leave/Holy Diver

"Nooo, no. That's not my gun. That's an indicator of how excited I am to do this to you. That [holds his gun up] is my gun."

An ex-OSI operative kicked out on a Don't Ask, Don't Tell violation, Shore-Leave claims to have exorcised the "demons of homosexuality" and turned to God. He and his Heterosexual Life Partner Sky Pilot run a Bible camp for kids and dress up as the Christian superheroes "The Soul Mates."

In fact, the religious conversion was a cover story; Shore-Leave is one of the top agents in Hunter Gathers' SPHINX organization. He becomes Brock Samson's partner on missions.

Tropes associated with Shore-Leave:

Col. Gathers: "The Village People called, and they want you to GO FUCKING KILL YOURSELVES, YOU PRANCING BASTARDS!"

  • Porn Stache: He has a giant Village People style mustache. Without it he'd probably look like a genuinely good looking guy.
  • Power Glows: Subverted: the glowing sword is just a plastic prop. Props, apparently, really drive the Word home with the kids.
  • The Reveal: He turns out to be an operative of SPHINX, and appears to be Hunter's right-hand man up until Brock joins. Sky Pilot, too, but whatever.
  • Shout-Out: We dare you to find another Bibleman Shout-Out in anything, ever.
    • And their OSI identities as Shore-Leave and Mile High are based specifically on Shipwreck and Airborne from G.I. Joe
    • "Holy Diver" itself is a pretty obvious shout-out to the Ronnie James Dio song of the same name.
  • Transformation Sequence: Parodied with his over-long armor-up sequence.

"Activate! Boots of the Gospel!"

    • And the constant neck craning with every syllable.

Mile-High/Sky Pilot

Another former OSI-agent, kicked out alongside Shore-Leave, who ended up being part of Hunter's SPHINX group as well. Doesn't play as active a role in the series as his former partner. Most of the same tropes associated with Shore-Leave (in relation to religion and the defection, at least) are shared by Sky Pilot.

Tropes associated with Mile-High:

  • Camp Straight: Possibly. He's not in love with Shore-Leave, but may still be gay.
  • The Mole: He's still working for OSI, as revealed by General Treister.
  • Satellite Character: Pretty much disappears once Shore-Leave pairs up with Brock.
    • He lampshades this when he finally does go on a mission.

Gary (formerly Henchman "Two-Ton" 21) and the late Henchman 24

The Monarch's henchmen are known only by their official numbers. #21 and #24 were the two best known. Somehow, despite their ineptitude and questionable loyalty, they managed to avoid the unceremonious slaying The Monarch often levies on his less fortunate henchmen. #21 (real name Gary) came into the employ of the Monarch when his henchman army kidnapped him at age 15. #24 seems to have joined of his own volition, having lost his job when the local factory closed down and his G.E.D. left many other careers inaccessible to him.

At the end of season three, 24 died in an explosion. 21 went a little nuts, Took a Level in Badass, and became the Monarch's drill sergeant and go-to muscle. But by the end of season four, Gary became completely disillusioned with The Monarch and Dr. Mrs. The Monarch alike, and found greater peace with the various residents of the Venture compound. SPHINX quickly took Gary in even before he had decided to quit The Monarch. In the Shallow Gravy special, Gary has been shown to have stayed with SPHINX, and is interviewed under his pseudonym "The Viceroy".

Tropes associated with 21 and 24:

  • Affably Evil, then in "Operation: P.R.O.M.", Gary decides he probably isn't evil afterall.
  • Alas, Poor Yorick: After 24 dies, 21 keeps his skull as a memento, and claims he can still listen to 24 speaking to him through it.
  • I Always Wanted To Do That: Instead of taking their mission seriously with #1, they hide in plain sight from Brock by pretending to be manniquins in a "villain diarama"; they comment on how little chance there is to actually do it.
  • Author Avatar: Listening to the creator commentary and seeing Doc Hammer and Jackson Publick at cons makes it very obvious that 21 and 24 are the writers. When a fan asked them to settle an Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny that 21 and 24 argued about in the show, they seriously debated it with each other and were indistinguishable from the characters.
  • Badass Nickname: 21 eventually picks up the epithet "Two Ton" 21.
  • Brutal Honesty: 21 has a bit of a breakdown in "Operation: P.R.O.M." in front of The Monarch and Dr. Mrs. The Monarch.

Monarch: 21's bailing on us.
Dr. Mrs.: What?!
Monarch: Ask him.
21: It's true! I'm sick of this! I'm slightly drunk, I'm talking to the ghost of my fucking dead friend, I'm probably in love with you, and...so yeah, whatever, I'm over it!
Monarch: You're over it?
Dr. Mrs.: You're in love with me?
Monarch: Whoa, wait, what?!
21: We made out!
Dr. Mrs.: Well... Well, that's a stretch. We got drunk. Maybe we kissed, but uh...
Monarch: Suuuuuuuuure, you d-- where was I, then, uh?
21: Where were you--you were there! We were on top of you! We made out on you!

