Villainous Mode

Villainous Mode operates as a layered enhancement system with multiple degrees of corruption. The lightest application, designated the First Stage, causes only a momentary shift in the target's appearance. A purple energy briefly envelops them and their eyes flash red before the visible effects fade, leaving only the increased power and diminished free will. This minimal version appears throughout certain Parallel Quest scenarios in Dragon Ball Xenoverse.

The Second Stage represents a more sustained corruption. The target maintains the purple aura and glowing red eyes for the entire duration of combat, signaling that the Dark Magic has taken a firmer hold. Fighters in this state show noticeably elevated aggression and power output compared to their normal selves.

The Third Stage marks a complete physical transformation. The target's entire body shifts to a deep violet-purple coloration, their eyes become solid red with no visible pupils or irises, and two black lines appear beneath their eyes in a pattern identical to Demigra's own facial markings. This is the most thorough form of Villainous Mode corruption and is available as a playable transformation in the original Xenoverse.

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 introduced a Fourth Stage variant called Supervillain Power. Rather than the purple aesthetic of earlier stages, this version surrounds the user with a white and black aura and changes their eyes to a glowing hot pink. The Demon Realm Crystal allows Time Patrollers to access this stage during Fu's experimental Crystal Raid missions, making it one of the few versions of Villainous Mode available to player characters in a controlled setting.

Villainous Mode serves as the primary mechanism by which the Time Breakers disrupt the proper flow of history throughout the Xenoverse games. Towa and Demigra use their Dark Magic to empower key villains at critical moments in the Dragon Ball timeline, creating altered events that the player's Time Patroller must correct.

During the climax of the Demon God Demigra Saga in the first Xenoverse, Demigra demonstrated the full scope of Villainous Mode's potential. He resurrected Frieza, Cell, and Kid Buu simultaneously and placed all three under Third Stage corruption, forcing Goku and the Future Warrior to battle the trio of empowered villains. After their defeat, Demigra escalated further by corrupting Vegeta, Gotenks, and Gohan as well, creating a gauntlet of brainwashed allies that the heroes had to fight through. Even Trunks briefly fell under Villainous Mode's influence before being freed.

An intriguing narrative detail emerged during Old Kai's training sequence. When the Elder Kai created a doppelganger of the Future Warrior's inner ego for a training exercise, the defeated ego revived itself in Villainous Mode. Old Kai explained that the player had just conquered the dark ambition growing within their own soul, suggesting that Villainous Mode can manifest from internal darkness as well as external magical influence.

The form's one firm limitation is its inability to affect beings with Godly power. Beerus proved completely immune to Demigra's attempts at corruption, and Goku became resistant after absorbing the power of Super Saiyan God. This immunity creates a natural narrative boundary that prevents the Dark Magic from becoming an all-encompassing threat and ensures that the strongest fighters remain autonomous.

In Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, a variation called "Villainous Enemies" appeared with a crimson-and-black aura instead of the traditional purple. Defeating all Villainous Enemies in an area causes Super Villainous Enemies to spawn, and defeating the bosses reveals Towa's involvement, connecting the mechanic back to the established Xenoverse lore.