List of fictional dictators

In fiction, dictatorship has sometimes been portrayed as the political system of choice for controlling dystopian societies in books, video games, TV and movies. Below is a list of fictional dictators.

Character Location Organization In NotesRef Big Brother Oceania Ingsoc Nineteen Eighty-Four Supposedly the ruler of the totalitarian continents, although whether he truly exists or is simply a fictional personification of Ingsoc is unclear. Reference to the USSR. President Coriolanus Snow Panem (present day United States and Canada) The Capitol of Panem The Hunger Games In the future, North America has become a dictatorship, divided into 12 districts. Every year, two children from each district are forced to fight each other in The Hunger Games. Adam Susan (called Sutler in the film version) England, probably also the rest of the United Kingdom Norsefire Party V for Vendetta Dictator and High Chancellor in the V for Vendetta graphic novel and movie. Came to power as a result of a massive terror attack, which was orchestrated by him in the plot. Is portrayed as a homophobic, racist and totalitarian. Resembles Adolf Hitler. Emperor Sheev Palpatine Star Wars Galaxy Sith Order, Galactic Empire, First Order Star Wars A Sith Lord who served as Senator of the planet Naboo, Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic and Emperor of both the "Galactic Empire" and the First Order (the latter in secret). Possible reference to Hitler's title Chancellor of Germany, Napoleon's transformation to an empire, Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and Alberto Fujimori's strict demeanor, and Richard Nixon's political rule Supreme Leader Snoke First Order Supreme Leader of the First Order during the events of The Force Awakens and most of The Last Jedi, responsible for seducing Kylo Ren to the Dark Side of the Force. Supreme Leader Kylo Ren Supreme Leader of the First Order following his assassination of Snoke in The Last Jedi. He is the grandson of Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader. Doctor Doom Latveria Masters of Evil Marvel Universe Doctor Doom is the self-proclaimed ruler of Latveria, a country located in Eastern Europe, and the arch enemy of the Fantastic Four. Kingpin New York City Kingpin's Criminal Empire Kingpin was voted for Mayor of New York City. Kang the Conqueror ChronopolisQuantum Realm (MCU) Kang's Empire Kang The Conqueror is a multiversal conqueror. President Shinra Gaia Shinra Electric Power Company Final Fantasy VII The initial president of Shinra, responsible for the destruction of Midgar's Sector 7 in an attempt to eliminate the terrorist organisation Avalanche. Rufus Shinra Initially serves as vice president, but takes over as Shinra's president after his father's murder at the hands of Sephiroth, who he proceeds to pursue throughout most of the story in his search for the mythical "Promised Land". Porky Minch Nowhere Islands Pigmask Army Mother 3 He ended up on the Nowhere Islands by accident from the past, and quickly ended up taking over, committing atrocities such as modifying animals for his own twisted amusement. His end goal is the destruction of what remains of the world so there will be nobody left who dislikes him. Fire Lord Sozin Fire Nation Fire Kingdom Avatar: The Last Airbender Sozin is the Fire Lord who instigated the 100 Year War, under the guise of spreading the Fire Nation's prosperity across the world, as well as the person behind the Air Nomad Genocide. Fire Lord Azulon Azulon was killed by the wife of his youngest son Ozai in a conspiracy that would let him take the throne. Fire Lord Ozai Ozai is a cruel individual who believes in toxic masculinity and abused both of his children, and had the aim to completely burn down the largest nation in the world, the Earth Kingdom, to make a new Fire Nation rise from its ashes. Amon Republic City The Equalists The Legend of Korra Amon is a terrorist leader with the aim to remove Bending from the world, who briefly assumed control over Republic City. Kuvira Earth Empire Earth Empire military Kuvira rose to power during a period of instability in the Earth Kingdom, and became known as the Great Uniter by forcefully bringing the splintered nation back together. Her regime ended during her attempt to conquer Republic City. Vaas Montenegro Rook Islands Far Cry 3Although not a politician and an actual dictator, Vaas is one of the main leaders in control of a small island the main protagonist, Jason Brody, incidentally lands on; however, because Vaas is known to be brutal towards the island's native tribe, the Rakyat, where his men constantly engage in ethnic cleansing incidents because of their opposition, he is engaged in a war against the tribe's insurgents. Pagan Min Kyrat Far Cry 4He is the self-appointed leader over a nation named Kyrat, located in the Himalayan Mountains. Antón Castillo Yara Unknown Far Cry 6President and Dictator of the fictional Caribbean nation of Yara from 2014 to 2021. He came to power democratically after winning the 2014 elections but rules over the island under a military dictatorship before being overthrown by Libertad rebels in 2021. Dominus Ghaul The Tower The Cabal Destiny 2 Dominus Ghaul was the self-proclaimed ruler of the Cabal Empire, after the exile of its previous Emperor Calus. Napoleon Manor Farm, England Animal Farm animals Animal Farm A group of animals overthrow their abusive farmer, Mr. Jones, and try to establish an equal society of animals. Later, Napoleon, paralleled to Joseph Stalin seizes power and is repressive. An allegory of the October Revolution in Russia. President/Lord Business LEGO World Octan The Lego Movie A dictator hating creativity and obsessed with control and perfection, to the point he aims to glue the world together. Aku A dystopian retrofuturistic Earth Black Mass of Darkness Samurai Jack A shapeshifting demon from long ago, Aku sends the protagonist, a Samurai Jack to the future before he could land a killing blow. In the distant future, Aku