Dark Messiahs are held as Gods, Messiahs and/or similar icons by supporters. Unlike God Wannabes, not all Dark Messiahs seek worship and their followers often do so willingly rather than by force. People are willing to lay their lives down to protect and/or serve the Dark Messiah. Villains under this category are often Pure Evil.

Often they will rise in power and may be prophesied to rule or ruin the world, thus acting as a reverse of the traditional role of a "Savior". They differ from Dark Lords in the sense that "messiah" literally means "savior" or "liberator" by their followers; Lords or Ladies do not need to seek out the purpose of saving and/or protecting subordinates.

Villains openly worshipped and/or revered by large groups of followers and take on the role of amoral saviors and liberators (at least to said followers) belong here. This includes Fanatics who commit atrocities in the name of Gods and/or religions by presenting themselves as spokespersons or guardians of faith albeit with twisted views of what religions and subsequently an ideal world should be.