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The word henchman (Germanic irregular plural: henchmen) referred originally to one who attended on a horse, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable
Constable

A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in Police. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions....
 and marshal
Marshal

Marshal is a word used in several official titles of various branches of society. The word derives from Old High German marah "horse" and schalh "servant", and originally meant "stable keeper"....
, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a (subordinate) official in a royal court or noble household.






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Robin Shoots With Sir Guy By Louis Rhead 1912
The word henchman (Germanic irregular plural: henchmen) referred originally to one who attended on a horse, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable
Constable

A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in Police. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions....
 and marshal
Marshal

Marshal is a word used in several official titles of various branches of society. The word derives from Old High German marah "horse" and schalh "servant", and originally meant "stable keeper"....
, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a (subordinate) official in a royal court or noble household. It is now used primarily to describe a stock character in many adventure stories: the villain
Villain

A villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a history narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters....
's lackey or trusted aide.

Etymology

The first part of the word, which is recorded in English since 1360, comes from the Old English
Old English language

Old English is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written in parts of what are now England and south-eastern Scotland between the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century....
 hengest, meaning "horse", notably stallion
Stallion (horse)

A stallion is a male horse that has not been castration, or gelding.Stallions will follow the horse conformation and phenotype of their list of horse breeds, but within that standard, the presence of hormones such as testosterone may give stallions a thicker, "cresty" neck as well as a somewhat more muscular physique as compared to female...
, cognates of which also occur in many Teutonic
Teutonic

Teutonic or Teuton may refer to:*the Teutons* Germanic peoples ', see Theodiscus**Teutonic Mythology** Germanic languages '...
 languages, such as Old Frisian, German
German language

German is a West Germanic languages, thus related to and classified alongside English language and Dutch language. It is one of the world's world language and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union....
 and Dutch
Dutch language

Dutch is a West Germanic languages spoken by over 22 million people as a first language, and about 5 million people as a second language."1% of the EU population claims to speak Dutch well enough in order to have a conversation." Outside the European Union the number of second language speakers of Dutch is very small. Most native...
 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 act pages of honour or squire
Squire

Medieval usageThe English word squire comes from the Old French , itself derived from the Vulgar Latin , in medieval or Old English a 'scutifer].....
s, 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
Elizabeth I of England

Elizabeth I was List of English monarchs and Queen of Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the House of Tudor....
 abolished the royal henchmen, known also as the children of honour.

The word became obsolete for groom
Groom

Groom may refer to:Offices and jobs:*Groom , a person responsible for the feeding and care of horses, not to be confused with the much more socially distinguished roles in the English Royal Household of:...
s in English from the middle of the 17th century, but was retained in Scots as "personal attendant of a Highland chief".

It seems to have been revived in English through 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
Gillie

Ghillie or gillie is a Scottish dialect term that refers to a man or a boy who acts as an attendant on a fishing, fly fishing or a hunting or deer stalking expedition, primarily in Scotland in the Scottish Highlands or on a river such as the Spey River....
, 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.

In popular culture

Henchmen (occasionally henchlings) are common in mystery
Mystery fiction

Mystery fiction is a loosely-defined term that is often used as a synonym of detective fiction — in other words a novel or short story in which a detective solves a crime....
, fantasy
Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre that uses magic and other supernatural forms as a primary element of Plot , Theme , and/or Setting . Fantasy is generally distinguished from science fiction and horror by the expectation that it steers clear of technological and macabre themes, respectively, though there is a great deal of overlap between the three ....
, adventure comic books, and adventure
Adventure

An adventure is an activity that comprises risky, dangerous or uncertain experiences. The term is more popularly used in reference to physical activities that have some potential for danger, such as skydiving, mountain climbing, and extreme sports....
 novels and movies. They are the expendable adherents of the main villain
Villain

A villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a history narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters....
, always ready to do the master's bidding, to kill or be killed, kidnap, or threaten, as needed. Often, they are killed by the hero
Hero

A hero , in Greek mythology and folklore, was originally a demigod, the offspring of a mortal and a deity,their Greek hero cult being one of the most distinctive features of Religion in ancient Greece....
 before the master villain is reached, by the hero's sidekick
Sidekick

A sidekick is a stock character, a close companion who assists a partner in a superior position. Don Quixote's Sancho Panza, Sherlock Holmes' Doctor Watson, and Batman's companion Robin are some well-known sidekicks in fiction....
 in a dramatic battle, or even by the master villain as punishment for failure to comply with orders. 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
Sequel

A sequel is a work in literature, film, or other media that portrays events following those of a previous work.In many cases, the sequel continues elements of the original story, often with the same characters and settings....
 or switch sides during the course of the story to ally with the hero.

