Greatest villains of all time

[arodfan727]

vil·lain   
noun
1.a cruelly malicious person who is involved in or devoted to wickedness or crime; scoundrel.
2.a character in a play, novel, or the like, who constitutes an important evil agency in the plot.
3.villein.


This is a list of some of the most widely known (and best) villains of all time. This includes villains from literature, movies, comics, and mythology. I know there's some missing, but these are the ones I picked. I've picked quotes about them or something they said that reveals something about their character.

1) Lord Voldemort- Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

"Neither can live while the other survives..."- Prophecy made about Voldemort and Harry and their relationship.*

Both of their wands contain a feather from the same Phoenix, making them unable to kill each other. Also, a piece of Voldemort's soul was once latched onto Harry's, making them connected in deeper ways. *They were destined to kill each other, and they cannot live simultaneously.*

2) Professor Moriarty- The Adventure of the Final Problem (Sherlock Holmes) and The Valley of Fear by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

"He is the Napoleon of crime, Watson. He is the organizer of half that is evil and nearly all that is undetected in this great city. *He is a genius, a philosopher, an abstract thinker. *He has a brain of the first order." - Sherlock Holmes

Criminal mastermind used as a device to kill of Sherlock Holmes in the original Doyle stories. He is known as Holmes' greatest antagonist.

3) The Joker- Batman (DC Comics)- created by Jerry Robinson, Bob Kane, and Bill Finger

"You won't kill me out of some misplaced sense of self-righteousness and I won't kill you because you're just too much fun! I think you and I are destined to do this forever." - The Joker in 'The Dark Knight'

They are ying and yang, the perfect pair. Both are products of living through "one bad day", and while Joker is considered psychopathic, schizophrenic, anti-social, and with split personality, Batman has arguably the same problems. The two never kill each other because they give each other meaning and reason to live. The persona of Batman exists to rid the world of people like the Joker, yet he swears to never kill. Joker lives to excite chaos and terror, along with testing the Batman, showing him what he stands for is "just a big joke."

4) Freddy Krueger- Nightmare on Elm Street movies- created by Wes Craven

"There's only one cure for me, buddy boy. You gotta die! "- Freddy Krueger

Yes I know. Strange quote but there's not a lot about him. He's one of the most widely known horror villains. Rightfully so because he is quite terrifying.

5) Darth Vader- Star Wars movies IV-VI- created by George Lucas

"Luke, I am your father."- Darth Vader in Star Wars Episode V, The Empire Strikes Back

Born great Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, he turned to the dark side of the Force at a young age and became a menacing villain. He is the main antagonist in the original trilogy, and the main protagonist in the prequel trilogy. By revealing himself as Luke's father, we see a more human side of Vader,

6) Loki- Norse Mythology and Marvel Comics- Comic version based on Norse mythology and created by Stan Lee

"I am Loki of Asgard and I am burdened with glorious purpose."- Loki*
(Yes, I know, an Avengers quote, oops.)

In Norse mythology, he is the god of mischief and a shapeshifter. He's quite annoying to have for an enemy.

7) Satan- Christian Mythology
(Yes, I know, how controversial of me to put him under mythology. Oh well.)

"the prince of the demons, Beelzebub (Matthew 12:24, Mark 3:22, Luke 11:15)
unclean spirit (Matthew 12:43)
the evil one (Matthew 13:19 & 1 John 2:13)
the author of all evil (Luke 10:19)
a murderer and the father of lies (John 8:44)
the prince of this world (John 12:31 & 14:30 & 16:11)
a demon able to enter into a human body (John 13:27)
god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4)
Belial (2 Corinthians 6:15)
prince of the powers of the air, the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2)
power of darkness (Colossians 1:13)"

The biggest antagonist of Christian mythology and belief, said to have been an angel in God's own court before becoming jealously envious. He then was cast from heaven and tempts the people of the world. The most widely referenced villain.

Dracula- Dracula by Bram Stoker

"I saw... Count Dracula... with red light of triumph in his eyes, and with a smile that Judas in **** might be proud of."- Jonathan Harker, 'Dracula'

Dracula, the quintessential vampire, an archetype for all villains of his kind. Dracula is one of the most famous villains, and rightfully so. He was based on Prince Vlad III the Impaler. He has taken many different incarnations over the decades, but is still greatly remembered. *

9) The Wicked Witch of the West- The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (also appears in 'Wicked' by Gregory Maguire)

"I'm melting!"- The Witch in the 1939 'The Wizard of Oz' movie

She is a hunched old woman with magical powers. The Witch is green and is also widely referenced. In the novel she carried an umbrella, rather than the broom from the 1939 movie.

10) Iago- Othello by William Shakespeare

"Men should be what they seem;
Or those that be not, would they might seem none!"
Iago, scene iii

Iago is one of Shakespeare's most complex villains, described as amoral rather than immoral. He is diabolical and envious, and today would be called a psychopath with no conscience. Iago has been called the greatest villain in all literature.


Okay, now you're wondering the point of these, right? Well vote for your favorite(s). Lala.*

[hugged]

Loki is by far the best villain.

[MegMeg]

All of those except Loki (haven't seen Thor or the Avengers), Professor Masdfgjkl; (no idea who he is), and Satan (don't believe in him).

[luvzfrogs]

Darth Vader

[dudeisthatatwix]

darth vader, voldemort, loki

i wouldn't vote for satan.. he is not great.

[arodfan727]

I don't believe in Satan either, but in the bible he's pretty cool. His entire existence is a paradox. And he won

[cutiebug343]

Loki, The Joker, and Moriarty (I haven't seen much of BBC Sherlock but that version of him is interesting).

[Desty]

Interesting list! I can't really call Satan or Dracula (Vlad the Impaler) villians. One is pure evil and one was a serial killer. 'Villian' would be too much of an understatement for them.
I'm going with Darth Vader, since he was a daunting villian that was redeemed, which is always cool for a villian. xD

[MegMeg]

Originally Posted by arodfan727

I don't believe in Satan either, but in the bible he's pretty cool. His entire existence is a paradox. And he won

Yeah, from a literary stand point he's definitely a stand-out villain.

I really liked Desty's reason for picking Darth Vader, character redemption is always cool.

[IzzyBella123]

Loki is my favourite villain, but i think the best villain is Darth Vader