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"
Robin Shoots with
Sir Guy" by
Louis Rhead. Illustration to
Bold Robin Hood and His Outlaw Band: Their Famous Exploits in Sherwood Forest: Guy of Gisbourne acts as the Sheriff of Nottingham's henchman
Henchman referred originally to one who attended a horse for his employer, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable and marshal, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a subordinate official in a royal court or noble household. It is now used to generally describe any person with subordinate status derisively, while most often used specifically to a hired guard or minion of a villain or master criminal.
Etymology
The first part of the word, which is recorded in English since 1360, comes from the Old English hengest, meaning "horse", notably stallion, cognates of which also occur in many Germanic languages, such as Old Frisian, German and Dutch hengst. The word appears in the name of Hengest, the Saxon chieftain, and still survives in English in placenames and other names beginning with Hingst- or Hinx-. It was often rendered as Henxman in medieval English.
Young henchmen, in fact pages of honour or squires, rode or walked at the side of their master in processions and the like, and appear in the English royal household from the 14th century until Tudor Queen Elizabeth I abolished the royal henchmen, known also as the children of honour.
The word became obsolete for grooms in English from the middle of the 17th century, but was retained in Scots as "personal attendant of a Highland chief". It was revived in English by way of the novelist Sir Walter Scott, who took the word and its derivation, according to the New English Dictionary, from Edward Burt's Letters from a Gentleman in the North of Scotland, together with its erroneous derivation from haunch. The word is, in this sense, synonymous with gillie, the faithful personal follower of a Highland chieftain, the man who stands at his master's haunch, ready for any emergency.
The modern sense of "obedient or unscrupulous follower" is first recorded 1839, probably based on a misunderstanding of the word as used by Scott, and is often used to describe an out-and-out adherent or partisan, ready to do anything.
Modern examples
The phrase henchman is also used as a pejorative for any sort of political underling or to present others as such. Thus it was used for associates of President George W. Bush,[1][2] e.g. by Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez.[3] Likewise, it was also used against associates of the former U.S. President Bill Clinton.[4] Rebekah Brooks has been described as the henchwoman of Rupert Murdoch.[5]
Members of the SS, or any of Adolf Hitler's staff, are often called "Hitler's Henchmen",[6] a phrase used as the title of a book by Guido Knopp and a television documentary.
In popular culture
Henchmen (occasionally henchlings) are common in mystery, fantasy, adventure comic books, and adventure novels and movies. They are the expendable adherents of the main villain, always there to do the master's bidding, to kill or be killed, kidnap, or threaten, as needed. Often, they are killed by the hero before the master villain is reached, by the hero's sidekick in a dramatic battle, or even by the master villain as punishment for failure to comply with orders. They also may switch sides during the course of the story to ally with the hero. Alternatively, they may be forgotten in the heat of the climax when the master villain is defeated, then killed when they reappear in the denouement for one last scare or even promoted to master villain for a sequel.
Henchmen are often abused and insulted by the villain for their incompetence, or for his pleasure; indeed, some abused henchmen take revenge after the villain's final defeat at the hero's hands, so that the henchman rather than the hero actually kills the villain. Henchmen in this sense are also sometimes called lackeys, toadies, or mooks (with the latter term more often used for lesser minions of the villain).
Not all henchmen are dimwitted, expendable employees of a villain. Sometimes, they may be of an equal social standing or at least have a high intelligence or social standing of their own, thus being valued more like a right-hand man. In such cases, they may command groups of more expendable thugs. This is common in ensemble casts where often the leading villain remains behind the scenes. Being granted a large amount of autonomy, intelligent henchmen often have their own agendas and may also covet the leading villain's position, and they often attempt to betray the villain in order to obtain it. Some henchmen even serve the hero, such as in Star Trek.
While the term is masculine, female henchmen are not unheard of. However, many of them typically serve only as the male villain's lover, rather than actively take part in the schemes. Usually, there is, instead, an additional male accomplice for the purpose of criminal business. A female accomplice is more often called a "moll."
A henchman might also be the non-player character follower of a player character in role-playing games. This henchman will follow the player around and assist in various manners.
In fiction, such heroic supporting characters are normally portrayed in a more positive light, tied to the hero by bonds of friendship and loyalty and are usually called sidekicks; the villain's supporters are called henchmen or minions because of their evil nature, which implies that such personal bonds are difficult to establish. However, some darkly comedic heroes have sidekicks of a more subservient nature; though these relationships are often a form of "tough love" or even just a condescending affection, the henchman is in this case usually known as a minion.
