Quote Originally Posted by Razade View Post
But that's not all villains. As you mentioned, Lex Luthor is a billionaire. He's nothing like a peasant, up to and including trying to take over the world with his money. It's just a point of general pedantry and while you can find poor villains looking to overthrow the establishment...that's not really a peasant thing either. They're, mostly, not farmers nor are the vast majority in a feudal system or even a psuedo-feudal system. It's a reach from start to finish.
Actually many villains fulfill the Etymology of their name by being "of lower status" than the hero.

Lex Luthor is a human. Supposedly having no superpowers (he would win the Olympics, the Chess championships, but still). Superman is like a noble in a fairy tale: better than ordinary people in every way and obviously more deserving of the princess.

Most villains are misfits, have something wrong with them, and don't fit our values for what make people superior. The hero is superior even if today that doesn't necessarily mean being of noble birth.

In fact heroes are more likely to be born for their special, chosen role. Superman fits well.