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 or mooks (with the latter term more often used for lesser minions of the villain).

Not all henchmen are dim witted, 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 more like a valued right hand man
Assistant

An assistant is a person or software tool who or that helps another person accomplish his or her goals. Some assistants are strictly based at one's place of employment, while others assist with personal, sometimes home-related tasks....
. They may in turn, command groups of more expendable thugs. Intelligent henchmen often also covet the villain's position, and they often attempt to betray the villain in order to obtain it.

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
Non-player character

A non-player character, often shortened to NPC, is a fictional character that is controlled by the gamemaster in role-playing games. When this definition extends to video games, an NPC in a video game is usually part of the computer program, and not controlled by a human....
 follower of a player character
Player character

A player character or playable character is a fictional character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player , and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game....
 in role-playing game
Role-playing game

A role-playing game is a game in which the participants assume the roles of fictional characters. Participants determine the actions of their characters based on their characterization, and the actions succeed or fail according to a role-playing game system of rules and guidelines....
s. 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 sidekick
Sidekick

A sidekick is a stock character, a close companion who assists a partner in a superior position. Don Quixote's Sancho Panza, Sherlock Holmes' Doctor Watson, and Batman's companion Robin are some well-known sidekicks in fiction....
s; the villain's supporters are called henchmen or minions due to their evil nature, which makes such personal bonds 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
Tough love

Tough love is an expression used when someone treats another person harshly or sternly with the intent to help them in the long run.In most uses, there must be some actual love or feeling of affection behind the harsh or stern treatment to be defined as tough love....
" or even just a condescending affection, the henchman is in this case usually known as a minion.

Modern examples

!Henchmen !Villain !Source |- align="left" |Allan |Rastapopoulos
Rastapopoulos

Roberto Rastapopoulos is a fictional character in The Adventures of Tintin series of comic books drawn and written by Herg?. His alter ego is Gianni Jaccoma, a drifter....
 |The Adventures of Tintin
The Adventures of Tintin

The Adventures of Tintin is a series of comic strips created by Belgium artist Herg?, the pen name of Georges Remi . The series first appeared in French in a children's supplement to the Belgian newspaper on 10 January 1929....
 |- align="left" |Envy, Lust, Greed, Gluttony, Wrath, Sloth and Pride |Dante
DANTE

DANTE is a not-for-profit organisation that plans, builds and operates the international networks that interconnect the various National Research and Education Networks in Europe and surrounding regions....
 |Full Metal Alchemist Series |- align="left" |Allen O'Niel |General Morden |Metal Slug series
Metal Slug series

Metal Slug is a series of Shoot 'em up#Run and gun video games first released on Neo Geo arcade machines and game consoles created by SNK Playmore....
 |- align="left" |Bebop and Rocksteady
Bebop and Rocksteady

Bebop and Rocksteady are fictional characters in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as well as most of the classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles video games....
 |The Shredder |Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are a fictional team of four turtle mutants, who are trained by their sensei, Splinter , in the art of Ninjutsu....
 series |- aliga="left" |Buzz
List of Cyberchase characters

This is a list of characters that have appeared on the PBS Kids GO! series Cyberchase....
 and Delete
List of Cyberchase characters

This is a list of characters that have appeared on the PBS Kids GO! series Cyberchase....
 |Hacker
List of Cyberchase characters

This is a list of characters that have appeared on the PBS Kids GO! series Cyberchase....
 |Cyberchase
Cyberchase

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 |- align="left" |Chewy and Gooey |Stickybeard |Codename: Kids Next Door
Codename: Kids Next Door