Henchman(s) |
Villain |
Source |
Alistair Smythe |
The Kingpin |
Spider-Man: The Animated Series |
Allan |
Rastapopoulos |
The Adventures of Tintin |
Allen O'Niel |
General Morden |
Metal Slug series |
Alpha, Beta, Gamma and other dogs |
Charles F. Muntz |
Up |
Amanda Young and Mark Hoffman |
Jigsaw Killer |
Saw franchise |
Ardala Valdemar (reimagined as Princess Ardala for the 1979 Buck Rogers TV series) |
Killer Kane |
original Buck Rogers serials |
Armand and Mr. Richards |
B.J. Wert |
Mannequin |
Bane |
Poison Ivy |
Batman & Robin |
Baroque Works |
Crocodile |
One Piece |
Bartok |
Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin |
Anastasia (1997 film) |
Baxter Stockman, Rocksteady and Bebop, Tokka and Rahzar |
The Shredder and Krang |
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series |
Billy and Grim |
Mandy |
The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy |
Bitzy and Snitzy |
Allegra the Crocodile |
Episodes that feature Allegra in Animalia |
Bob the Goon and Goons |
The Joker |
Batman |
Boney |
Kakador |
The Little Chicks |
Borachio and Conrade |
Don John |
Much Ado About Nothing |
Boskov Bear, Major Dr. Ghastly and General Skarr |
Hector Con Carne |
Evil Con Carne |
Brick, McKibble, Squint, Jungle Bob and The Ninja |
Doctor Claw |
Inspector Gadget 2 |
Brian Freezer, Zizrar, Mittens and Albert |
Wacko |
Johnny Test |
Bubba |
Dr. Wasabi |
Chop Socky Chooks |
Buzz, Delete and Digit (former henchman) |
The Hacker |
Cyberchase |
Butters Stotch |
Eric Cartman |
South Park |
California Highway Patrol |
Steven Jacobs |
Rise of the Planet of the Apes |
Candlehead and Rancis Fluggerbutter |
Taffyta Muttonfudge |
Wreck-it Ralph |
Card Soldiers and King of Hearts |
Queen of Hearts |
Alice in Wonderland |
Chess and Kuromarimo |
Wapol |
One Piece |
Chew, Kuroobi, Hatchan, Mohmoo |
Arlong |
One Piece |
Chi-Chi |
Tony Montana |
Scarface |
Chip and Skip |
Edward Platypus |
Camp Lazlo |
Cody and Harold |
Heather |
Total Drama World Tour |
Commander James Kent, Veck's gang |
Veck Simms |
Paul Blart: Mall Cop |
Constantine |
Dr. Kamikazi |
Robotboy |
Count Dooku |
Palpatine |
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones |
Coyotes |
Dag |
Barnyard |
Darth Maul |
Palpatine |
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace |
Delightful Children from Down the Lane |
Father |
Codename: Kids Next Door |
Destro, The Baroness, Tomax and Xamot, Storm Shadow, Major Bludd, Zartan, Dreadnoks, Doctor Mindbender, Scrap-Iron, Firefly |
Cobra Commander |
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero |
Devi Devi |
Piyoko/Pyocola Analogue |
Panyo Panyo Di Gi Charat |
Diablo the Raven and the Goons |
Maleficent |
Sleeping Beauty |
Doctor N. Gin |
Doctor Neo Cortex |
Crash Bandicoot series |
Dodoria, Zarbon and the Ginyu Force |
Freeza |
Dragon Ball |
Doktor Frogg, Red Menace, Doomageddon and Henchbots |
Voltar |
League of Super Evil |
Dosun, Zeo, Daruma, Ikaros Much, Hyouzou, and Hammond |
Hody Jones |
One Piece |
Dr. Indigo and Scarlet |
Shiki |
One Piece Film: Strong World |
Drake's Little Stooges |
Drake |
The Pebble and the Penguin |
Ducks |
Mother Goose |
Pet Squad |
ED-209 and Clarence J. Boddicker (separately) |
Dick Jones |
Robocop |
EPA agents |
Russ Cargill |
The Simpsons Movie |
Escargoon |
King DeDeDe |
Kirby: Right Back at Ya! |
Esmeralda the Rat |
Quasimodo Wilson |
Hotel Transylvania |
Evil-Lyn, TrapJaw, Tri-Klops, Beast Man, Mer-Man |
