The converse of an anti-hero (i.e., a protagonist who isn't purely good or heroic), an anti-villain is an antagonist who isn't purely evil nor entirely unsympathetic -- a character who doesn't seem to deserve being cast as the villain, perhaps cast arbitrarily as the villain because they are not the focus of the story but merely present a foil to the central figure, who may be an antihero protagonist. Cf. scapegoat.
Magneto was an antivillain because, while the X-Men were the protagonists who fought to defeat him and prevailed in the end, we can still respect and appreciate him for his motives and principles, however ill-considered his ruthless methods.
by Monseignore Laszlo August 31, 2006
by Monseignore Laszlo November 06, 2020
by Monseignore Laszlo November 06, 2020
The negative of a "ta-da!" but with all the same self-impressed enthusiasm, for sleights of hand or mind which slyly accomplish nothing of the sort they seemed to at first -- i.e., a "ta-da!" combined with a "naaah."
From Reddit.com (7gwbw):
voltron013: From Hawaii you can see China.
7oby: but Japan is in the way?
GeoAtreides: No, Japan is hidden by earth's curvature, so he can see China. Ta-na!
voltron013: From Hawaii you can see China.
7oby: but Japan is in the way?
GeoAtreides: No, Japan is hidden by earth's curvature, so he can see China. Ta-na!
by Monseignore Laszlo December 03, 2008