Codename: Kids Next Door, also known as Kids Next Door or by its acronym and initialism KND, is an American List of animated television series created by Tom Warburton and produced by Curious Pictures....
 |- align="left" |Darth Maul
Darth Maul

Darth Maul is a fictional character in the Star Wars fictional universe and a villain in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. He was portrayed by Ray Park and voiced by Peter Serafinowicz....
 |Palpatine
Palpatine

Palpatine is a fictional character in George Lucas' science fiction saga Star Wars. Palpatine, portrayed by Ian McDiarmid in the Star Wars , is the main antagonist of the saga; he is introduced in the Original trilogy as the Emperor of the Galactic Empire , an aged, cowled and pale-faced figure, who rises to power in the Prequel...
 |Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is a 1999 in film space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It was the fourth film to be released in the Star Wars saga and the first in terms of Dates in Star Wars....
 |- align="left" |Fuschia |Tyrannicus Tiger |Animalia
Animalia (TV series)

Animalia is an Australian children's television series based on the 1986 picture book Animalia by illustrator Graeme Base....
 |- align="left" |Bitzy and Snitzy |Allegra the Crocodile |Episodes that show Allegra in Animalia
Animalia (TV series)

Animalia is an Australian children's television series based on the 1986 picture book Animalia by illustrator Graeme Base....
 |- align="left" |Unnamed and Charlie |Dr. Two-Brains |WordGirl
WordGirl

WordGirl is a children?s animated series produced by Soup2Nuts for PBS Kids. It began as a series of shorts that premiered on PBS Kids GO! on November 10, 2006, usually shown at the end of Maya & Miguel....
 series |- align="left" |Death Eater
Death Eater

In the fictional world of the Harry Potter series, the Death Eaters constitute a group of wizards and witches, led by the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, the chief antagonist of the series, who seeks to purify the Wizarding community by eliminating the Blood purity #Muggle-born....
s |Lord Voldemort
Lord Voldemort

Lord Voldemort is a fictional character and the main Antagonist in the Harry Potter novel series written by United Kingdom author J. K. Rowling....
 |Harry Potter
Harry Potter

Harry Potter is a Heptalogy fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the eponymous adolescent wizard Harry Potter , together with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, his friends from the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry....
 series |- align="left" |Doctor N. Gin |Doctor Neo Cortex |Crash Bandicoot series |-align="left" |The dogs |Napoleon |Animal Farm
Animal Farm

Animal Farm is a novel by George Orwell. Published in England on 17 August 1945 in literature, the book reflects events leading up to and during the History of the Soviet Union before World War II....
 |- align="left" |Excel, Hyatt and Elgala |Il Palazzo |Excel Saga
Excel Saga

is an absurdist comedy manga series written and illustrated by Rikdo Koshi. It has been serialized in Young King OURs since the April 1996 issue, with individual chapters collected and published in tankobon volumes by Shonen Gahosha....
 |- align="left" |Iago
Iago (Aladdin)

Iago is a fictional character in The Walt Disney Company's Aladdin franchise, starting out as a secondary villain in the original film, and later supporting protagonist in the film's sequels and related TV series....
 |Jafar
Jafar (Aladdin)

Jafar is a Character , Voice acting by Jonathan Freeman, and is featured as the primary antagonist in the The Walt Disney Company film Aladdin and its sequel, The Return of Jafar. He is an evil Magician and the former Grand Vizier of the Sultan of Agrabah....
 |Aladdin |- align="left" |Harley Quinn
Harley Quinn

Harley Quinn is a fictional character, a supervillainess, in the list of animated television series Batman: The Animated Series, later adapted into DC Comics' Batman comic books....
 |The Joker |Batman The Animated Series |-align="left" |The hyenas |Scar
Scar (The Lion King)

Scar is a Disney character and the main antagonist in Walt Disney Pictures' popular 1994 animated movie The Lion King. He was voiced by Jeremy Irons in The Lion King and his supervising animator was Andreas Deja....
 |The Lion King
The Lion King

The Lion King is a American Animation film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, released in theaters on June 15, 1994 by Walt Disney Pictures....
 |- align="left |Karen
Karen

Karen is a given name.Karen may also refer to:*Karen, Kenya*Karen or Caren, a character in Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch media...
 |Sheldon J. Plankton |SpongeBob Squarepants
SpongeBob SquarePants

SpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated Television program and media franchise. It is currently one of Nickelodeon and Nicktoons Network's most-watched show....
 |- align="left" |RandomTask |Dr. Evil
Dr. Evil

Dr. Evil is a fictional character, played by Mike Myers , in the Austin Powers series film series. He is the chief villain of the movies, and Austin Powers' nemesis with aspirations of world domination....
 |Austin Powers |-align="left" |Possum Gator |Pack Bat ||Sylvanian Families
Sylvanian Families

is the name of a line of video games and anthropomorphic collectible toy plush figures, created by Japanese company Epoch in 1985 and distributed worldwide by a number of companies....
 |-align="left" |Kronk
Kronk

Kronk Pepikrankenitz is a fictional character from the Disney animated feature The Emperor's New Groove. He also starred in his own film, Kronk's New Groove, and is a recurring character in the TV series, The Emperor's New School....
 |Yzma
Yzma

Yzma is the primary antagonist in Disney's The Emperor's New Groove, which was released in 2000. Her role is continued into the direct-to-video sequel, Kronk's New Groove and the spin-off television series The Emperor's New School....
 |The Emperor's New Groove
The Emperor's New Groove

The Emperor's New Groove is an United States animated feature film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures through Buena Vista Distribution on December 15, 2000....
 |-align="left" |Lickboot the Lawyer, Dogskate. Capt, Kiddie, Prof. Applecheek, Squawk |Aunt Figg |Tom and Jerry: The Movie
Tom and Jerry: The Movie

Tom and Jerry: The Movie is a 1992 Traditional animation film produced and directed by Phil Roman starring Tom and Jerry and the only feature to be theatrically released worldwide, although Tom and Jerry: The Fast and the Furry was theatrically released in select cities of the United States by Kidtoon Films....
 |-align="left" |Muttley
Muttley

Muttley is a Hanna-Barbera animated fictional character created by Iwao Takamoto and originally voiced by Don Messick ; he is now voiced by Billy West....
 |Dick Dastardly
Dick Dastardly

Dick Dastardly is a fictional character and antagonist who appeared in various animated series by Hanna-Barbera Productions. Dastardly's most famous appearances are in the series Wacky Races and its spin-off Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines....
 |Wacky Races
Wacky Races

Wacky Races is an animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. The series features 11 different cars racing against each other in various road rallies, with each driver hoping to win the title of the "World's Wackiest Racer." Wacky Races ran on CBS from September 14, 1968 to September 5, 1970....
 and Dastardly and Muttley in their Flying Machines
Dastardly and Muttley in their Flying Machines

Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines was a Saturday morning cartoon produced by Hanna-Barbera for CBS from September 13, 1969 to September 5, 1971....
 |-align="left" |Devi Devi |Piyoko/Pyocola Analogue |Panyo Panyo Di Gi Charat
Panyo Panyo Di Gi Charat

is the prequel to the popular anime series Di Gi Charat. It features Princess Dejiko and Puchiko as young children home at planet Di Gi Charat. The two and their friends Meek and Rinna set off to bring happiness to the citizens of planet Di Gi Charat, while Piyoko and Deji Devil try to stop them....
 |- align="left" |Chi-Chi |Tony Montana
Tony Montana

ScarfaceDuring the movie Tony Montana arrives to America from Cuba with his best friend Manny Ribera. After meeting with his mother and sister he becomes an employee of drug lord Frank Lopez....
 |Scarface
Scarface (1983 film)

Scarface is a 1983 in film epic film crime drama film directed by Brian De Palma, written by Oliver Stone and starring Al Pacino as Tony Montana....
 |-align="left" |Luca Brasi
Luca Brasi

Luca Brasi is a character in Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather, as well as its 1972 film adaptation ....
 |Vito Corleone
Vito Corleone

Vito Andolini Corleone, known by his alias The Godfather, is a fictional character in Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather , as well as Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather based on it....
 |The Godfather
The Godfather

The Godfather is an Cinema of the United States crime film film based on the The Godfather by Mario Puzo and directed by Francis Ford Coppola from a screenplay by Puzo, Coppola, and Robert Towne, who was not credited....
 |- align="left" |Nazgűl
Nazgűl

