Every great story has an even greater villain behind it. Since the dawn of storytelling, a villain has been a fundamental part of the formula, and while they’re not necessarily needed for a narrative, they play an important role. Tracing back to the origins of human storytelling, it was common for a villain, or even a questionable anti-hero, to work their way into the plot with less-than-pure intentions. Some receive redemption arcs that swoop in as saving graces; others are doomed to a life of criminality. Despite their fates,the idea of becoming a fan of the villain became more popularas stories evolved from being stricltly good-versus-evil to more empathetic, exploring why they became villains in the first place.
Indeed, even though they’re not intentionally designed to be the most likable, the big-bad of movies have generated a fanbase of their own. These evildoers may not always warrant an outpouring of support, but their greatest and grisliest moments have nevertheless snagged fans’ attention (and, in some cases, their hearts). They may be a bit twisted at their core and more immoral than some can come to agree on, but these are fivemovie villains that we can’t help but love.
Related:These are the MCU’s Most Sympathetic Villains
5Darth Vader
The downfall of Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd, Hayden Christensen) was expounded upon through theStar Warsprequel trilogies, giving more levity to just how the unraveling of a young Skywalker transformed him into one of the galaxy’s most feared villains. Darth Vader solidified himself as ruthless, and his backstory, rich in regret and despair, makes the origins of his vengefulness even more compelling. Knowing that Skywalker is beneath the helmet, a beloved personality thatStar Warsindulged in, inStar Wars: The Clone Wars(Matt Lanter) from a similar perspective to the prequel trilogy, creates an even more complex intrigue around Lord Vader.
Presenting a villain with a moral battle in which they ultimately lose out of misintention comes with a cost. For Vader, he sacrificed every aspect of his life under the deception of the Dark Side. In turn,he became a force that causes destruction in his wake, and the sense of dread that comes along with the sound of John Willaims' Imperial March has been well-earned.
TheX-Menseries of films finds its greatest strength in presenting the most inhuman being with the most human struggles. As the franchise is known for its political commentary and influence, Erik “Magneto” Lehnsherr (Sir Ian McKellen, Michael Fassbender) looks to the events of the Holocaust as the cause of emotional trauma. Magneto, a Jewish person and Holocaust survivor, carries over the unapologetic rage from the mass genocide, seeking out his own personal means of revenge against the Nazis and, later, those who seek to persecute mutantkind.
Magneto’s origins were inspired by Malcolm X, a Black, Muslim activist who stood for the end of segregation in America. Magneto’s means of fighting for mutant rights throughout theX-Menuniverse followed extreme measures of violence and destruction, ultimately putting forth ideas of mutant supremacy. His unrelenting determination to achieve this at any cost raised a number of questions regarding the validity and justifiability of his actions. Interestingly, Magneto’s morality blurred the lines between the dichotomous “good” and “evil” outlook on villainy, posing the ultimate question: was Magneto right?
3Hannibal Lecter
Master of disturbance and intrigue, Hannibal “the Cannibal” Lecter is one of the most bone-chilling villains through cinematic history. InSilence of the Lambs, Sir Anthony Hopkins' deeply unsettling performance as the forensic psychiatric-turned-killer carved out an incredibly haunting reputation for himself. His manipulative nature and nearly-sociopathic detachment from reality allow his dominance over Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) to further trigger his ego, encouraging his own behavior even more. Lecter owns his sinisterness with a wave of superiority over his outward demeanor. Lecter was one of the first villains to fully indulge in his unapologetic evilness. He takes pure joy away from torturing those who he deems to be intellectually inferior, and revels in the torture of them. The unwillingness to take an interest in the character while knowing what he’s done is part of the draw that makes Lecter undeniably fascinating.
Mads Mikkelsen, who charmed his way through NBC’sHannibal,echoed the means of Hopkin’s disgustingly alluring presentation of Lecter. despite the horrific crimes and acts of cannibalism being committed, there’s a natural inclination to want to lean into liking Lecter, despite the well-awareness of his atrocities.
Seemingly indestructible and fiercely ruthless, the T-1000 doubles as one of the most dauntless and unique villains in science fiction. Its shifting state of liquid to solid allows it to present itself as a near-indestructible foe keen to finish its mission. The introduction of a liquid metal shapeshifter was truly an original feat accomplished by theTerminatorfranchise in its sophomore film, and the levels of excitement that came along with the avant garde means of challenging what a villain could embody were unmatched for the genre in film. The groundbreaking originality found in the T-1000 was an elevation for theTerminatorsaga, with the film already taking the concept of superhumans and pushing the possibilities of what can be done.
Robert Patrick is unforgivingly cold as T-1000 inTerminator 2: Judgement Dayand embodies a sense of raw cruelty. His imposing demeanor and threatening aura alone are enough to strike fear across the screen, even if he never speaks to another Terminator. Patrick’s piercing, unblinking stare, and serpentine movements were inspired by real predators; he credits his inspiration to the eagle and the shark for his means of hunting down the Terminator.
Related:Here’s Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Best Moments in the Terminator Franchise
1Loki Laufeyson
Marvel’s most popular characters profit from misery. Loki Laufeyson (Tom Hiddleston)’s past of heartbreak casts an empathetic gaze over the God of Mischief, through his history of being an outcast. Vastly misunderstood, the Frost Giant’s lust for power comes with the bringing of chaos across theMarvel Cinematic Universe. His demise is followed through the firstThorfilm, where betrayal and distrust drive Loki’s motivation to claim the throne of Asgard as his own. Calculating-yet-impulsive, Loki’s determination to become an heir isn’t inherently evil, though his villainy gains more momentum after he targets, first, the Avengers during the Battle of New York inTheAvengersand then, later, Asgard duringThor: The Dark World. The full embrace of his questionable means of seeking power and dangerous allies fed into the hunger for control that Loki craved so incessantly.
Loki, interestingly, is at the center of one of the largest fandoms around a singular character in modern history. He was quick to be adored and the internet made little haste when developing an attachment to him, despite his malicious attitudes explored in later Marvel Studios productions. Even though there was no denying his cunning ways, there was additionally no slowing down the outpouring of love for the Frost Giant. Blogs, fan pages, and social media accounts were dedicated to the re-imagining of the Norse God. It was as if that the collective set aside the idea that Loki was a villain, so much so, that Marvel Studios did as well, bringing the character back from the seeming dead and giving him his own show on Disney+ called, fittingly,Loki.