Skeletor |
Masters of the Universe |
Excel, Hyatt and Elgala |
Il Palazzo |
Excel Saga |
Fidget, Thugs and Felicia |
Professor Ratigan |
The Great Mouse Detective |
Flotsam and Jetsam |
Ursula |
The Little Mermaid |
Funkfreed, Rob Lucci, Kaku, Jabra, Kumadori, Fukuro, Kalifa, Blueno |
Spandam |
One Piece |
Flying Monkeys and Winkie Guards |
Wicked Witch of the West |
The Wizard of Oz |
General Grievous |
Count Dooku |
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith |
General Klump & Krusha |
King K Rool |
Donkey Kong Country |
Captain Torch |
Ming the Merciless |
Flash Gordon (1930s) |
General Klytus |
Ming the Merciless |
Flash Gordon (1980) |
GIR |
Zim |
Invader Zim |
Glumshanks |
Kaos |
Skylanders series |
GO-4 |
AUTO |
WALL-E |
Goblins |
Jareth the Goblin King |
Labyrinth |
Gonzargo, Rodrigo, Goblin King and Scat |
Barnaby Crookedman |
Babes in Toyland (1997 film) |
Gonzorgo and Roderigo |
Barnaby |
Babes in Toyland (1961 film) |
Darth Vader |
Grand Moff Tarkin |
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope |
Grem and Acer |
Professor Z |
Cars 2 |
Grim Gloom |
Hildy Gloom |
The 7D |
Grover Dill |
Scut Farkus |
A Christmas Story |
Gunter the Penguin |
Ice King |
Adventure Time |
Gweelok, Fart, Slog, Dingle and Fort |
Festro |
Secret Mountain Fort Awesome |
Harley Quinn |
The Joker |
Batman: The Animated Series |
Henchman #21 and Henchman #24 |
The Monarch |
The Venture Bros. |
High Roller |
Twin Masters |
Hero:108 (Season 2) |
Homer |
Snidley Whiplash |
Dudley Do-Right |
Hugo |
Victor |
Victor and Hugo, Bunglers in Crime |
Iago |
Jafar |
Aladdin |
Ivan the Terrible, Napoleon Bonaparte, Al Capone |
Kamunrah |
Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian |
Jango, Sham and Buchi |
Captain Kuro |
One Piece |
Jango Fett |
Count Dooku |
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones |
Jara, Noxic, and Typhus |
Vexor |
Big Bad Beetleborgs |
Jasper and Horace |
Cruella De Vil |
101 Dalmatians |
Jaws |
Karl Stromberg and Hugo Drax |
The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker, respectively |
Jessie, James, Meowth, Wobbuffet, Butch, Cassidy, Professor Namba, Tyson, Domino, Team Rocket Grunt Troopers |
Giovanni |
Pokémon |
Kagura, Kanna, Hakudoshi |
Naraku |
Inuyasha |
Kalibak, Desaad, The Parademons |
Darkseid |
The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians and SuperFriends: The Legendary Super Powers Show |
Kamek, The Koopalings, Bowser Jr. |
Bowser |
Mario series |
Karen |
Sheldon J. Plankton |
SpongeBob SquarePants |
Karen and Gretchen |
Regina George |
Mean Girls |
Karl and Theo |
Hans Gruber |
Die Hard |
Killer and the bad dogs |
Carface |
All Dogs Go to Heaven: The Series |
Kroenen and Ilsa Haupstein |
Rasputin |
Hellboy |
Killer Kane |
Princess Ardala |
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (role reversal from the original 1930s Buck Rogers serials) |
Klutzy the Crab |
Herbert P. Bear |
Club Penguin |
Knuckles |
Clavius the Magician |
The Swan Princess II: Escape from Castle Mountain |
Kodos |
Kang |
The Simpsons |
Kronk Pepikrankenitz |
Yzma |
The Emperor's New Groove |
Lawrence, Shadow Spirits and Voodoo Masks |
Dr. Facilier |
The Princess and the Frog |
Lefou |
Gaston |
Beauty and the Beast |
Legs, Louie, and Johnny Tightlips |
Fat Tony |
The Simpsons |
Leopold |
Scary Gary |
Scary Gary |
Lickboot the Lawyer, Ferdinard the Dogskate |