In J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium, the Nazg?l are nine men who succumbed to Sauron's power and attained immortality as wraiths, servants bound to the power of the One Ring....
 |Sauron
Sauron

Sauron is the Title role#title character and the principal antagonist of the fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien.In the same work, he is revealed to have been "the Necromancy" from Tolkien's earlier novel The Hobbit....
 |The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings

The Lord of the Rings is an Epic poetry high fantasy novel written by Philology J.R.R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work....
 |-align="left" |Escargoon |King DeDeDe |Kirby: Right Back at Ya!
Kirby: Right Back at Ya!

Kirby: Right Back At Ya!, known in Japan as , is an anime series based on Nintendo's Kirby franchise. The series was produced by Warpstar Inc., a company formed between a joint investment between Nintendo and HAL Laboratories...
 |- align="left" |Oddjob |Auric Goldfinger
Auric Goldfinger

Auric Goldfinger is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the James Bond Goldfinger and novel Goldfinger . His first name, Auric, is an adjective meaning of gold....
 |Goldfinger
Goldfinger

Goldfinger is the seventh novel in Ian Fleming's James Bond series. It was first published by Jonathan Cape on March 23, 1959.In 1964 it was adapted as the Goldfinger in the EON Productions James Bond series and was the third to star Sean Connery as British Secret Service agent, Commander James Bond....
 |- align="left" |Alex Dimitros, Carlos
Carlos

Carlos is an Iberian name, the Portuguese and Spanish equivalent of Charles....
, Molkala |Le Chiffre
Le Chiffre

Le Chiffre is the alias of a fictional character and the main antagonist in Ian Fleming's James Bond novel Casino Royale . On screen Le Chiffre has been portrayed by Peter Lorre in the Casino Royale of the novel for CBS's Climax! television series, by Orson Welles in the Casino Royale of the novel and Bond film series, and by Mads...
 & Mr.White |Casino Royale
Casino Royale

Casino Royale can refer to:In fiction:*Casino Royale , the first James Bond novel by Ian Fleming*Casino Royale , a 1954 television adaptation of Fleming's novel that aired as an episode of the CBS series Climax!...
(James Bond) |-align="left" |Pain and Panic |Hades
Hades (Disney)

Hades, voiced by James Woods, is the villain in the 1997 movie Hercules , based on the Greek god Hades. Unlike the mythological Hades, who is for the most part a relatively passive deity doing a sometimes nasty job, this version is a fast-talking, evil deity, reminiscent of Satan....
 |Hercules
Hercules (1997 film)

Hercules is a United States animated feature film, produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released on June 27, 1997 by Walt Disney Pictures....
 and Hercules: The Animated Series
Hercules: The Animated Series

Hercules is an animated television series based on the Hercules and the Greek mythology Heracles. The series follows teenage Hercules training as a hero as well as trying to adjust to life....
 |- align="left" |Pigma Dengar and the rest of the Venom army |Andross |Star Fox
Star Fox

, released as Starwing in Europe, is the first game in the Star Fox of console game. It was released in the spring of 1993 in video gaming for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System....
 |- align-"left" |Otis |Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor

Lex Luthor is a Character , a supervillain that appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character First appearance in Action Comics #23 , and was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster....
 |Superman: the Movie (1978) |- align="left" |Fidget |Professor Ratigan |The Great Mouse Detective
The Great Mouse Detective

The Great Mouse Detective is a 1986 animated feature produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, and was originally released to movie theaters on July 2, 1986 by Walt Disney Pictures....
 |- align="left" |Rey Za Burrel
Rey Za Burrel

is a fictional character and antagonist from the anime series, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny. Rey is a quiet,calm,and polite soldier who keeps himself out of other people's way, he gladly follows his orders no matter what they might be....
 |Gilbert Durandal
Gilbert Durandal

is a fictional character in the Gundam SEED Destiny anime series. Durandal is the chairman of the PLANT Supreme Council and a member of the moderate political faction....
 |Gundam SEED Destiny |-align="left" |Scratch and Grounder
Scratch and Grounder