  • A Date with Rosie Palms: 24 frequently mentions that he has methods of dealing with living in a floating fortress with no women.
    • It's also part of the reason 21 gets rid of 24's skull. He keeps showing up when he tries to masturbate.
  • Drill Sergeant Nasty: 21 following 24's death.
  • The End - or Is It?: After 24 dies, we see a henchman's hand checking off a list of suspects for his killer.
    • It's just the Moppets trying to cover up their (likely) murder.
  • Genre Savvy: They catch on to a lot of details regarding the workings of the Venture universe.
  • Heterosexual Life Partners
  • Lampshade Hanging: 21 in particular loves to hang them, such as commenting on their Plot Armor.
  • Large Ham: Jackson Publick's delivery while voicing 24 frequently moves into What Do You Mean It's Not Awesome? territory. The hamminess really fits once he becomes a Spirit Advisor.
  • Mauve Shirt: Subverted with 24.
  • No Celebrities Were Harmed: 24 is voiced as an imitation of Ray Romano. Out of costume, 21 and 24 look like Kevin Smith without a beard and Jerry Seinfeld with a unibrow, respectively.
  • Non-Action Guy: They breeze through their assignments by slacking off and using their Genre Savviness to avoid deadly cliches. This stops after the death of 24.
  • Plot Armor: They start bragging about it in season three. Not a good idea, as it costs 24 his life.
  • Punch Clock Villain
  • Screw This, I'm Outta Here: 21 in "Operation: P.R.O.M."
  • Talking to the Dead: In season four, 21 starts talking to 24's skull.
    • In "Operation P.R.O.M.", when Dr. Orpheus helps 21 realizes that one of 24's ghost friends isn't actually dead yet, 24 vanishes, and Gary breaks down in tears. This indicates that 24 was a figment of 21's imagination the entire time. This is seemingly contradicted by 24 communicating with one of Monstroso's dead henchmen when 21 isn't exactly present onscreen, but this could simply have been an extension of 21's hallucination.
    • When incessantly asked about it, Jackson Publick confirmed that they intended for 24 to not really be a ghost, but ultimately, it's open to interpretation (although the "24 really was a ghost" theory only works under very specific and unlikely circumstances
  • Those Two Guys: Among The Monarch's henchmen.
  • Took a Level in Badass: The biggest example in the show. Following the events of the season three finale, Non-Action Guy 21 becomes "Two Ton 21," the Badass Drill Sergeant Nasty of the Monarch's henchman; turns his tubbiness into Stout Strength; fights Sgt. Hatred to a standstill; and impresses Brock Samson with his fighting skills and sheer balls.
    • However in the same episode this badassery asserts itself he fails to find 24's killer, flubbed his attempt at Chinese Water Torture, realized that his friend's death could've been avoided if he hadn't been such a lazy coward, and accidentally gives his boss horrendous food poisoning, causing the Monarch to lose out on his chance at appearing in a high-profile supervillain magazine.
  • Took a Level in Jerkass: In "The Lepidopterists".
  • Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny: Their favorite subject of conversation, along with copious Fan Wank. 24 always takes the less logical position.
  • You Are Number Six: Subverted with 21, who sometimes goes by his real name, "Gary".


The Guild of Calamitous Intent

The Sovereign/David Bowie

"Pay no attention to the handsome and ageless rock star hiding behind the couch! I am the mighty Sovereign!"

The enigmatic leader of the Guild, who just happens to be none other than David Bowie.

Tropes associated with The Sovereign:

  • Affably Evil: Running the biggest supervillain organization in the world, but we've never really seen any evidence of him being a bad guy.
  • Bigger Bad: Of sorts.
  • Celebrity Impersonator: James Urbaniak (Dr. Venture, Phantom Limb, etc). Allegedly, they tried to get the real Bowie, but he declined. This is also lampshaded with Sovereign's first appearance as Bowie.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Has shades of this.

"No. Please don't activate a broken coffee mug."

  • Huge Holographic Head: The majority of his public appearances.
  • Nigh Invulnerability: Seems to shrug off that which would outright destroy an ordinary person. The greatest example of this is his apparent immunity to Phantom Limb's death touch.
  • No Celebrities Were Harmed: David Bowie, though not explicitly mentioned as much as before, but it's still obvious.
  • Open Secret: The true identity of The Sovereign is a carefully guarded Guild secret... but everyone already knows he is David Bowie.
  • Rotoscoping: His appearance as the Sovereign has extremely naturalistic animation.
  • The Smart Guy: In the conflicts he has been featured in, he has demonstrated an aptitude for thinking a few steps ahead of his opposition.
  • Voluntary Shapeshifting

Red Mantle & Dragoon

Red Mantle: Two heads are better than one!
Dragoon: What does that have to do with anything?
Red Mantle: Nothing, I've just been wanting to say that all day. I got sick of waiting for an opportunity.

Two members of the Guild's Council of Thirteen, they moved into the spotlight in season four. They have spent decades in the Guild headquarters, leaving both of them out-of-touch with the outside world. After a near-fatal encounter with Phantom Limb, Dragoon's life was saved when Billy Quizboy attached his head to Red Mantle's shoulder.

Tropes associated with Red Mantle & Dragoon:

Doc Hammer: We took silhouettes and gave them an episode.

  • Lawyer-Friendly Cameo: It is made very clear that they are actually Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper, with the plane crash that killed both musicians merely a cover for their induction into the Guild's Council.
  • Multiple Head Case: They had to spend some time adjusting and coordinating to this arrangement. Dragoon insists that he will eventually take over the whole body.
  • Retired Badass: Guild masterminds, and Dragoon still had some fight in him before losing his body.
  • Silence, You Fool: Dragoon hung several lampshades on this during the Council's first appearance.
  • Stout Strength/Acrofatic: Dragoon, prior to their merging.
  • Those Two Guys: Not like they have much of a choice.