Aunt Figg |
Tom and Jerry: The Movie |
Lock, Shock and Barrel |
Oogie Boogie |
The Nightmare Before Christmas |
Luca Brasi |
Vito Corleone |
The Godfather |
Lucifer |
Count Baltar |
Battlestar Galactica |
Marmosets |
Nigel |
Rio |
Mary & the ACME Co-Workers |
Mr. Chairman |
Looney Tunes: Back in Action |
Max |
The Grinch |
How the Grinch Stole Christmas |
Megatron |
The Fallen |
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen |
Megavolt, Bushroot, Quackerjack and Liquidator |
Negaduck |
Darkwing Duck |
Meowlody and Purrsephone |
Toralei Stripe |
Monster High |
Middle and Corera |
Rattila |
The Little Chicks |
Mini Audrey II Pod Offspring Plants |
Audrey II |
Little Shop of Horrors in the song "Mean Green Mother From Outer Space" |
Mister Smee and the Pirate crew |
Captain Hook |
Peter Pan |
Missy |
Sissy Blakely |
Johnny Test |
Mohji, Cabaji, Richie, Alvida, Galdino |
Buggy the Clown |
One Piece |
Monet, Vergo, Smiley, Scotch and Rock |
Caesar Clown |
One Piece |
Mr. Chun and Mrs. Chun |
Captain Bill Fawcett |
The Pacifier |
Mr. Willard Tweedy and the dogs |
Mrs. Melisha Tweedy |
Chicken Run |
Muttley |
Dick Dastardly |
Wacky Races and Dastardly and Muttley in their Flying Machines |
Muscle Man and Hive-Five Ghost |
Benson |
Regular Show |
Mystique |
Magneto |
X-Men films |
Natasha Fatale |
Boris Badenov |
Rocky and Bullwinkle |
Nathan, Dustin and Persy |
Belson |
Clarence |
Nazgûl |
Sauron |
The Lord of the Rings |
Nightmares |
Sir Pitch Black |
Rise of the Guardians |
No-Neck and Zitzy |
Ken |
Urban Vermin |
Norm |
Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz |
Phineas and Ferb |
Oddjob and Pussy Galore |
Auric Goldfinger |
Goldfinger |
Orson Vulture, Seymour Spider and Stupid Bat |
Wilhelmina W. Witchiepoo |
H.R. Pufnstuf |
Ohm, Satori, Shura, Gedatsu, and Yama |
Ener |
One Piece |
Otis |
Lex Luthor |
Superman: The Movie and Superman II |
Otto the Odd and the Galactic Oddities |
The Ringmaster |
Loonatics Unleashed |
Pain and Panic |
Hades |
Hercules (1997 film) and Hercules: The Animated Series |
Pinky |
Brain |
Pinky & the Brain |
Pinter |
Dorkus |
Planet Sheen |
Piter De Vries, The Beast Rabban and Feyd Rautha |
Vladimir Harkonnen |
Dune |
Porche, Hamburg, Itomimizu, Capote, Pickles and Big Pan |
Foxy the Silver Fox |
One Piece |
Possum Gator |
Pack Bat |
Sylvanian Families |
Prince Lotor (Prince Sincline) |
King Zarkon (Emperor Daibazaal) |
Voltron: Defender of the Universe (Golion) |
Private Public, Angry Scientist and Plot Device |
General Specific |
Sheep in the Big City |
RandomTask, Mini-Me, Frau Farbissina, Number 2, Scott Evil, Fat Bastard, GoldMember |
Dr. Evil |
Austin Powers series |
Razer, Zillius Zox, Veon, Skallox, Cleric Loran, Ragnar and Bleez |
Atrocitus |
Green Lantern: The Animated Series |
Reccoa Londe & Sarah Zabiarov |
Paptimus Scirocco |
Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam |
Red Ribbon Army |
Commander Red |
Dragon Ball |
Rey Za Burrel |
Gilbert Durandal |
Gundam SEED Destiny |
Roberto |
Johan Liebert |
Monster |
Ronald Niedermann |
Alexander Zalachenko |
Millennium series |
Samy Garvin |
Lucius Henouis the VII |
Jimmy Two-Shoes |
Sanderson and the Pixies |
H.P. |
The Fairly OddParents |
Sardinian kidnappers |
Mason Verger |
Hannibal |
Sauron |
Morgoth |
The Silmarillion |
Scott and Stretch |
Nightmare Train |
The Little Engine That Could (2011 film) |
Scratch, Grounder, Coconuts, Sleet, Dingo, Decoe, Bocoe, Cubot and Orbot |