Scratch and Grounder are a pair of fictional List of characters in Sonic the Comic#B.A.R.F. robots created by Doctor Eggman as adversaries of Sonic the Hedgehog in the animated series Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog....
, Snively Kintobor
Snively Kintobor

Snively is a fictional character from the Sonic the Hedgehog series universe. He appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog cartoon series , and the Archie Comics- published Sonic the Hedgehog comic book....
, Sleet and Dingo |Dr. Robotnik |The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog (TV series) and Sonic Underground
Sonic Underground

Sonic Underground is an list of animated television series that follows the adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog and his siblings, pink hedgehog Sonia the Hedgehog and green-hued Manic the Hedgehog....
 respectively |- align="left" |Shego
Shego

Shego is a fictional character from Disney Channel List of animated television series Kim Possible, voiced by Nicole Sullivan. The character, ever since her first appearance in the episode Crush of Season 1, appears as Doctor Drakken sidekick though in some episodes acts as a mercenary for other villains....
 |Doctor Drakken |Kim Possible
Kim Possible

Kim Possible is an Emmy Award-winning United States animated television series about a teenage crime fighter who has the task of dealing with worldwide, family, and school issues every day....
 |- align-"left" |Mr. Smee, and the Pirate crew
Piracy

Piracy is a warlike act committed by a foreign nonstate actor, especially robbery or crime committed at sea, on a river, or sometimes on shore, either from a vessel flying no national flag, or one flying a national flag but without authorization from a nation....
 |Captain Hook
Captain Hook

File:DuMaurier.jpgCaptain James Hook is a fictional character and the antagonist of J. M. Barrie's play Peter Pan, or the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up and its various adaptations....
 |Peter Pan
Peter Pan (1953 film)

Peter Pan is an animated feature produced by Walt Disney based on the play Peter and Wendy by J. M. Barrie. It is the fourteenth film in the List of Disney animated features and was originally released to theaters on February 5, 1953 by RKO Pictures....
 |- align="left" |Waylon Smithers
Waylon Smithers

Waylon Smithers, Jr. is a recurring fictional character in the animated cartoon The Simpsons, who is voiced by Harry Shearer. Smithers first appeared in the episode "Homer's Odyssey", although he could be heard in the series premiere "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire"....
 |Montgomery Burns
Montgomery Burns

Charles Montgomery "Monty" Burns, usually referred to as Mr. Burns, is a recurring fictional character and antagonist in the List of animated television series The Simpsons, who is voiced by Harry Shearer and previously Christopher Collins....
 |The Simpsons
The Simpsons

The Simpsons is an Television in the United States animated cartoon Situation comedy created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company....
 |- align=left |Cecil and the rest of the family |Sideshow Bob
Sideshow Bob

Robert Underdunk Terwilliger, better known by his stage name Sideshow Bob, is a recurring fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons....
 |Episodes that show Sideshow Bob in The Simpsons |- align="left" |President Schwarznegger |Russ Cargill |The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie

The Simpsons Movie is a 2007 in film Cinema of the United States animated cartoon comedy film based on the animated television series The Simpsons....
 |- align="left" |Spicer Lovejoy |Caledon Hockley |Titanic (1997)
Titanic (1997 film)

Titanic is a 1997 United States romantic film directed, written, co-produced and co-edited by James Cameron about the sinking of the RMS Titanic....
 |- align="left" |Squatt
Villains in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers

The fictional villains of the Power Rangers universe that appeared in the television series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and the film Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie were aliens serving or allied to Rita Repulsa and/or, later, Lord Zedd, including the warrior Goldar....
 and Baboo
Villains in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers

The fictional villains of the Power Rangers universe that appeared in the television series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and the film Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie were aliens serving or allied to Rita Repulsa and/or, later, Lord Zedd, including the warrior Goldar....
 |Rita Repulsa
Rita Repulsa

! designed by:* Tamotsu ShinoharaRita Repulsa is a fictional character from the TV series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.An evil alien witch bent on galactic domination, Rita Repulsa was the first villainess the Power Rangers had to face....
 |Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is an United States live-action television series, created for the American market, based on the 16th installment of the Japanese Super Sentai franchise, Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger....
 |- align="left" |Travis
Travis (Blake's 7)

