Genshin Impact has introduced many villains over its five-year journey, but none strike fear into players’ hearts quite like Il Dottore. As the second-ranked Fatui Harbinger, this mad scientist represents pure evil in a world filled with morally gray characters. Unlike other antagonists who might have understandable motives, Il Dottore commits horrifying acts simply because he can, with no regard for human life or suffering. This article explores why Il Dottore stands apart as Genshin Impact’s most terrifying villain and why he might become the final challenge for the Traveler.
Key Takeaways
- Il Dottore is the 2nd-ranked Fatui Harbinger, making him one of the most powerful figures in Teyvat
- He’s known for conducting unethical human experiments without any moral constraints
- His manipulation of Scaramouche at Tatarasuna shows his complete lack of empathy
- Many players consider him the most evil character in Genshin Impact lore
- Theories suggest he could become the final villain rather than Celestia or the Abyss
- His real name is Zandik, and he was once a student at the Sumeru Akademiya
Who is Il Dottore in Genshin Impact?
Il Dottore, also known as “The Doctor” or by his birth name Zandik, serves as the second of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers in Genshin Impact. This ranking places him just below Pierro in the Fatui hierarchy, making him one of the most powerful and dangerous individuals in Teyvat. Unlike other Harbingers who might have political ambitions or serve the Tsaritsa’s goals, Il Dottore pursues only his own twisted scientific curiosity and desire for power.
What makes Il Dottore particularly frightening is his complete lack of moral compass. While other villains in Genshin Impact might have understandable motivations or even redeeming qualities, Il Dottore commits atrocities purely for the sake of knowledge and personal gain. He views living beings as nothing more than test subjects in his endless pursuit of scientific advancement and god-like power.
Pro Tip: When exploring Genshin Impact lore, pay attention to how Il Dottore’s actions contrast with other Fatui Harbingers. This comparison highlights just how uniquely evil he truly is.
The Dark Origins of Il Dottore
Long before becoming a Fatui Harbinger, Il Dottore was known as Zandik, a student at the prestigious Sumeru Akademiya. Even in his youth, he showed disturbing tendencies, caring only about his self-serving schemes and experiments. His time at the Akademiya ended when his unethical research methods were discovered, leading to his expulsion.
This early period shaped the monster he would become. Free from academic constraints, Il Dottore embraced his darkest impulses fully. He began conducting horrific experiments on innocent people, including children, all in the name of scientific progress. His lack of empathy and complete disregard for human life became his defining characteristics.
Real Example: One of Il Dottore’s earliest known victims was Collei, a young girl he experimented on and left with PTSD and a curse from “God’s remains.” This early crime set the pattern for countless others that would follow throughout his career.
Il Dottore’s Most Horrifying Crimes
Il Dottore’s list of atrocities in Genshin Impact is long and disturbing. Unlike other villains who might show restraint or have limits, Il Dottore recognizes no boundaries in his pursuit of knowledge and power. His crimes include:
- Conducting unethical human experiments on countless victims across Teyvat
- Manipulating and brainwashing Scaramouche, turning him into a weapon
- Sabotaging the Mikage Furnace at Tatarasuna, causing widespread destruction
- Experimenting on children and leaving them with permanent physical and psychological damage
- Creating multiple copies of himself to extend his life and increase his power
- Working with the Sages of Sumeru to capture and study Aranaras
What makes these crimes particularly heinous is Il Dottore’s complete lack of remorse. He doesn’t commit these acts out of necessity or for some greater good—he does them because he finds them interesting and because they serve his personal ambitions.
Data Point: According to Genshin Impact lore, Il Dottore is one of the few characters universally hated by other Fatui Harbingers, including Arlecchino and Sandrone. When even other villains despise you, it speaks volumes about your evil nature.
The Tatarasuna Incident: Il Dottore’s Ultimate Betrayal
Perhaps the most infamous example of Il Dottore’s villainy is the Tatarasuna incident, where he manipulated and betrayed Scaramouche (now known as the Wanderer). This event perfectly encapsulates Il Dottore’s modus operandi: using people as tools and discarding them when they’re no longer useful.
At Tatarasuna, Il Dottore disguised himself as a Fontainian man named Escher. He gained the trust of the local workers, including a kind man named Niwa. However, this was all part of his plan to sabotage the Mikage Furnace. When his scheme was discovered, he murdered Niwa and framed him as a traitor, destroying his reputation even in death.
But Il Dottore’s most cruel act was his manipulation of Scaramouche. He took the vulnerable puppet, filled his head with lies and false promises, and used him as a test subject for his twisted experiments. This psychological torture would shape Scaramouche into the bitter villain he eventually became, all according to Il Dottore’s design.