King Gorilla

Monarch: "Oh this isn't gay. But King Gorilla over there is! And I bet he can't wait to snap off a piece of your dick in his ****!"

A tough old talking gorilla who served time in prison alongside The Monarch. He made a deal with the Investors to donate his heart to Monstroso when he dies in exchange for getting out on his life sentence.

Tropes associated with King Gorilla:

  • Black Comedy Rape: See Prison Rape.
  • Captain Ersatz: To two DC Comics villains, Gorilla Grodd and Monsieur Mallah (the latter of whom is also gay).
  • Heroic Sacrifice: In order to get the Monarch out and back to Doctor Girlfriend, he helps him break out, knowing full and well the Guild will be on his ass. He was let out in season four.
    • Also a villainous example, he would eventually give his heart to a dying Monstroso, who arranged his release from prison in return.
  • Incurable Cough of Death: His lung cancer proved to be fatal.
    • Or rather would have been fatal, had the Investors not ripped out his heart to give to Monstroso.
  • Killed Off for Real
  • Maniac Monkeys: The Venture universe's contribution to the lineup of evil talking gorillas.
  • Manly Gay
  • Prison Rape: He tried to rape The Monarch once, but he couldn't get it up because Monarch looked too much like a girl from behind. He even brought him back to his cell, but still felt nothing.
  • What Happened to the Mouse?: After playing a major part in the season two premiere, he vanished from the show despite a few hooks for future appearances. He later made his return, dying from lung cancer.

Monstroso

Dr. Girlfriend: "Monstroso? That's what this is about? He's the king of the double cross. I mean, think about it, he's a lawyer and a supervillain. That's like a shark with a grenade launcher on its head."

An influential supervillain and lawyer. The Monarch tries to team up with him to screw over Venture at the season four midpoint. This ends about as well as you'd expect (remember, this is a show about failure).

Tropes associated with Monstroso:

"Fine, yes! Gimme a fucking cigar!"

  • Smug Snake: Trying to defeat both the Venture family and The Monarch simultaneously... with zoning law fine print.

Watch and Ward

High-ranking Guild communications officers, who report directly to the Sovereign. They're fairly good at their jobs, when not distracted by inconsequential matters, be they misplaced juice boxes or mp3 selection.

Tropes associated with Watch and Ward:

  • Author Avatar: Their conversations are often taken from actual conversations between Jackson and Doc. As a bonus, Doc and Ward (whom he voices) are both blond.
  • Idiot Ball: Failed to notice Phantom Limb's escape from Guild HQ, due to Watch having a bug clinging to his back.

Watch: Aah! It's one of those ones that flies!

Torrid

"Save my place in the queue. There's something I feel I must do. Something torrid."

The Order of the Triad's Guild-sanctioned archenemy, who has a fire theme.

Tropes associated with Torrid:


OSI

The Office of Secret Intelligence, which stands in opposition to the Guild of Calamitous Intent. Most current SPHINX members were former OSI agents. OSI headquarters is a Global Airship that houses more than two thousand crew, and is almost always on the move. By the end of the fourth season, General Treister appointed a reluctant Hunter Gathers as the new leader of OSI, just before Treister launched himself into space. Gathers' final decision on the matter has yet to be seen. This section includes past and present OSI members, excepting those who have left and joined other organizations.

General Treister

The former head of the OSI and apparently its founder. He's a Crazy Awesome Badass Grandpa. Or at least he was, until he launched his body unprotected into space, with a note asking aliens to cure his cancer.

Tropes associated with Treister:

Doe and Cardholder

High ranking members of the OSI who serve as Treister's top men.

Tropes associated with Doe and Cardholder:

Myra Brandish

A former OSI agent. She was at one point Dr. Venture's personal body guard and one time lover. Claims to be Hank and Dean's mother, though whether or not this is true is yet to be made certain. Brock claims she was a former member of the American Gladiators who was thrown into an insane asylum after becoming criminally obsessed with Dr. Venture. Every few years she breaks out of the asylum and kidnaps the Venture brothers.

Tropes associated with Myra:

  • Love Makes You Crazy
  • Shrug of God: Even though the episode she first appeared in gave no real evidence to the contrary, the creators are still unsure as to whether or not she's the mother. They never plan too far ahead with their story arcs, and have no idea if this will be confirmed or denied later on.

Race Bannon

The original bodyguard of the Quest family from Jonny Quest, after whom the character Brock Samson was designed to parody. In The Venture Bros., Race was an OSI agent who also knew Brock. Race was killed off quickly after his first appearance in the show, but appeared again later in the series in Flashbacks.


Spider Skull Island

Dr. Jonas Venture, Jr.

Dr. Venture's twin brother whom he ate in the womb, Jonas, Jr. - or JJ - is a two-foot tall dwarf with all of the skill, charisma, and success that Rusty lacks. He is usually seen getting contracts that Rusty wants whenever Rusty calls him up for a loan.

