View source for Stronger Sibling

{{trope}}
In most games, if the [[Big Bad]] has a sibling, it will be even stronger than the [[Big Bad]] itself. Mostly these appear as [[Bonus Boss]]es, but in some cases they may serve as a plot twist. This is a natural consequence of the [[Sorting Algorithm of Evil]]; if you find yourself fighting a bad guy's relative later on, that relative will necessarily be tougher in order to keep pace with your increased skills.

Not to be confused with the Cain half of [[Cain and Abel]]. Also, many of these are big spoilers, so read with caution.

See also [[Always Someone Better]], [[Aloof Big Brother]]. You might find them [[Avenging the Villain]].

{{examples}}
== [[Literature]] ==
* [[Lampshaded]] in ''[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (novel)|Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]]'' when, after Dobby tells Harry that Voldemort is not responsible for the shit hitting the fan this year, a [[Genre Savvy]] Harry asks whether Voldemort's got a brother.
* [[Older Than Steam]]: The [[Arabian Nights]] version of Aladdin has the [[Big Bad]]'s brother (also an [[Evil Sorcerer]], the vizier is more an [[Obstructive Bureaucrat]] in this one) is the villain of the second part, and far more powerful.

== [[Manga]] and [[Anime]] ==
* An [[Anti-Hero]] example, Nanami from ''[[Katanagatari]]'' is by leagues stronger than her brother Shichika. When she was younger, her father refused to train her in the Kyoutoryuu style, not because she was a girl, not because she was [[Ill Girl|always sick]], but because she's far too strong for him.
* A ''[[Dragon Ball]] Z'' [[Non-Serial Movie]] is based on Freeza's stronger older brother Coola showing up on Earth [[Avenging the Villain|to kill Goku for killing his brother]]. ([[Fridge Logic|Yeah, we know that was Trunks. It's a movie...]])
** Maybe Cooler merely ''thought'' Goku was the one who did it, and didn't know that it was actually Trunks who did the deed.
* The Gorgon Sisters from ''[[Soul Eater]]'' and ''[[Soul Eater Not!]]''. Medusa, Arachne and Shaula are [[Dangerously Genre Savvy|savvy]], [[Manipulative Bastard|manipulative]], [[Mad Scientist|experimenting]], [[Animal Motifs|animal themed]], [[Hot Witch|hot]] [[Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot|witches]] who each held the title of the [[Big Bad|lead antagonist]] at different periods and otherwise act to [[Xanatos Speed Chess|one up each other]], [[Batman Gambit|the good guys]] and [[Big Bad Ensemble|even more villainous factions]].

== [[Video Games]] ==
*  {{spoiler|Elder Shroob Princess}} in ''[[Mario & Luigi: Partners In Time]]''.
* Flandre Scarlet from ''[[Touhou Project]]'''s sixth game, ''Embodiment of Scarlet Devil'' (her sister, Remilia, is the game's last boss).
** From a much earlier game, ''[[Lotus Land Story]]'', Mugetsu is the extra stage's first boss and Gengetsu is the extra stage's second boss. Though having no last name, official material states that they are twins.
** Shizuha Aki is the midboss to Minoriko Aki's stage in ''[[Mountain Of Faith]]''.
** And in ''[[Subterranean Animism]]'', Koishi Komeiji (Extra stage) to Satori Komeiji (fourth stage).
* Death and Schirach from ''[[Romancing SaGa]]''. Death is the most powerful physically and controls Necromantic magic, and Schirach has the most powerful magic of the Trio of Dark Gods. However, if you power up the [[Big Bad]] to its fullest then the point is rendered moot.
*  {{spoiler|Hooktail}} in ''[[Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door]]'' actually has two other siblings.  {{spoiler|Gloomtail, who is her brother and is basically a [[Palette Swap]]. Bonetail is the eldest of the group and is an undead dragon lurking in the [[Bonus Dungeon]].}}
**  {{spoiler|Bonetail}} is actually the [[Big Bad]]'s ''pet'', and is a lot more difficult to beat than the [[Big Bad]] is.
* ''[[Final Fantasy XI]]'': After defeating  {{spoiler|Archduke Kam'lanaut}} halfway through the Rise of the Zilart missions, you find out that his  {{spoiler|comparatively pint-sized brother Eald'narche}} is really  {{spoiler|his big brother}} and serves as the [[Final Boss]] at the end of the mission set.
* Of ''[[Resident Evil]]'''s Ashford twins, Alexia is the smarter and tougher one {{spoiler|as well as the [[Big Bad]] in their game of appearance. Before she wakes up from a deep freeze, you're led to believe she's actually dead after finding out that whenever you see her beforehand it was her brother, at first the primary antagonist, impersonating her, so her arrival does serve as a turn.}}
**  {{spoiler|[[Resident Evil 5]]}} also does this with strong implications that  {{spoiler|there's another Wesker that's more clever and less [[Large Ham|hammy]] than the one we all know.}} Check the files in chapter 6-2 and Lost in Nightmares, it's sad indeed.
* In ''[[Mother 3]]'',  {{spoiler|Claus is the Mysterious Masked Man}}, and proves to be much stronger than your entire party.
* Rick and Nick Bruiser in ''[[Punch-Out!!|Super Punch-Out]]''.

{{reflist}}
[[Category:Sibling Tropes]]
[[Category:Video Game Tropes]]
[[Category:Villains]]
[[Category:Alliterative Trope Titles]]
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]