Common Mistake: Many players think Il Dottore’s evil is limited to physical experiments. In reality, his psychological manipulation of characters like Scaramouche is equally, if not more, damaging.
Why Il Dottore Stands Above Other Genshin Impact Villains
Genshin Impact features many antagonists, from the Unknown God to the Abyss Order, but Il Dottore occupies a unique place among them. What makes him stand out as the most terrifying villain?
First, unlike other villains who might have grand plans or ideological motivations, Il Dottore’s evil is personal and intimate. He doesn’t seek to change the world or fulfill some destiny—he simply wants to satisfy his own curiosity and gain more power. This selfishness makes him more relatable in his evil and therefore more frightening.
Second, Il Dottore’s intelligence and scientific knowledge make him particularly dangerous. He’s not just a powerful fighter; he’s a brilliant strategist who can manipulate events and people to achieve his goals. His ability to create multiple copies of himself and conduct horrific experiments shows a level of scientific genius that few in Teyvat can match.
Finally, Il Dottore’s complete lack of redeeming qualities sets him apart. Other villains might have tragic backstories or understandable motives that make them sympathetic. Il Dottore has none of this. He’s evil because he chooses to be, and he takes pleasure in the suffering of others.
Il Dottore’s Relationship with Other Fatui Harbingers
Even among the Fatui Harbingers—some of the most dangerous individuals in Teyvat—Il Dottore is feared and despised. This speaks volumes about his character, considering the company he keeps.
Arlecchino, known as “The Knave,” has openly considered killing Il Dottore, which is remarkable given the Fatui’s internal politics. Sandrone, another Harbinger, also harbors intense hatred for him. This universal disdain from other villains suggests that Il Dottore’s evil transcends even the loose moral code that the Fatui might follow.
Interestingly, Il Dottore doesn’t seem to care about his colleagues’ opinions of him. He operates independently, pursuing his own goals with little regard for Fatui hierarchy or teamwork. This lone-wolf mentality, combined with his terrifying power, makes him unpredictable and dangerous even to his supposed allies.
Actionable Tip: When studying Genshin Impact’s villain hierarchy, notice how Il Dottore’s relationships with other Harbingers reveal his true nature. Even villains have standards, and Il Dottore crosses them all.
The Theory: Il Dottore as Genshin Impact’s Final Villain
Many players and lore enthusiasts believe that Il Dottore could be Genshin Impact’s final villain, rather than the Unknown God or the Abyss Order. This theory makes sense when you consider several factors:
First, Il Dottore has already attempted to seize power that would make him equal to or even stronger than the Four Shades of Celestia. His attempt to control the three moons in the Nod-Krai archon quests shows his ambition knows no bounds.
Second, Il Dottore has successfully manipulated some of the most powerful figures in Teyvat, including other Fatui Harbingers, Varka (the Grandmaster of the Knights of Favonius), and even Alice (the founder of Hexenzirkel). This ability to outsmart and control such powerful individuals suggests he could be the ultimate threat.
Finally, from a storytelling perspective, Il Dottore represents the perfect final challenge. He’s not some abstract cosmic force but a personal, human evil that the Traveler can confront directly. His crimes are intimate and personal, making the eventual showdown more emotionally satisfying.
Il Dottore’s Scientific Experiments and Their Impact
Il Dottore’s scientific pursuits represent the darkest aspects of human curiosity unchecked by morality. His experiments range from the merely unethical to the truly horrifying, and their impact on Genshin Impact’s world cannot be overstated.
One of his most disturbing projects involves creating multiple copies of himself to extend his life and increase his capabilities. These “segments” allow him to be in multiple places at once and serve as backups should his main body be destroyed. This scientific achievement, while impressive, comes at the cost of countless lives used as test subjects.
Il Dottore has also conducted extensive research on manipulating memories and emotions, as seen in his treatment of Scaramouche. His ability to rewrite a person’s past and reshape their personality makes him particularly dangerous, as he can turn allies into enemies and heroes into villains.
Visual Element:
| Experiment Type | Victims Known | Purpose | Status |
| Human Cloning | Multiple test subjects | Life extension, power duplication | Ongoing |
| Memory Manipulation | Scaramouche, others | Control, weapon creation | Successful |
| Biological Enhancement | Collei, children | Creating super soldiers | Partially successful |
| God Creation | Scaramouche | Personal ascension to godhood | Failed |
Why Players Fear Il Dottore More Than Other Villains
The Genshin Impact community’s reaction to Il Dottore is unique. While players often express interest in making villains playable, Il Dottore is one of the few characters who inspires genuine fear and hatred. This reaction is telling and speaks to his effectiveness as a villain.