Tropes associated with JJ:

Sally Impossible

Richard Impossible's now-ex-wife. When the lab accident occured that gave Richard his stretching powers, she was affected to but was less fortunate as she was given the power of visibility of her anatomy, showing all of her muscle tissue unless she retain control of it. Her other family members, who were also caught in the blast, didn't fare as well (Her brother Cody sets on fire when exposed to oxygen, her cousin Ned became a walking tumor). To save his public image, Richard hid them away and refused to let Sally interact with anyone. Rusty winds up meeting her by accident and she tries to use him to escape Richard's grasp but Rusty quickly abandons her. In their next encounter Rusty used her to get a vital piece of equipment he needed from Richard's lab. It was during this encounter she met Jonas Venture Jr and the two quickly hit it off. Sometime afterward she divorced Richard and went to live with J.J along with Ned and her infant son Rocket (Cody somehow still staying with Richard).

Tropes associated with Sally:

  • Blessed with Suck: Stuck with a power she never wanted and claims it take a great deal of effort to maintain control -- really, it barely even counts as a power, more like a flat-out disability.
  • Body Horror: When she loses control of her power, yeesh.
  • Captain Ersatz: Of The Invisible Woman from Fantastic Four.
  • Took a Level in Badass: Minor one, before she was always cowering in front of her husband and gets sparks of courage if she knew she could escape or at least discredit him. She ratches up a bit when Richard shows his neglect for Rocket and by third appearance she pretty much done with his crap and is disgusted by his attempts to win her back (though she does show some appreciation for his attempted and supposed Heroic Sacrifice). She now a part of J.J fighting force, helping to defend Spider Island from the Monarch in a giant mecha.

The Pirate Captain

The leader of the "ghost pirates" in the episode "Ghosts of the Sargasso". After his initial encounter with the Venture family, he began living on the X-2 after having difficulties in finding a job. When Jonas Jr. acquired the ship, he hired the captain. He has not been referred to by any name or nickname other than "The Captain" so far. He currently resides with Jonas Jr. on Spider Skull Island and fulfills the duties of a butler, caretaker, and right-hand man. The Captain always refers to Jonas as "Chairman".

Tropes associated with the Captain:

  • Combining Mecha: "I form the right arm!"
  • Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep": No name given, only known as "the pirate" or "the Captain."
  • Heel Face Turn: He was never all that evil, but he's not that good of a good guy, either. He gets annoyed when JJ dredges up his "bad guy" past.
  • Ineffectual Sympathetic Villain
  • Instant Sedation: Gets addicted to it in one episode.
  • Shout-Out: He is modeled after Scooby Doo villains, and makes a lot of specific references to that end (such as mentioning that he got to meet Cher and "the guy who was the voice of Inspector Gadget"[1], who both guest-starred on Scooby Doo). He even refers to himself as a member of "the rubber mask set," the little guys of adventuring and villainy apparently it is standard practice to terrorize your own museum while dressed as a ghostly knight. In this same speech, he also outlines the plots of several actual episodes of Scooby-Doo, including the motivations and costumed identities of the episodes' villains.
  • Talk Like a Pirate: And he friggin' loves it!

Ned

Sally Impossible and Cody's mentally challenged cousin. Formerly associated with Impossible Industries, Ned followed Sally to Spider Skull Island to live with Jonas Venture Jr.

Tropes associated with Ned:


The Revenge Society

Phantom Limb

"No one retires from the Phantom Limb's shit list!"

The leader of the Revenge Society and the man who recruited Dr. Girlfriend into the Guild of Calamitous Intent, Hamilton G. Fantomas is the grandson of the adventurer and Guild founder Fantomas. Born with atrophied limbs, his attempts to speed up their muscle growth instead gave him invisible hands that could kill with a touch. He eventually worked his way up in the Guild, always with an eye on the Sovereign's position. Dr. Girlfriend used to work with him and date him as Queen Etherea before meeting the Monarch; she goes back to him in season two, securing his position as the Big Bad of that season.

After his above origins were revealed in season three, he made a major comeback in season four as he attempted to conquer the Guild once more... and failed. Then he decided to make his own guild to piss off the Sovereign.

Tropes associated with Phantom Limb:

  • Ambiguously Brown: Possibly some sort of ethnicity unless that's just a tan.
    • The Monarch states that Phantom Limb "wears an awful lot of purple for a white guy," but that's about it for ethnic information.
  • Big Bad: Mutual enemy to Dr. Venture and The Monarch in season two.
    • And thanks to set up in season four, is sure to be one for season five.
  • Card-Carrying Villain: He makes a lot of grand speeches about how awesome it is to be evil.
  • Cloudcuckoolander: After getting kicked out of the Guild, he gets a little...batty.
  • Companion Cube: In the fourth season, he now has a new Guild consisting of a toaster, a mug and one of Dr. Girlfriend's shoes. Turns out they're not so harmless, as he manipulates them with his detached invisible limbs to use in combat.
  • Detachment Combat: He can still control and re-attach his invisible limbs after they have been cut off.
  • Eviler Than Thou: Is by far the evilest and most experienced member of the Revenge Society.
  • Evilly Affable: Especially during season four.
  • Knight of Cerebus
  • Large Ham: He's very fond of dramatic hand motions. Not that the viewer can see them.
    • "I'm wringing my hands.........MENACINGLY!"
  • Legacy Character: He is the grandson of Fantomas.
  • Man of Wealth and Taste
  • Not Quite Dead: Wisdom, the coffee cup, who has been put back together after Limb accused him of being the Sovereign.
    • Ironically, Chuck (the toaster) and Lady Nightshade (the shoe) "perished" in the scuffle that occurred after his escape.
  • Obfuscating Stupidity / He's Back: In "Pomp and Circuitry", it's revealed that he was waiting for the perfect time to strike. He then proceeds to launch his plan to form a new team with failures of superheroes and villains, and so far it's working.
    • And despite some initial pitfalls due to Professor Impossible's inexperience, he manages to nearly kill Doctor Venture, if not for Fat Chance accidently tripping onto him.
  • Perverse Sexual Lust: He really, really likes making Dr. Girlfriend wear her Queen Etherea costume.
  • Punny Name
  • Red Right Hand: Invisible limbs that can kill with a touch.
  • Romantic False Lead: His initial role.
  • Rule of Funny: The only possible explanation for all of the things that he manages to do (without his prosthetics) with just one arm and one leg...
  • Shout-Out: To obscure comic hero The Phantom, between the names and similar costumes.
  • Shoe Slap
  • The Starscream: To the Guild Sovereign.
  • Small Reference Pools: Want to know just how well this show averts this? One of its major villains is a descendent of Fantomas, a French character who is largely unknown in the US. The trope itself is, fittingly, one of his pet peeves, as seen when he tried to sell a Rembrandt to a Mafioso who only wanted the Mona Lisa.
  • Smug Snake
  • Start My Own: In the second half of season four, he tells the Sovereign he's going to start his own guild with Wisdom, Professor Impossible, Baron Underbeit, Lady Hawke Johnson/Lyndon Bee and Fat Chance.
  • Stay in the Kitchen: Dr. Girlfriend left him initially because he let her engineering proficiency go to waste in favor of using her as arm candy.
  • Superpower Lottery: "I can kill a man by simply touching him. Now what were your special powers again?"
  • Touch of Death: Though it's been shown in "Bright Lights, Dean City" he can control it to merely knock out his foe if necessary.
  • Villainous Breakdown: By season four has gone completely off his rocker. See Companion Cube.
  • Visible Invisibility: His limbs avert the trope, which is an occasional source of humor - such as when he tried "wringing [his] hands - menacingly!", only for nobody to know what he was doing.
  • Wicked Cultured
  • What Kind of Lame Power Is Heart, Anyway?: Subverted. In his first appearance, his only visible power is having invisible limbs. Turns out he's got more.

Professor Richard Impossible

A fellow super-scientist and Captain Ersatz of Fantastic Four leader Mister Fantastic, but much, much darker. At first he seemed just like his counterpart... and then it was revealed his fellow members got useless, or in one case harmful, powers and that he kept them under wraps to save face. Doctor Venture won over his wife, Sally, while working with Impossible but left her behind when they left. She finally escaped with Doctor Venture's brother J.J. along with her and her son Rocket. He didn't take it well. He soon fell into a deep depression until his old buddy Phantom Limb convinced him to go over to the evil side, while remaining a super scientist to the public. He's now a super villain and part of Phantom Limb's Revenge Society.

Tropes associated with Richard:

  • Bastard Boyfriend: Well, he's her husband. But still a total bastard.
  • Captain Ersatz: Of Mr. Fantastic
  • The Dragon/Evil Genius: For the Revenge Society.
  • Evilly Affable: Quite entertaining all considering.
  • Face Heel Turn: Well, he was always a dick, but he's dropped the pretense now.
  • Harmless Villain: Mostly as a supervillain, he hasn't quite got the hang of it.
  • I Cannot Self-Terminate: He has proven unable to kill himself because his rubber body is so durable.
  • I Have No Son: He was incredibly cold to his own infant son, Rocket, and didn't seem to miss him at all.
    • Because he says Cody isn't really his son.
  • Insufferable Genius/Smug Super: As a Reed Richards parody, he takes all of Reed's faults and turns them Up to Eleven.
  • Jerkass: Possibly the biggest yet, which is quite a major accomplishment in this series. He imprisoned his own wife for years, along with her brother Cody who had to remain unconscious or burst into flames and mentally retarded cousin Ned, just to save face, and it was recently revealed that he's using Cody to keep Impossible Industries green. When Phantom Limb said it wasn't much of a stretch becoming a villain, he meant it.
  • Laughably Evil: Became waaay more humorous once he went off the deep end and joined the Revenge Society. This may have something to do with Bill Hader, though.
  • Not So Different: Phantom Limb Points out that he wasn't that far from super villain in the first place.
  • The Other Darrin: Has the most voices actors out of all the characters. One for the pilot (Peter McCulloch), another for the first two seasons (Stephen Colbert), a third for a single season three episode (Series creator Jackson Publick (Christopher McCulloch)), and finally, his most recent one for season four (Bill Hader) who has voiced him in the most episodes.
  • Rubber Man
  • That Man Is Dead: Attempts this by calling himself Professor Incorrigible, but Limb wasn't crazy about the idea. McLaughlin
  • Villainous Breakdown: After Sally leaves him.
  • Villain with Good Publicity: Concocts flimsy (at best) pretenses for hiding his membership in the Revenge Society from Dean.

Baron Underbheit

Dr. Venture's "other" Arch Enemy, Werner Underbheit is the tyrannical ruler of Underland (pronounced oon-derland) who lost his jaw back in college - he blames Rusty for this, although it might have been the result of The Monarch's first attempt to kill Rusty. Recently ousted as ruler. Now the muscle for the Revenge Society.

