Minions

[bilby]

I was reading elsewhere about a person who was upset at being described as a "henchman". The writer said that he should count himself lucky to have such an exalted status, as henchman outranks both lackey and flunky.

What other words for minions are there, and (more importantly) what are their relative positions in the supervillain heirarchy? Does minion have a place in the ranking, or is it a generic term for villain's assistants of all ranks?

Is the ranking of such subordinates tied to the rank of their master/mistress? A supervillain with a lair in a volcano, or a plot to destroy the world, surely himself outranks a villain whose hideout is his parent's basement, and whose plan is a mere heist or extortion. Does that rank trickle down to his associates?

And which villains (real or fictional) have had the best and worst minions?

Never mind the wars in Ukraine or the Middle East; Never mind the totalitarian coup in the USA, or the Epstein files. This is what we all know we should be discussing.

 

[lostone]

I have always wondered about the salaries, insurance, and benefits packages supervillains offer their employees, given the high fatality rate of those minions and henchmen.

 

[bilby]

I have always wondered about the salaries, insurance, and benefits packages supervillains offer their employees, given the high fatality rate of those minions and henchmen.

Presumably they are covered by government administered workers compensation and insurance schemes, as no private insurer could justify that level of risk to the shareholders.

 

[gmbteach]

I have minions. Two birthday box minions, and soon, I shall have 4 red card minions.

They are only missing their yellow oblong bodies with blue overalls and goggles!

 

[Bronzeage]

The word minion comes from Old French, where it meant a favorite or darling, in the sense of "teacher's pet". It came to be used to describe a Monarch's favorite at court and from there became someone who would do anything to please their master.

The main difference between a henchman and a minion is the Boss actually likes the minion. He may find the henchman useful, but probably would never have him over for dinner.

 

[Arctish]

I think the ranks are:
Accomplice/Love Interest
Partner in Crime
Henchman
Lackey
Flunky
Stooge

Henchmen are middle management types who supervise the minions.

 

[Bomb#20]

Once when I explained the service I needed to a bank manager, she told me her assistant could take care of that for me, and directed me to another desk, where I saw from the desk nameplate that her assistant was a Ms. Lackey.

 

[pood]

What about toadies, sycophants, underlings, pawns and drudges? They have to work on commission for their ill-gotten gains. Sidekicks, though, have it made in the shade.

 

[pood]

Come to think of it, I believe sidekicks are more accurately partners of super heroes, not villains, like Robin for Batman. In the new Superman movie Krypto the dog is Superman’s sidekick, though it’s owned by Supergirl and he is just dog sitting. The supervillain, Lex Luthor, has an accomplice/love interest, but is mainly surrounded by a retinue of trucklers, grovelers, fiends and finks.

 

[gmbteach]

The word minion comes from Old French, where it meant a favorite or darling, in the sense of "teacher's pet". It came to be used to describe a Monarch's favorite at court and from there became someone who would do anything to please their master.

The main difference between a henchman and a minion is the Boss actually likes the minion. He may find the henchman useful, but probably would never have him over for dinner.

Makes sense because my minions are my trusted servants/underlings that can be relied upon to actually complete a task!

I look after the birthday box, a box on trinkets for staff for their birthdays (yes I troll Facebook for them as well as send out an email), and I write a list of names.. the birthday minions never fail to remind me to send them to a staff member they had yet to visit!

 

[pood]

Also, let’s not forget lickspittles and hirelings,

 

[bilby]

...mainly surrounded by a retinue of trucklers, grovelers, fiends and finks.

And where do they fit in the heirarchy, do you fink?

 

[WAB]

Myrmidons.

 

[pood]

It is important to do a taxonomy of all this.

 

[pood]

I think the ranks are:
Accomplice/Love Interest
Partner in Crime
Henchman
Lackey
Flunky
Stooge

Henchmen are middle management types who supervise the minions.

This is a good start, but needs expansion.

A preliminary taxonomy of supervillain hierarchies:

Supervillain

Accomplice/love interest/partner in crime (PIC)

Aides

Advisers

Henchmen

Minions

Myrmidons

Lackeys

Flunkies

Stooges

Toadies

Sycophants

Underlings

Pawns

Drudges

Footlings

Hirelings

Trucklers

Grovelers

Fiends

Finks

Lickspittles

Bootlickers

Ass kissers

This is the kind of thing I occupy myself with when I am not feeling well.

 

[WAB]

I think the ranks are:
Accomplice/Love Interest
Partner in Crime
Henchman
Lackey
Flunky
Stooge

Henchmen are middle management types who supervise the minions.

This is a good start, but needs expansion.

A preliminary taxonomy of supervillain hierarchies:

Supervillain

Accomplice/love interest/partner in crime (PIC)

Aides

Advisers

Henchmen

Minions

Myrmidons

Lackeys

Flunkies

Stooges

Toadies

Sycophants

Underlings

Pawns

Drudges

Footlings

Hirelings

Trucklers

Grovelers

Fiends

Finks

Lickspittles

Bootlickers

Ass kissers

This is the kind of thing I occupy myself with when I am not feeling well.

I'd add the ubiquitous Associate Producers.

In between sycophants and underlings...

 

[Bomb#20]

It is important to do a taxonomy of all this.

Sounds like grunt work.

 

[Shadowy Man]

Looks like the lawyers are so low they don't even make the list!