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[Scoops Novel]

Why do superhero stories work this way?

I mean, do any of the popular superheroes main villains merit being called a legit enemy?

[None]

they are synonyms

[Folly]

Villainy implies a person who takes actions which are evil or illegal. Someone who does things which would commonly be considered wrong by most of the society they are in.
An Enemy is just someone to whom one is opposed. An opponent. There is no automatic implication of evil.

Villains can be enemies and enemies can be villains, but Superhero stories generally prefer the term 'Villain' because that justifies the hero opposing them. If the hero is simply fighting his 'Enemy', then they're just a couple of superpowered assholes causing a lot of property damage for no reason.

[EuchreJack]

Why shouldn't I root for the Anti-Hero? Why can't I root for myself?

Why do superhero stories work this way?

I mean, do any of the popular superheroes main villains merit being called a legit enemy?

What, Superman shouldn't be beating upon a cripple?

Spider-Man shouldn't be beating on a fat guy and a bunch of cripples?

[King Zultan]

Damn it now I need to see Superman fight an army of super powered cripples.

[scriver]

I mean, the Blob is just a super-fat guy and it's okay for supes to beat on him

[Jrleebus]

Villeins, not Anemonies.

[Scoops Novel]

Damn it now I need to see Superman fight an army of super powered cripples.

... And at least one of them might be an actual enemy because the writers would actually try with the antagonist for something like that.

[King Zultan]

Superman secretly hates cripples so they are all enemies to him.

[Loud Whispers]

Villainy implies a person who takes actions which are evil or illegal. Someone who does things which would commonly be considered wrong by most of the society they are in.
An Enemy is just someone to whom one is opposed. An opponent. There is no automatic implication of evil.

Villains can be enemies and enemies can be villains, but Superhero stories generally prefer the term 'Villain' because that justifies the hero opposing them. If the hero is simply fighting his 'Enemy', then they're just a couple of superpowered assholes causing a lot of property damage for no reason.

Or if they're the enemy, there has to be that acknowledgement that the other guy probably has a set of motivations which are not so different from the protagonist, which can be morally conflicting for a producer who wants a more black and white clash of good spandex man vs evil CGI man

[EuchreJack]

Really, Superman vs. Batman was the best superhero movie ever.

[Scoops Novel]

Enemies are easier to fuck up in a memorable mien.

[King Zultan]

What do you mean when you say mien?