akumatization

Akumatization is a fictional process depicted in the animated television series Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir. It is the method by which the villain Hawk Moth (also known as Shadow Moth or Monarch) creates his supervillain adversaries. The process involves Hawk Moth using his magical Miraculous, the Butterfly Miraculous, to corrupt the negative emotions of ordinary citizens, such as anger, sadness, or frustration.

When a person experiences a strong negative emotion, Hawk Moth senses it and sends a sentimonster called a "Akuma" to find them. The Akuma then enters the victim's personal item, often an object that is significant to their emotional distress. Hawk Moth then communicates with the individual through this item, offering them power in exchange for their loyalty and the retrieval of Ladybug and Cat Noir's Miraculous.

Upon acceptance of the offer, the Akuma merges with the person, transforming them into a supervillain with powers that reflect their original negative emotion or their desires. These transformed individuals are referred to as "akumatized villains" or simply "akumatized". Their primary objective, dictated by Hawk Moth, is to defeat Ladybug and Cat Noir and obtain their Miraculous. Once defeated by Ladybug, the Akuma is purified, and the victim is restored to their normal self, usually with no memory of their actions as a villain.