Travis is a fictional character from the United Kingdom science fiction television series Blake's 7, played by Stephen Greif and Brian Croucher....
 |Servalan
Servalan

Servalan is a fictional character in the BBC science fiction television series Blake's 7, played by Jacqueline Pearce. She was the principal villain of the series....
 |Blake's 7
Blake's 7

Blake's 7 is a United Kingdom science fiction television series made by the British Broadcasting Corporation for their BBC One channel. Created by Terry Nation, a prolific television writer best known for creating the popular Dalek monsters for the television series Doctor Who, it ran for four series between 1978 and 1981....
 |- align="left" | Twinrova | Ganondorf | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

is an Action-adventure game video game developed by Nintendo's Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development division for the Nintendo 64 video game console....
 |- align="left" | Skull Kid | Majora's Mask | The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

is an action-adventure game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was released in Japan on April 27, 2000; in North America on October 26, 2000; and in Europe on November 17, 2000....
 |- align="left" | King Bulblin
List of characters in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

This article is a list of fictional characters in the video game The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess....
 | Ganondorf | The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

is an action-adventure game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was released in Japan on April 27, 2000; in North America on October 26, 2000; and in Europe on November 17, 2000....
 |- align="left" |Shtarker |Sigfried
Sigfried

Sigfried is a given name, and may refer to:* Sigfried Giedion , Bohemia-born Swiss historian* Sigfried Held , former German football player...
 |Get Smart
Get Smart

Get Smart is an United States comedy television series that Satire the Spy fiction genre. Created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, the show starred Don Adams as Maxwell Smart, Agent 86, and Barbara Feldon as Agent 99 of CONTROL, a secret U.S....
 |- align="left" |Armand and B.J. Wert |Mr. Richards |Mannequin
Mannequin (film)

Mannequin is a 1987 in film romantic comedy film, starring Kim Cattrall, Andrew McCarthy, Meshach Taylor, James Spader, G. W. Bailey, and Estelle Getty....
 |- align="left" |Weyoun
Weyoun

Weyoun was a fictional character who was second-in-command of Dominion forces in the Galactic Quadrants #Alpha Quadrant, on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine....
 |Female Changeling
Female Changeling

The Female Changeling , played by Salome Jens, is a fictional character in the Star Trek series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. As a shapeshifting Changeling , she is shown assuming several different forms: she appears gelatinous in several episodes, including "The Search ", and impersonates Kira Nerys in "Heart of Stone "....
 |Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a science fiction television program that premiered in 1993 and ran for seven seasons, ending in 1999. Rooted in Gene Roddenberry?s Star Trek universe, it was created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller, at the request of Brandon Tartikoff, and produced by CBS Paramount Television....
 |- align="left" |The Wickersham Brothers |Sour Kangaroo |Horton Hears a Who!
Horton Hears a Who!

Horton Hears a Who! is a 1954 book by Dr. Seuss. It is the second Seuss book to feature Horton the Elephant, the first being Horton Hatches the Egg....
 |- align="left" |Xerxes the Eel |Mozenrath
Mozenrath

Mozenrath is a fictional character, Voice acting by the late Jonathan Brandis, in the The Walt Disney Company animated television series Aladdin ....
 |Aladdin
Aladdin (TV series)

Aladdin is an animated television series made by Walt Disney Television which aired from 1994 to 1996, based on the original Aladdin . Coming on the heels of the direct-to-video sequel The Return of Jafar, the series picked up where that installment left off, with Aladdin still living on the streets of Agrabah, engaged to beautiful an...
 |- align="left" |Zarbon and Dodoria |Freeza
Freeza

is a Character supervillain from the Dragon Ball Fictional universe created by Akira Toriyama. The character first appears in the Dragon Ball , followed by Dragon Ball Z....
 |Dragon Ball Z |- align="left" |#21 and #24
Monarch henchmen

Monarch henchmen, in particular the recurring characters #21 and #24, are Characters from The Venture Bros. of the Adult Swim program The Venture Bros. They serve the supervillain Monarch and his partner Dr....
 |The Monarch |The Venture Bros.
The Venture Bros.