Dr. Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik |
Sonic the Hedgehog series |
Shego |
Doctor Drakken |
Kim Possible |
Shenzi, Banzai and Ed |
Scar |
The Lion King |
Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane, Enos Strate and Cletus Hogg |
Boss Hogg |
The Dukes of Hazzard |
Shtarker |
Siegfried |
Get Smart |
Sinestro, Black Manta, Cheetah, Giganta, Toyman, the Riddler, Bizarro, the Scarecrow, Captain Cold, Solomon Grundy, Gorilla Grodd, Brainiac |
Lex Luthor |
Challenge of the Super Friends |
Skull Kid |
Majora's Mask |
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask |
Skullmandos |
Skullossus |
League of Super Evil |
Slinkman |
Scoutmaster Lumpus |
Camp Lazlo |
Smiley and George/Todd |
Professor Moriarty |
Sherlock Hound |
Sour Bill, Wynchell and Duncan |
King Candy |
Wreck-it Ralph |
Spicer Lovejoy |
Caledon Hockley |
Titanic (1997 film) |
Spike and Whitey, Ladykiller, Thimblenose Ted, Fat Barry, Le Frog and the Henchfrogs |
The Toad |
Flushed Away |
Squatt and Baboo, Goldar, Finster, Scorpina and the Putty Patrol |
Rita Repulsa |
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers |
Starscream and other Decepticons |
Megatron |
Transformers |
Starscream, Soundwave, Shockwave and other Decepticons |
Megatron |
The Transformers (TV series) |
Stiletto Mafiosa and Nero |
Baron Silas Greenback |
Danger Mouse |
Stinkbert |
Strut |
Turbo Dogs |
Sugar and Spice |
Two-Face |
Batman Forever |
Sykes and Kramer |
Doctor Claw |
Inspector Gadget (1999 film) |
The Dogs |
Napoleon |
Animal Farm |
The four Crows, the Peddler, the Subway's monsters, Poppy-Girls and the Winged Monkeys |
Evillene |
The Wiz |
The Pigs |
Cyril Sneer |
The Raccoons |
The Ruffians |
Professor Pester |
Viva Pinata |
The Stabbington Brothers |
Mother Gothel |
Tangled |
The Venom army |
Andross |
Star Fox 64 |
The Wickersham Brothers and Vlad Vladikof |
Sour Kangaroo |
Horton Hears a Who! |
Toon Patrol |
Judge Doom |
Who Framed Roger Rabbit |
Travis |
Servalan |
Blake's 7 |
Troller, Mack, Zack |
Barnaby Barnicle |
Babes in Toyland (1986 film) |
Twinrova |
Ganondorf |
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time |
Tyrone |
Pablo |
The Backyardigans (Race to the Tower of Power/Garbage Trek/Break Out) |
Unalaq |
Vaatu |
The Legend of Korra |
Unnamed and Charlie |
Dr. Two-Brains |
WordGirl series |
Villainous Vultures |
Mal |
Total Drama All-Stars |
Walt, Larry, and Igner |
Mom |
Futurama |
Walter Boggis, Nathan Bunce, Mrs. Bean and Rat |
Franklin Bean |
Fantastic Mr. Fox |
Wart, Mole, Mepps and Snout |
Fat Cat |
Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers |
Waylon Smithers |
Montgomery Burns |
The Simpsons |
Wendell |
Happy Chapman |
Garfield (film) |
Weyoun |
Female Changeling |
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine |
William, Jack and Averell Dalton |
Joe Dalton |
Lucky Luke and The Daltons |
Wolf Boss |
Lord Shen |
Kung Fu Panda 2 |
Wolves |
Black Wolf |
The Flight Before Christmas |
Xerxes the Eel |
Mozenrath |
Aladdin |
Xigbar, Xaldin, Saïx, Demyx, Luxord |
Xemnas |
Kingdom Hearts II |
Zant and King Bulblin |
Ganondorf |
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess |
Zebra Brothers |
High Roller |
Hero:108 (Both) |
See also
References
Notes
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Sources
- EtymologyOnLine
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