Tropes associated with Underbheit:

  • Arch Enemy: Considered himself Rusty Venture's arch enemy, but The Monarch completely eclipsed him during the show's run.
  • The Bluebeard: Has killed his seven former wives.
  • The Brute: For the Revenge Society.
  • The Bus Came Back: Love Bheits was intended to be the last appearance of the character in the series, as Doc and Jackson didn't find him interesting enough to write for. Until season 4 that is, and the formation of the Revenge Society.
  • Captain Ersatz: A very blatant one of Doctor Doom, with The Monarch even making the comparison. This makes his recent team up with Dr. Impossible amusing - especially since Dr. Doom and Mr. Fantastic are also teammates in the Future Foundation now.
  • Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Subverted. He disappeared after season two, and then twenty-nine episodes later, he makes a couple cameos and becomes a member of the Revenge Society not soon after.
  • Evil Overlord: Of Ünderland until his deposition in Season 2.
  • If You're So Evil, Eat This Kitten: Underbheit anticipate this in he re-introduction in season four, providing an immediate demonstration. Turns out he was Wrong Genre Savvy and Leeroy Jenkins about it. They only need him to sign a contract.
  • Knight of Cerebus: From his early appearances and the promotion of him in the show's first opening, it appears that the original plan for Underbheit was that he would act as Rusty's "real," serious Arch Enemy while the Monarch would remain an Ineffectual Sympathetic Villain. However, the writers quickly found Underbheit too one-dimensional to fill that role.
  • Red Right Hand: Has a prosthetic metal jaw.
  • Ruritania: Underland. Subversion: it's located in Michigan.
  • Spikes of Villainy
  • Sweet on Polly Oliver: Tried to marry the captive Dean Venture (who was dressed as Princess Leia for a fancy dress party), mistaking him for a girl.

Fat Chance

A new recruit to the Revenge Society, Fat Chance was forever changed by a botched scientific experiment, which left him obese. However, it also gave him an "Enigma Hole" in his belly, which he can pull random (and occasionally useful) items from.

Tropes associated with Fat Chance:

Ladyhawke Johnson and Lyndon Bee

A married couple who you might recognize. Presumably inducted into the Revenge Society because of how pathetic almost all the other applicants were, Ladyhawke transforms into a hawk by night, and Lyndon into a bee by day.

Tropes associated with Ladyhawke and Lyndon:

Brick Frog

A failed applicant for the society, he's a guy in a frog suit with a sack of bricks.

Tropes associated with Brick Frog:


The Original Team Venture

Dr. Jonas Venture, Sr.

The grand figure looming over the remains of the current world today is the legacy left behind by Dr. Jonas Venture, Sr. Adventure hero, scientist, women-chaser, celebrity, and media darling who could do anything except raise a son. Dr. Venture lived a life of luxury and adventure, with the world constantly revolving around him, and that was the way he liked it. Too often, this ended up with Dr. Venture ignoring important things like missing colleagues, the family's cursed artifact, and non-emotionally scarring time that should have been spent with his own son. Then, he would play down any negative consequences of anything he ever did until he could forget about it.

Tropes associated with Jonas:

  • The Ace: Since he's a parody of characters like Doc Savage.
  • Abusive Parent: Manages to top Rusty and Professor Impossible as the worst Dad in the series.
  • Break the Cutie: To Rusty.
  • Broken Pedestal
  • The Casanova
  • Characterization Marches On: His first appearances seemed to make the audience think that Rusty is a jerk for not liking his amazing father more. It isn't until we later learn about some of the darker secrets of Venture Industries (such as keeping a population of drug-addicted orphans in the tunnels beneath their house for decades) that we begin to see Jonas as he really was.
  • Gadgeteer Genius
  • Never Got to Say Goodbye: Died under mysterious circumstances and never said goodbye to Rusty. Near the end of the third season, it is strongly implied that his bodyguard Kano killed him for trying to activate the O.R.B.
    • Actually, Kano just broke the ORB, but had orders to kill him.
    • Incorrect; it was Rusty's grandfather who was spared by his bodyguard, Sandow. Kano may well have killed Jonas after all, which is made especially ironic by the fact that Sandow had already rendered the so-important ORB useless.
  • A Party - Also Known as an Orgy: Has hosted a key party at least once.
  • Posthumous Character
  • Spirit Advisor: But only while Rusty is off his drugs.
  • There Are No Therapists: Somewhat subverted in that he acted as one to Rusty, and by "Acted" we mean sneaking out whenever his son tried talking about his issues and calling him ungrateful for not enjoying the life of a boy adventurer.
  • "Well Done, Son" Guy: to Rusty.

Col. Gentleman

"That thing is gonna kick like a badger, so you have to re-level quick. Aim for the bastard's neck. Hold 'im up there, Kano! I don't care if he wets himself and your head; that boy is gonna see somebody die! And if he doesn't want it to be his father, he'll have to pull that trigger!"

The apparent second-in-command of the 60's Team Venture, Col. Gentleman is the swinger of the group.

Tropes associated with Gentleman:

Jackson Publick (in character during episode commentary): "Of course I have sex with Kiki! He's beautiful! That doesn't make me gay, it makes me smart!"