The Venture Bros. is an United States animated television series airing as part of Adult Swim on Cartoon Network. It chronicles the adventures of two dopey yet well-meaning teenage boys, Hank Venture and Dean Venture; their emotionally insecure, ethically challenged super-scientist father Doctor Thaddeus Venture; and the family bodyguar...
 |- align="left" |Stinkbert |Strut |Turbo Dogs
Turbo Dogs

Turbo Dogs is a Qubo television show. The show was based on the book Racer Dogs. The show started on October 3rd, 2008....
 |- align="left" | Koopa Kid/Baby Bowser | Bowser
Bowser

Bowser can refer to:*Bowser, British Columbia, an unincorporated community on Vancouver Island*Bowser and Blue*Bowser and Blitz from C.O.P.S....
 | Mario series |- align="left" | Genma saotome
Genma Saotome

is a fictional character in Rumiko Takahashi's anime and manga series Ranma ?. He is the father of the title character, Ranma Saotome.Genma can translate into "dark or mysterious horse"....
 and Soun tendo
Soun Tendo

is a fictional character in Rumiko Takahashi's anime and manga series Ranma ?. The name translates to 'fast cloud'. See also Hojo Soun.Soun Tendo is known as Aristide Galland in the French dub of Ranma 1/2....
 | Happosai
Happosai

is a fictional character in the anime and manga series Ranma ? by Rumiko Takahashi. Genma Saotome and Soun Tendo's tiny master, he is the founder and Grandmaster of Musabetsu Kakuto Ryu karate, more commonly known in the West as "Anything Goes Martial Arts"....
 | Ranma 1/2 |- align="left"

The phrase henchman is also used as a pejorative for any sort of political underling or to present others as such. Thus it was is used for associates of President
President of the United States

The President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in the United States by influence and recognition....
 George W. Bush
George W. Bush

George Walker Bush served as the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States from 2001 to 2009. He was the 46th List of Governors of Texas from 1995 to 2000 before being United States presidential inauguration as President on January 20, 2001....
, e.g. by Venezuela
Venezuela

Venezuela , officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a country on the northern coast of South America.The country comprises a continental mainland and numerous islands located off the Venezuelan coastline in the Caribbean Sea....
n President Hugo Chávez
Hugo Chávez

Hugo Rafael Ch?vez Fr?as is the current President of Venezuela. As the leader of the Bolivarian Revolution, Ch?vez promotes a political doctrine of participatory democracy, socialism and Latin American and Caribbean cooperation....
. Likewise, it was also used against associates of the former U.S. President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton

William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton served as the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He was the fifteenth Democrat elected to that office....
.

Members of the SS, or any of Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler

Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born Germany politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , popularly known as the Nazi Party....
's staff, are often called "Hitler's Henchmen", a phrase used as the title of a book by Guido Knopp
Guido Knopp

Guido Knopp is a Germany journalist, author and historian.He is a well known historian in Germany, mainly because he has produced a great number of TV documentaries, predominantly about the "Third Reich" and National Socialism, but also about other topics, such as Stalinism....
 and a television documentary.

See also

  • Igor (fictional character)
    Igor (fictional character)

    Igor Manic or Ygor is the traditional stock character or clich? kyphosis assistant or butler to many types of villain, such as Count Dracula or a mad scientist, familiar from many horror movies and horror movie parody, the Frankenstein series and Van Helsing films in particular....
  • Sidekick
    Sidekick

    A sidekick is a stock character, a close companion who assists a partner in a superior position. Don Quixote's Sancho Panza, Sherlock Holmes' Doctor Watson, and Batman's companion Robin are some well-known sidekicks in fiction....
  • Nodwick
    Nodwick

    Nodwick is a comic strip created by Aaron Williams , based around the conventions of fantasy role-playing games, in particular Dungeons & Dragons ....
  • Minion
    Minion

    Minion may refer to:* Minion is a term for favourites or prot?g?s, especially those of a monarchy or prince at a Noble court. Unlike a henchman or lackey, although of subordinate rank to his patron a minion is likely to be of nobility birth or to be raised to the nobility, and is more of a companion and confidant to him than a servant or...


Sources

(incomplete)