Players fear Il Dottore because he represents a realistic kind of evil. Unlike cosmic threats or ancient gods, Il Dottore is human (or was once human) and his motivations are disturbingly relatable. His pursuit of knowledge at any cost mirrors real-world ethical debates about scientific progress without moral constraints.
Additionally, Il Dottore’s crimes are personal and intimate. He doesn’t threaten to destroy the world—he destroys individual lives, families, and communities. This personal touch makes his evil more immediate and frightening to players.
Real Example: When Il Dottore appeared in the game’s story, many players reported feeling genuine discomfort and fear—a reaction that few other Genshin Impact villains have managed to elicit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Il Dottore considered the most evil character in Genshin Impact?
Il Dottore is considered the most evil character in Genshin Impact because he commits atrocities without any moral constraints or redeeming qualities. Unlike other villains who might have understandable motivations or tragic backstories, Il Dottore harms others purely for his own curiosity and gain. He experiments on children, manipulates innocent people, and shows zero remorse for his actions. Even other villains in the game, including fellow Fatui Harbingers, despise him, which speaks volumes about his evil nature when even the bad guys think you’ve gone too far.
What did Il Dottore do to Scaramouche at Tatarasuna?
At Tatarasuna, Il Dottore committed one of his most infamous acts of villainy by manipulating and betraying Scaramouche. He disguised himself as a Fontainian man named Escher and gained the trust of local workers, including Niwa. Il Dottore then sabotaged the Mikage Furnace, murdered Niwa, and framed him as a traitor. Most cruelly, he took Scaramouche and filled his head with lies and false promises, psychologically torturing him and turning him into a weapon. This manipulation shaped Scaramouche into the bitter villain he eventually became, showing Il Dottore’s complete lack of empathy and his willingness to destroy lives for his own purposes.
Is Il Dottore the strongest Fatui Harbinger?
Il Dottore is ranked as the second Fatui Harbinger, placing him just below Pierro in terms of official hierarchy. However, strength in Genshin Impact isn’t just about combat power—Il Dottore’s intelligence, scientific knowledge, and ability to manipulate others make him particularly dangerous. While he might not be the strongest in a direct fight, his cunning and lack of moral constraints make him one of the most threatening Harbingers. Some theories suggest he could be more dangerous than even the first-ranked Harbinger due to his unpredictable nature and willingness to do anything to achieve his goals.
Will Il Dottore be the final villain in Genshin Impact?
Many players and lore enthusiasts believe Il Dottore could be Genshin Impact’s final villain rather than the Unknown God or Abyss Order. This theory is based on several factors: his attempt to seize power equal to the Four Shades of Celestia, his successful manipulation of powerful figures across Teyvat, and his personal, intimate evil that makes him a more satisfying final challenge than abstract cosmic threats. While nothing is confirmed, Il Dottore’s character development and ambitions certainly position him as a potential final boss for the Traveler to confront.
What experiments has Il Dottore conducted in Genshin Impact?
Il Dottore has conducted numerous horrific experiments throughout Genshin Impact’s story. His most notorious experiments include creating multiple copies of himself to extend his life, manipulating memories and personalities (as seen with Scaramouche), conducting biological enhancement experiments on children like Collei, and attempting to create or elevate others to godhood. He’s also researched Aranaras and worked with the Sages of Sumeru to capture these creatures for study. What makes these experiments particularly evil is his complete disregard for his subjects’ wellbeing and his lack of any ethical constraints in his pursuit of knowledge and power.
Conclusion
Il Dottore stands apart as Genshin Impact’s most terrifying villain because he represents a pure, unadulterated evil that’s rare in modern storytelling. Unlike other antagonists who might have gray morality or understandable motivations, Il Dottore commits atrocities simply because he can, with no regard for human life or suffering. His intelligence, scientific knowledge, and complete lack of moral compass make him uniquely dangerous.
As Genshin Impact’s story continues to unfold, many players believe Il Dottore will emerge as the final villain—a personal, intimate evil that the Traveler must confront. Whether this theory proves true or not, there’s no denying that Il Dottore has already earned his place as one of gaming’s most memorable and frightening villains. His presence in the story serves as a dark reminder that sometimes the most terrifying monsters aren’t cosmic entities or ancient gods, but humans who have completely abandoned their humanity.
Ready to explore more about Genshin Impact’s fascinating characters and lore? Check out our guide to Genshin Impact’s Luna II update features or learn about upcoming characters like Nefer. For even more detailed information about Il Dottore and other villains, visit the Genshin Impact Wiki or explore his character profile on the Villains Wiki.