    • He's also the first person Shore-Leave goes to for info on a Rusty Venture.
  • He-Man Woman Hater: Nearly every time he talks about a woman is to mention either screwing them or giving them a "smack in the mouth."
  • Manly Gay: Although it's somewhat clear he strongly prefers men as a rule; his autobiography is titled Gentleman Prefer Gentlemen, after all.
  • No Celebrities Were Harmed: He is essentially what you would get if William S. Burroughs were played by Sean Connery.
  • Unexplained Recovery: Hank and Dean found him dead in the second season. Turns out it was a diabetic coma, they were just too stupid to actually check that he was alive.
  • You Are a Credit to Your Race: He says that Kano is an excellent pilot despite his "racial handicap."
    • Most likely is an example of Deliberate Values Dissonance to reflect that Col. Gentlemen is rather out of touch with modern ideas about racial sensitivity.

The Action Man

The gun-wielding psycho of the 60's Team Venture, Rodney the Action Man has cooled down significantly with age.

Tropes associated with The Action Man:

  • Battle Cry: "AAAACCCTTTTTIIIOOOONNNN! Action! Action! Action! Action! ACTION!"
  • Gasshole
  • Happily Married... to his dead friend's widow.
  • Heroic Sociopath: For a given definition of "heroic." He used to wake up a young Rusty Venture with an empty gun pressed to the boy's head.
  • Jerkass: Was not nice at all to Major Tom's ghost about marrying his wife, shot Orpheus without a second thought and pulled Rusty's pants down in front of a large crowd at his 16th birthday so Col.Gentleman could shoot his dick with a shrink ray.
  • More Dakka: He once shot a henchman in the head repeatedly, while shouting "Action!"

Kano

The silent badass of the team, Kano was the cool, silent pilot and Made of Iron martial artist. He is later revealed to have been Jonas, Sr.'s official OSI Bodyguard in the vein of Brock Samson.

Tropes associated with Kano:

  • The Big Guy: With hands strong enough to crush a boulder, but gentle enough to crush a butterfly.
  • Gentle Giant: In his old age (or maybe all along), he's become quite soft, has hobbies in cooking and karaoke. He also seemed to be the primary caretaker of Rusty and was a borderline Team Mom.
  • Made of Iron
  • Meaningful Name: According to creator commentary for "Now Museum, Now You Don't", "Kano" is short for "volcano" and refers to his firebreathing powers.
  • Nice Guy: By far the nicest, well-balanced, and least sociopathic member of the original Team Venture. (other than Otto Aquarius, but he can be a bible-thumping prick at times too.)
  • The Stoic: Has all of the mannerisms to go with the silence.
  • The Voiceless: Turns out that he isn't mute. He took a vow of silence for killing a "great man"...who may have been Dr. Venture, Sr. himself.

Dr. Paul Entmann

The forgotten member of the team, Dr. Entmann was left stranded in a sealed room under the Venture Compound after an attempt to cure his super-gigantism turned him into an tiny human.

Tropes associated with Entmann:

Otto Aquarius

Son of a drunken sailor and an Atlantean princess, Otto is a standard aquatic hero who has long since given up violence as an answer to his problems after joining Jehovah's Witnesses.

Swifty

In his prime, he was a middleweight boxing champion and a good friend to Jonas Venture, Sr. After becoming a punch drunk palooka, his wife left him and Jonas gave him (and Hector) a maintenance job at the Venture Compound out of pity.

Tropes associated with Swifty:

Ook Ook

A "mindless savage" and apparent unfrozen caveman who somehow got refrozen between 1969 and the present day.

Tropes associated with Ook Ook:

Hector Molina

The Team Venture counterpart to Hadji, a small Mexican boy who saved Rusty's life as a boy. Grew up and got a job on the Venture Compound. Rusty actually forgot that he existed. Doctor Orpheus still gets his junk mail.

Tropes associated with Hector:


Others

Molotov Cocktease

"If I were the enemy, you would be dead."

Molotov is a former agent of an unnamed Soviet intelligence organization who turned mercenary after the Cold War. She is the love of Brock Samson's life, despite the fact that a titanium steel chastity belt and a promise to her deceased father prevent their full carnal union. Before she was a secret agent she was an Olympic athlete representing the Soviet Union. Her father and trainer was an undercover Soviet assassin.

Tropes associated with Molotov:

(Action) Jo(h)nny (Quest)

You might know him from Jonny Quest. He's picked up a few drug addictions and rage issues since then.

Tropes associated with Jo(h)nny:

  • Hey, It's That Voice!: Brendon Small, the co-creator of Home Movies (Also voices Brendon Small) and Metalocalypse (Voices three of the five band members, as well as their manager, among others), two other Adult Swim shows.
  • Wangst: Deliberately invoked in as dramatic a way as possible.
  • Writing Around Trademarks: The writers are no longer allowed to call him "Jonny Quest" so that he doesn't do too much damage to the brand name.
    • Of course, he still plainly is Jonny Quest, they just don't/can't call him that.
    • Also justifiable because Johnny despises his father and refuses to be associated with him, claiming at the Rusty Venture daycamp that orphan boys were lucky not to have a father.

Dr. Henry Killinger

The Mary Poppins of evil. He seeks to help others find their true purpose and fulfillment in life. He has a Magic Murder Bag.

Tropes associated with Killinger:

Mrs. Fictel

Dermott Fictel's mother. Unknown to him, Mrs. Fictel is actually Dermott's maternal grandmother. Dermott's "sister" Nikki is his real mother.

