9 Villains We Ended Up Loving And 10 Others Whose Downfall We Couldn't Wait To See
There's something about their evilness that draws us in.
Some villains are so entertaining that they stop feeling like side characters and start stealing the whole movie. That is exactly why audiences keep revisiting the bad guys who are impossible to ignore, whether they are cruel, chaotic, or just weirdly charming.
This roundup looks at the villains people loved anyway, plus the ones viewers could not wait to see brought down. From animated troublemakers to live-action tyrants, the list mixes pure menace with a few surprisingly sympathetic figures.
By the end, it is hard not to admit that a great villain can make the whole story better. Read on.
1. Randall from Monsters, Inc.
He kidnapped Boo to become a guinea pig for the Scream Extractor. It was a world full of monsters, but Randall was a special kind of evil.
Buena Vista Pictures Distribution2. Dolores Umbridge from Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix
Her overly sweet teas masked the awful person that Dolores Umbridge truly was. Her love for cats wasn't enough to redeem her blind willingness to be self-righteous.
Warner Bros. Pictures3. King Joffrey Baratheon from Game of Thrones
The first of Cersei's children, Joffrey was the unfortunate king of Westeros. It was especially satisfying to watch him drop dead during his own wedding.
Game of Thrones
4. Scar from The Lion King
This movie had surprisingly real-world themes for a children's film. Scar was the worst lion in that pride, and his painful demise taught me a new word as a kid: vengeance.
Buena Vista Pictures
5. President Snow from The Hunger Games
The rose-smelling President of Panem doomed hundreds of people to certain death when he upheld the annual Hunger Games. Watching the citizens he exploited mob him and ultimately cause his demise was justified.
Lionsgate
6. Emperor Palpatine from Star Wars
The internet loves to pile on Jar Jar Binks for being annoying, but it's undeniable that Palpatine is the most evil. He was the worst advisor Darth Vader could have had, and watching him die (twice) was amazing.
20th Century Fox
7. Commodus from Gladiator
The emperor of Rome was quite possibly the most annoying person in that film. He was whiny, power-hungry, and just plain bad news.
Universal International Pictures
8. Voldemort from Harry Potter
A genocidal middle-aged man obsessing over immortality is unquestionably a bad guy. He has a face only Nagini could love, and that's because a part of his soul was in it.
Warner Bros. Pictures
That’s a lot like reclaiming an adopted cat from a neglectful partner.
9. Detective Alonzo Harris from Training Day
Detective Harris is your classic dirty cop, only 100 times worse. No matter how many times you watch the movie, he is just diabolical.
Warner Bros. Pictures
10. The White Witch from The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
If you find yourself in a snowy forest, do not accept Turkish delight from a strange White Witch. This character gave many children a lot of bad dreams.
Buena Vista Pictures
11. Darth Vader from Star Wars
Was it the voice of James Earl Jones or the fact that he was Luke's father that made us learn to love Darth Vader? Either way, learning about his story gave us enough reason to sympathize with this bad guy.
20th Century Fox
12. Joker from The Dark Knight
Enough has probably been said about Heath Ledger's portrayal of Batman's nemesis, but his version of the Joker was undoubtedly one of the best. We got a glimpse of why the agent of anarchy hated the billionaire so much.
Warner Bros. Pictures
13. Moriarty from Sherlock
Moriarty was creepily brilliant and villainous. His charisma was a great contrast to Sherlock's cold and calculating nature; he was a deserving opponent.
BBC
14. Maleficent from Disney's Maleficent
She was heartbroken and left wingless in the middle of the forest. How can we hate the evil godmother who only wanted love?
Walt Disney Studio Motion Pictures
15. Sharpay Evans from High School Musical
Sharpay's redemption in pop culture has been long overdue. She is the epitome of a girly girl and was unfairly treated when the new girl came along.
Disney Channel
16. Severus Snape from Harry Potter
Snape is and will always be a gray character. He was a bully and needed a lot of therapy, but Alan Rickman was so good in his portrayal that we couldn't help but feel a little sympathetic.
Warner Bros. Pictures
17. Kylo Ren from Star Wars
Yes, Kylo Ren did kill Han Solo, but he isn't all bad, is he? The emo prince of space needs a lot of hugs because the kid has been through a lot.
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
18. Magneto from X-Men
Magneto has one of the most difficult villain origin stories in the X-Men universe. His friendship with Professor X, his charisma, and his amazing mutant talents make him more endearing.
20th Century Fox
19. And the misunderstood adopted Norse God of Mischief, Loki from Thor
Thor's brother, the puny god, and would-be Slytherin if he were in Harry Potter, is the most lovable villain in recent movie history. We loved it when he impersonated Odin, and we teared up when he sacrificed himself.
Paramount Pictures
Heroes can have questionable morals and methods as well, but we root for them. When we point out the same thing about the villains, it's suddenly controversial?
With how popular these villains are, loving them is no longer an unpopular opinion. We also enjoy those who fully lean into their evil characters and sow chaos whenever they can. We're not alone in this, are we?
And if you’re torn about withholding a lost cat from a neighbor, read this case where the neighbor refused to pay vet bills.
