actually its not so different since i specified "any villain" whereas your point only differs from mine since you singled out a primary villain who has their very own plot device. How is superman not a plot device? A plot device is something that advances a story in some way. Superman defeats beings that he easily should not when other heroes just as strong as he is are taken down with ease. Are you denying this? He may not be a direct plot device on just one villain but he functions similarly.