Dungeons & Dragonsis a fantasy world built on brave heroes and evil villains, but one fiend of the Forgotten Realms may take the villain’s crown after the last full release inThe Legend of Drizztbook series. Written by American author R.A. Salvatore, this extensive series began in 1988 withThe Crystal Shard, the first book ofThe Icewind Dale Trilogy. Drizzt, one ofD&D’smost famous heroes, was introduced in this book but didn’t become the main character of the narrative untilThe Dark Elf Trilogy, released next. Drizzt faces villains of epic proportions throughout the books.
The pantheons of gods and goddesses inDungeons & Dragonshave grown over the years, with some cruel deities remaining firm fan-favorites. Among these are Vecna and Tiamat, with Vecna even getting a cameo in Netflix’sStranger Things. Although the first fewDungeons & Dragonsmoviesdid little to embedD&Dvillains into pop culture, the Whispered One (Vecna) appeared tantalizingly in Amazon’sThe Legend of Vox Machina. And yet, it is Drizzt’s enemy, Lolth - the Goddess of Spiders - who is now looking like the future of villainy inD&D.
Lolth’s Warrior Proves That Lolth Does Protect Drizzt In Dungeons & Dragons
Fans Theorized That Lolth Protected Drizzt Throughout The Legend Of Drizzt
Lolth’s Warriorproves that the long-running fan theory of Lolth, Drizzt’s enemy, actually protecting him is true.Drow ranger Drizzt Do’Urdenconstantly rebelled against Lolth, who ruled over the Underdark, throughoutThe Legend of Drizzt. Growing up in Menzoberranzan, a city of the Underdark,Drizzt was expected to serve Lolth. Drizzt’s rebellion frequently incurred Lolth’s wrath, and he fought a whole war against her inThe Way of the Drow, along with his allies. But the commitment to keeping Drizzt alive that Lolth showed in this 2023 release (Lolth’s Warrior) makes Lolth a much more interesting counterpart to Drizzt’s heroism.
One Great NPC & Drizzt Do’Urden Book Character Could Be The Key To A Live-Action D&D Show
Hasbro is planning its live-action Dungeons & Dragons TV show and one character could be the key, featuring in many of the franchise’s publications.
Although Vecna or Tiamat are often seen as the best villain inD&D, Lolth is looking increasingly like she may be the franchise’s best evil character. Vecna may be the most iconic villain, but Lolth’s design is both scary and beautiful. Plus, she saw character development acrossDungeons & Dragons’literary contribution that puts her in a position whereby she may finally beat Vecna as a historical institution.Multiple authors have developed Lolth’s story, and she may now be the best bet for a villain inHasbro Entertainment’s developing live-actionD&DTV show.
Who Is Lolth In Dungeons & Dragons?
Lolth Is A Goddess With Power Over Drow
Technically, Lolth’s status as a goddess has changed over the years, with new rulebooks released often offering a new interpretation of Lolth. But as of the release ofD&D5e,Lolth is a nonhuman deity, still the Queen of Spiders. According to 2024’sOne D&Derrata, Lolth is the dark elf goddess of spiders, whose cleric domains are trickery and war. Lolth was an early creation of Gary Gygax for the Greyhawk campaign setting of 1e, but went on to join Forgotten Realms, and was picked by R.A. Salvatore as the main villain for his Drizzt books.
Salvatore’s use of Lolth made her widely known beyond gamer circles and dragged otherD&Dwriters into her orbit, intriguing as her premise was. Lisa Smedman created an addendum to Lolth’s story inThe Lady Penitent,although it was later retconned, while many writers createdWar of the Spider Queen, a series central to Underdark and Lolth lore.Originally Araushnee, Lolth betrayed Correlon, her husband, and was banished to the Demonweb Pits in the Abyss in spider form. Meanwhile, dark elves that supported Lolth were chased into the subterranean Underdark.
Lolth Could Offer Dungeons & Dragons TV A Villain To Rival Vecna
Dungeons & Dragons Should Take Advantage Of Its Spider Queen
Drizzt and his two scimitarsfought Lolth ever since book one ofThe Legend of Drizzt, if it is read chronologically. Gamers andreaders have demanded aLegend of Drizztadaptation since the ’80s, with upwards of 30 million books sold, making Lolth a surefire way to entice viewers into a show. Although Paramount+ pulled out of the live-action TV show that Hasbro was planning, mostly due to their financial difficulties and the sale of eOne, Hasbro Entertainment remains shepherding the show. It is seeking partner studios, and Lolth could ensure a script strong enough to attract them.
A webtoon focused on Breezy, the daughter ofDrizzt Do’Urden and Catti-brie, is “uncertain” but on the cards, while the 2021 animated shortSleep Sounddemonstrates the awesome potential of a show about Lolth-worshipping drowin the Underdark. Spiders crawl up hands and altars in this rudimentary but promising 5-minute watch narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch.D&D’ssince-removed blog post apologizing around accusations of racism regarding the ebony-skinned drow got Drizzt replaced by Xenk inDungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, but Drizzt should fight Lolth on TV to ensureD&D’sgrowth and future.
Lolth’s Devotion To Chaos Is An Interesting Route To Redeeming Her For DMs Or TV
Lolth Appears Almost Redeemable From Some Angles
Lolth seemed so committed to chaos inLolth’s Warriorthat she almost seemed to serve a greater purpose other than herself. This is, of course, not entirely true, as Lolth generally works toward her power above all else. Butif Lolth served chaos and trickery truly, she could actually be inspiring progressand change. This seemed to shine inLolth’s Warriorand even its prequels inThe Way of the Drow, to a certain extent. This opens up the possibility of an intriguing redemption arc for DMs during gameplay or live-action TV.
Lolth’s alignment is chaotic evil inDungeons & Dragons, unsurprisingly.
Seen from almost every angle, Lolth is a goddess with approximately zero redeeming qualities - a Machiavellian psychopath with no desire for connection. But she can be seen as insane in many pantheon and drow origin storiesand campaigns, which also opens her up to a possible “healing” of sorts, even if it only served a temporary hero alliance or teamup. This could be a genuinely innovative conversation starter for the TV show. Lolth’s discussions inLolth’s Warriorwith her handmaidens prove how much she values Drizzt. Ultimately, this makes her one ofDungeons & Dragons’most complex and high-potential villains.
Dungeons & Dragons
TheDungeons & Dragonsfranchise is a fantasy adventure series based on the iconic tabletop role-playing game. The franchise includes both live-action and animated adaptations, with the most notable being the recent filmDungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves(2023), which brought the fantasy world of D&D to a broader audience with its blend of humor, action, and classic D&D elements. The franchise explores themes of heroism, friendship, and the unpredictable nature of adventuring in a magical world filled with dragons, wizards, and mythical creatures.
