What is it with the main villan in a Fantasi series and being pale and obsessed with snakes? (IE: Orochimaru/Voldemort)

well i guess snakes are associated with evil for some odd reason =/
poor snakes!
and the paleness?.....hmm maybe they wouldn't look so 'scary' if they were tanned :L
ha! a tanned orochimaru :3

ita alllll got to do with insanity