Here’s Why I Think Il Dottore is The True Villain in Genshin Impact

TL;DR

  • Il Dottore represents a return to purely evil villains in an era dominated by morally gray antagonists
  • His academic background combined with complete moral bankruptcy makes him uniquely terrifying among Teyvat’s threats
  • The Doctor’s segment division research and god-creation experiments demonstrate unprecedented scientific ambition
  • Even fellow Fatui Harbingers despise him, with Arlecchino considering assassination
  • His successful deception of major figures like Varka and Alice indicates endgame-level capabilities

Throughout Genshin Impact’s five-year narrative journey, numerous antagonists have emerged, yet none have provoked such visceral community reactions as Il Dottore. What’s particularly telling is how this character divides a player base that typically advocates for every major figure becoming playable. As the second-ranked Fatui Harbinger, Il Dottore stands apart as potentially the most menacing villain in the game’s history, with strong indications he could emerge as the ultimate antagonist.

While compelling narratives require strong opposition, contemporary storytelling often favors villains with complex moral frameworks. These antagonists operate according to their own ethical codes that, while conflicting with the protagonist’s goals, contain understandable motivations. When executed skillfully, these nuanced villains become fan favorites precisely because their perspectives contain elements of validity.

However, there remains an undeniable appeal to encountering genuinely malevolent characters devoid of redeeming qualities. These classic villains evoke primal fear responses—their mere presence can trigger genuine unease. Characters embodying pure villainy often leave more lasting impressions, and Il Dottore appears deliberately crafted to occupy this terrifying archetype.

Il Dottore Genshin Impact
Image Credit: Hoyoverse (via YouTube/GenshinImpact)

Current Genshin Impact lore suggests eventual confrontations with the Heavenly Principles or Celestia’s Four Shades. However, the narrative isn’t confined to a single antagonistic force. The Heavenly Principles govern Teyvat for purposes still shrouded in mystery, while the Abyss operates as chaotic energy lacking conscious direction.

Il Dottore distinguishes himself by operating outside these cosmic frameworks. He isn’t driven by instinctual impulses or grand philosophical purposes. His motivation stems entirely from selfish ambition—the pursuit of divine power for personal ascension. This willingness to sacrifice everything without hesitation represents a particularly frightening villain characteristic.

The individual known as The Doctor emerged in the post-cataclysm era, originally named Darshan during his studies at Sumeru Akademiya. From his earliest days, he demonstrated exclusive concern for self-advancing schemes, initiating projects focused on artificial deification—either creating deities entirely or elevating humans to divine status. His ambitions extended far beyond theological engineering.

He systematically orchestrated experiments designed to measure emotional extremes by engineering betrayal and suspicion within close relationships. The Tatarasuna incident involving Scaramouche’s manipulation and betrayal provides clear evidence of Il Dottore’s profoundly twisted psychological framework.

The Doctor Genshin Impact Omega Build
Image Credit: Hoyoverse (via YouTube/GenshinImpact)

His research methodology involved exploiting Scaramouche—now known as the Wanderer—to develop puppet-based segmentation techniques for life extension. By this stage, Scaramouche had undergone complete psychological conditioning, accepting Il Dottore’s fabrications as absolute truth. This manipulation culminated in Scaramouche attempting deification through absorption of Lesser Lord Kusanali (Nahida). The Doctor demonstrated absolute disregard for Scaramouche’s existence, constructing elaborate false promises based on manufactured narratives, ultimately discarding him following defeat by the Traveler.

Teyvat contains numerous documented instances of Il Dottore conducting experiments with total ethical abandonment. He may represent the only character consistently engaging in such malevolent activities. Even within the Fatui Harbingers, The Doctor faces widespread animosity from figures including Arlecchino and Sandrone. Arlecchino’s contemplation of assassinating him speaks volumes about the severity of his transgressions.

Occupying the second position among Fatui Harbingers automatically places Il Dottore among Teyvat’s most powerful entities. When combined with his intellectual prowess and complete absence of moral constraints, he possesses all necessary qualifications to serve as the Traveler’s ultimate challenge. His attempted acquisition of the three moons’ power during Nod-Krai archon quests demonstrated unexpected ambition levels that caught many observers by surprise.

Possessing the combined power of all three lunar entities would potentially elevate The Doctor to equivalence with the Four Shades or possibly beyond. Although Columbina’s timely intervention thwarted this plan, it likely represents merely a temporary setback in Il Dottore’s ascension trajectory. His successful deception of three Fatui Harbingers alongside major figures like Varka (Knights of Favonius Grandmaster) and Alice (Hexenzirkel founder) strongly suggests endgame-level capabilities.

The Doctor is the main villain in Genshin Impact
Image Credit: Hoyoverse/Genshin Impact (screenshot by Sanmay Chakrabarti/ Beebom)

Beyond his strategic cunning and combat prowess, Il Dottore has earned genuine despisement throughout the Genshin Impact community. Such intense emotional responses create ideal narrative conditions for establishing him as the Traveler’s final adversary, even following confrontations with Celestia and the Primordial One to liberate Teyvat from external control.

For players analyzing character dynamics, understanding villain progression can enhance overall game appreciation. Similar to how mastering class mechanics in tactical shooters improves gameplay, recognizing narrative patterns in Genshin Impact deepens engagement with Teyvat’s evolving story.

Action Checklist

  • Analyze character motivations across different villain archetypes to understand narrative construction
  • Research Fatui Harbinger hierarchy and political dynamics to understand inter-character relationships
  • Compare Il Dottore’s methods with other antagonists to identify unique threat characteristics
  • Track character development across archon quests to recognize long-term narrative patterns

No reproduction without permission:Tsp Game Club » Here’s Why I Think Il Dottore is The True Villain in Genshin Impact Exploring Il Dottore's terrifying potential as Genshin Impact's ultimate villain and what makes him uniquely dangerous