>The Starscream
>In some stories the Big Bad casts a shadow over everyone: they might be afraid of him, they might be his minions, or they might be the heroes trying to defeat him.
>Then there's this guy.
>A certain type of character falls outside the pattern: a villain too ambitious or individualistic or just too stubborn to accept the supremacy of the Big Bad. Instead, this villain actually dreams about overthrowing the guy everyone else fears and taking his place. Sometimes he is a (grudging) servant of the Big Bad; sometimes he is entirely outside the established power structure. In rare Noble Demon or Anti-Villain cases, he may be actually loyal to the Greater-Scope Villain, and feels his direct boss isn't. In any case, if the Big Bad ever stumbles or shows weakness, the Starscream will be there, ready to kick him out of the Astrotrain.
>A good way to tell a true Starscream apart from the run-of-the-mill opportunists who ally themselves with the Big Bad hoping to share in the spoils (and who would only take over if the Big Bad was already taken out, or they were otherwise handed the opportunity on a golden platter) is through his emotions. If he is privately seen boiling with anger and seething with hatred over his boss ordering him around and being forced to say "Yes sir" all the time, then his supposed boss should watch out for him. The dominant trait of a Starscream is resentment at being a sycophant, and this bitterness is proof that he is the real thing.
>Depending on the nature of the character, he may be an overly optimistic fool or someone who might actually be able to pull it off. If the character is badass enough, the heroes might be forced to try to stop him from toppling the original villain. Usually fond of playing Commander Contrarian to their boss' schemes (deservedly or not), who will normally Neck Lift them into kowtowing to their will. It can be hard to justify why the Big Bad keeps them around and doesn't Shoot the Dangerous Minion, but it may be so the Big Bad has a reason to always keep his guard up (and thus can rest assured that he will never become too complacent). Or perhaps the Starscream is simply a powerful asset whenever he actually obeys the main villain, so it's worth keeping him around despite the risk of betrayal.
>In some cases, the Starscream may actually start the series as a staunchly loyal supporter of the Big Bad. Unfortunately, when the boss turns out to be an inept General Failure who's more interested in juggling the Villain Ball than actually succeeding, the Starscream becomes fed up with the boss's idiocy and decides that the villainous organization would be more successful with him in charge. A former Big Bad who has been Demoted to Dragon by a new, bigger and badder villain is very likely to become the Starscream as well, biding his time while plotting against the new Big Bad in order to reclaim his former seat of power.
