Boom Beach’s Biggest Baddie Breaks Into Song in This Fun, Unexpected Musical Number

What if I told you the business of evil is … lonely?

That’s the line that begins the musical number in “It’s Lonely at the Top,” a dark and delightful animated film for Supercell’s Boom Beach.

Created by agency Barton F. Graf, the video is a promotion for the Blackguard Base Builder, a Boom Beach feature that lets players design bases for the game’s original villain, Lt. Hammerman. But why would anyone design bases for the army they’re supposed to be fighting?

That’s the wrong question. The real question is, why would Lt. Hammerman invite players to help him out?

Because it’s lonely being a super villain, that’s why.

The video’s got a Despicable Me thing going on, opening with Hammerman, all alone in a dark room, save for a tiny model of the gamespace. As he draws a sad face on a window with his gloved finger, he breaks into a song that explores the abject depths of his loneliness.

This charming musical number hits an optimistic pitch when Hammerman conceives the idea of inviting people to join him in doing the very thing he loves best—building bases for the Blackguard Army. It’s not quite A-to-B thinking, but then again, that’s how dictators express their charm.

At the video’s climax, featuring smiling soldiers dancing Broadway-style, Hammerman hops on a tank and activates a massive flamethrower, right when he hits his highest, most triumphant note: “I’ll be the most popular villain on Boom Beach!”

It ends, naturally, with him discovering he’s just killed all his friends.

Awkward. But also not unlike a big dog who’s just discovered the friendly bunny he’s been playing with is now dead. Can evil really help itself, or is it just a more extreme form of butterfingers?

CREDITS
Client: Supercell
Agency: Barton F Graf

House Special
Kirk Kelley – Director
Karly Richter – Producer
Lourri Hammock – Executive Producer

Butter Music & Sound
Andrew Sherman – Composer
Kristin Kuriashi – Producer
Ian Jeffreys – Executive Producer

Heard City – Audio Mix
Evan Mangiamele – Engineer

Angela Natividad

@luckthelady

Angela Natividad is a frequent contributor to Adweek's creativity blog, AdFreak. She is also the author of Generation Creation and co-founder of Hurrah, an esports agency. She lives in Paris and when she isn't writing, she can be found picking food off your plate.