Tropes associated with Mrs. Fictel:

  • Mama Bear: While we haven't seen it with Dermott, even if he's not really her son, she was damn mad at Rusty for getting her daughter pregnant and made sure he gave her money and left, not to mention raising her daughter's son as her own.

Nikki Fictel

Dermott Fictel's sister. Actually his mother.

Tropes associated with Nikki:

Kim

Triana's once best friend. Has gained quite the fan following despite appearing for all of two episodes in season two.

Tropes associated with Kim:

  • Apathetic Citizens: Is not phased in the slightest by Phantom Limb's lack of arms. Or being given the offer to become a supervillain.
  • Mistaken For Supervillian: Is mistaken for a supervillain by both Hank and Doctor Girlfriend due to her outfit and hair. She decides just to roll with it.
  • Perky Goth
  • Put on a Bus to Hell: Was revealed to have fallen in with preppies, then addicted to drugs before becoming a born-again Christian. Now resides in Florida.
  • Stripperiffic: Her outfit in "Victor. Echo. November.".

Princess Tinyfeet

Sgt.Hatred's wife and later ex-wife. And apparently wife again.

Tropes associated with Tinyfeet:

  • Braids, Beads, and Buckskins
  • Does Not Like Shoes/Foot Focus
  • My Girl Is a Slut: She apparently left Hatred for not being sensitive to her very kinky needs and was seen having a bizarre threesome with some of his former men. Hatred later gladly took her back and was fine with playing rough.
  • Too Kinky to Torture: When the Monarch kidnaps her as a bargaining chip with Hatred, he and Doctor Mrs. The Monarch don't even have to tie her up; she was already in bondage. She even ASKED to be put in the trunk.
  • Unusually Uninteresting Sight: Spends the entirety of "Operation P.R.O.M." in bondage with a ball gag in her mouth, and still manages to win Prom Queen.

The Outrider

A necromancer who married Byron Orpheus's ex-wife. The Outrider is Triana's stepfather, and she currently lives with him.

Tropes associated with The Outrider:

  • Always Someone Better: To Orpheus at first, being able to acess the second world easily and stealing his wife (sort of). Later subverted as he took shortcuts to get that power that ended up backfiring horribly.
  • Berserk Button: The only time he's been seen angry at all is when he attacked what he thought was a KKK member burning a cross on his lawn (it was just Dean in a ghost costume).
  • Cheaters Never Prosper: Played with. To achieve his level of power, he had to take shortcuts, unlike Orpheus who worked his way there. While this did back-fire when he fought Torrid, his personal life is better than Orpheus's because The Outrider had more time for his loved ones, and other people, while Orpheus focused exclusively on his job.
  • Nice Guy
  • Nice Hat
  • Reasonable Authority Figure: One Example was when he tried to explain to Dean, that Trianna had moved on and found someone else. He also said that their relationship was over, and Dean had to accept that if he wanted her to be happy. Dean's response was a Fuck You!
  • Shadow Archetype: To Orpheus. Both are necromancers, both are incredibly powerful, but while Orpheus is more skilled due to all of his training, the Outrider had to get there through shortcuts, and while Orpheus speaks in a grandiose manner and is so immersed in his work he and his wife drifted apart. The Outrider is fairly personable, has no trouble interacting with people, and is now married to Orpheus's ex-wife.

Raven

A handsome goth guy, he has something wrong with his legs and uses two crutches. He is also dating Triana.

Tropes associated with Raven:

Col. Bud Manstrong

An astronaut that resided on the space station, Gargantuan One (which was built by Jonas Venture), along with Anna. A very chaste fellow which isn't helped with both being the only two people on the station. He later reappears in the series when the station goes down and he somehow manages to pilot it into the ocean for which he receives a medal from the president.

Tropes associated with Manstrong:

Lt. Anna Baldavich

The other astronaut on Gargantuan One, she and Bud were supposely in a relation ship but Bud's resistance to her advances put a strain on that which wasn't helped when the Venture clan visited and she made out with Brock. She dies later in the series when then space station crashes back on Earth but not before trying to get into Bud's pants one more time as a final request. He blacks out midway through. She always shown from behind and her face is apparently not the most pleasant thing to look at.

Tropes associated with Baldavich:

Cody

Sally Impossible's brother, who painfully bursts into flame when in contact with oxygen. As such, Cody usually has to be encased in a stasis chamber to control his condition and relieve his pain. He did not initially follow Sally and Ned to Spider Skull Island, but was kept by Richard Impossible, who harnessed Cody's heat to power Impossible Industries.

Tropes associated with Cody:

  • Captain Ersatz: Of The Human Torch from Fantastic Four, except without any control of his fire powers.
  • People Jars: Spends most of his time in one. He is in extreme pain outside of it.
  • Required Secondary Powers: A perfect example of what happens when you gain the power to be on fire without having the ability to turn the fire off or be invulnerable to it.

Captain Sunshine

One of the few superheroes in the Venture universe, Chuck Scarsdale is gifted with incredible solar powers by day, and works as a news anchor by night, alongside the other members of his super-team. The loss of his sidekick Wonderboy at the hands of the Monarch left him... kind-of messed up.

Tropes associated with Captain Sunshine:

  1. ↑ Don Adams
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