reigns supreme on the planet Earth. Prince Karl "Charles" von Waldron United States European Confederated Army The Fall of a Nation Dictator of the United States. President Judd Hammond United States Unknown Gabriel Over the White House Dictator of the United States. General Gurko Lanen Lichtenburg Lichtenburg Dictatorship The Son of Monte Cristo Dictator of Lichtenburg. Julio Ardiente Poblacion Ardiente, Philippines Ardiente Dynasty Wildflower In a town in the Philippines where a fascistic powerful family gained absolute power and control a wave of bloody murders, corruption and graft in the Ardiente dynasty, terrorist attacks, and scandals within the Ardiente Family has washed over the whole town, A strong-willed woman named Lily Cruz vows to bring down the Ardiente dictatorial rule vowing vengeance for her family's loss. He later meets his demise when he is subjected to human experimentation by another person who faced similar circumstances to Lily Cruz. President Maximilian II and later Thorne Unknown country Unknown Land of the Blind A satirical depiction of dictatorship. Maximilian II was a brutal dictator overthrown by Thorne, played by Donald Sutherland who later turned out to be a worse one. This film parallels Iranian Revolution, as Maximilian resembles Shah of Iran and Thorne resembles the Supreme Leader. Digimon Emperor Digital World Unknown Digimon An evil, despotic alter-ego of the boy genius Digidestined Ken Ichijouji. Abuses and treats his fellow Digimon like slaves, building Control Spires to assert total control over the Digital World, and using a whiplash to whip Digimon who protest his tyrannical reign of terror. Salvador Mendoza San Esprito Republic of San Esprito Just Cause Took control of San Esprito illegally. Pandak Panay Panau Just Cause 2 Killed his father in a car bomb who was the leader of Panau. He did so he can get power. He is a fascist. Sebastiano Di Ravello Medici Medici Military Just Cause 3 Took dictatorship illegally after President Dantes death and exiled Rosa Manuella who was leading in the polls. Planning domination using Bavirum. Oscar Espinosa Solís Espinosa Dynasty Just Cause 4 De facto ruler of Solís, the Espinosa Dynasty has head power for 500 years after conquistador Diego Espinosa created his own kingdom. Admiral General Haffaz Aladeen Republic of Wadiya The DictatorDictator of a fictional country in North Africa called Wadiya, he is known to hold anti-semitic, misogynous, and anti-western attitudes. Aladeen is loosely based on the late leader of Libya, Muammar Gaddafi. Adenoid Hynkel Tomania The Great DictatorHe is a parody of Adolf Hitler played by Charlie Chaplin. Like the dictator he parodies, he persecutes Jews, which leads to his downfall as he is mistaken for a Jewish lookalike. Napaloni Nation of Bacteria He is a parody of Benito Mussolini played by Jack Oakie. Loghain Mac Tir Ferelden, Thedas Kingdom of Ferelden Dragon Age Betrays the rightful king of Ferelden, Cailan Theirin to his death and appoint himself regent to his daughter and Cailan's widow, Queen Anora. Attempts to intimidate Ferelden's nobility into submitting to his authority sparked the Ferelden Civil War in Origins. Arcturus Mengsk Koprulu Sector, Milky Way Terran Dominion StarCraft Overthrows the Terran Confederacy and crowns himself Emperor of the newly formed Terran Dominion, uniting the Koprulu Sector under one sovereign rule for the first time. Rudolf von Goldenbaum Milky Way Galactic Federation, Galactic Empire Legend of the Galactic Heroes A famous war hero, after his victory over the pirates his celebrity had escalated dramatically and was voted senator into the Galactic Parliament. Soon after was chosen President of the Federation by popular vote and appointed Prime Minister by the Parliament, transforming the Federation into a dictatorship with himself as "president for life". Finally he reorganized the Federation into the Galactic Empire and declared himself emperor. His rise to power bears many similarities to the rise of Adolf Hitler in Germany. Lyndon LaRouche United States LaRouche movement Sliders episode, "Time Again and World" An absolute ruler in this alternate United States series, the Sliders. Berzelius "Buzz" Windrip A plutocratic/totalitarian United States Unknown It Can't Happen Here A charismatic and power-hungry politician who is elected President of the United States on a populist platform, promising to restore the country to prosperity and greatness, and, more importantly, promising each citizen five thousand dollars a year. Once in power, however, he becomes a dictator; outlawing dissent, putting his political enemies in concentration camps, and creating a paramilitary force called the Minute Men who terrorize the citizens. One of his first moves as president is to make changes to the Constitution which give the president sole power over the country, rendering Congress obsolete. This is met by protest from the congressmen as well as outraged citizens, but Windrip declares a state of martial law and, with the help of his Minute Men, throws the protesters in jail. As Windrip dismantles democracy, most Americans either support him and his Corpo Regime wholeheartedly or reassure themselves that fascism cannot happen in America (hence the book's title). Marshal Kûrvi-Tasch Borduria Bordurian Government The Adventures of Tintin Dictator of a fictional semi-totalitarian Fascist state in The Adventures of Tintin series Ex-Soviet dictator Novistrana Federal Republic of Novistrana Republic: The Revolution Dictator of a fictional post-USSR independent nation in the video game, "Republic: The Revolution" Heinz Doofenshmirtz Tri-state area Doofenschmirtz Evil Incorporated Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2nd DimensionA more competent version of the evil scientist from the 2nd Dimension, who has successfully taken over the Tri-state area, holding it in an iron grip through an army of Norm Bots and cyborg animals. Phineas and Ferb: Phineas and Ferb's Quantum BoogalooA version of Heinz Doofenshmirtz