There's No Way You Can Match Every Villain To Their Arch Nemesis
- by Lucas Wesley
- – on
- in Movies and TV
Regardless of one’s own moral character, there will always be a certain type of audience that vastly prefers villains to the heroes who try and stop their evil plans. With a particularly entertaining Big Bad, even those who thought they were rooting for the good guy all along may likewise see themselves pointing out how deliciously mad his or her enemies were prior to the explosive ending. Perhaps this is due to the nature of eccentric villainy, and the fact many of Hollywood’s best actors and actresses have given brilliant performances when trying to capture it.
Of course, because good must conquer evil in the end for audiences to go home happy, every great villain needs a viable challenger in their heroic counterpart. The one catch in being a fan of the bad guys is knowing that in the end, our favorite characters have to lose their struggle, and the only thing that can dull this sting is having them go down fighting against a worthy opponent.
Anyone can watch a YouTube video about the best villains in movie history or find some other countdown that gives them the details on evil, but only true fanatics know the full story about who defeated them, and how. If you’re a true film aficionado, take our quiz and match these movie villains to the heroes who took them down.
Which suave spy is a constant source of annoyance to Dr. Evil?
Enrolling in evil medical school at the young age of 18 and striving for nothing but the best his whole time there, Dr. Evil has done everything he can to live up to his name. While it took intervention from his son to finally get the freaking sharks with freaking laser beams he so dearly wanted, Evil alone was able to bring the United Nations to crisis on numerous occasions after asking for billions, trillions, and gobbedly gillions of made up dollars. No matter how evil he could be, though, there was always one spy prepared to stop him.
What superhero organization stands against Magneto?
Knowing it’s never a good sign when government officials single out a single group as causing all of life’s problems, the rise of Senator Robert Kelly ultimately serves as the trigger for Magneto to begin his war against humanity. Because of Kelly’s policies, mutants are now forced to register with the government rather than hide in obscurity, something Magneto believes will soon lead to their subjugation and/or death. Cooler heads are more willing to come up with a peaceful solution, taking his rogue mutants on directly to stop them from destroying humanity.
What African hero does battle with Killmonger?
Matters of the throne are always complex, and that goes double when a long disappeared son returns to his home country demanding sovereignty. That’s not quite how Killmonger’s story begins, but it’s how he becomes an enemy to Marvel’s latest blockbuster superhero. Also known as N’Jadaka and Erik Stevens, Killmonger is the son of a the former Wakandan King’s brother, and his plan is to use the skills he learned as a US black ops soldier to gradually take over first his distant homeland, then the world. What hero finds a peaceful alternative to his plans?
Who wages war with The Joker in The Dark Knight?
Even people who never picked up a comic book in their entire lives are well aware of this sadistic monster’s calling card. Hailing from the darkest corners of Gotham City and always wearing a nefarious smile on his face, The Joker is a man who doesn’t understand why the rest of the world is always so serious. Rising from his status as a small time crook to a horrifying crime lord and serial killer, he quickly catches the attention of police commissioner Gordon, but his capture only causes more chaos when he easily orchestrates an escape. Who finally catches him?
Who matched wits with Dr. Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs?
Terrifyingly intelligence and possessing a literal thirst for blood, Dr. Hannibal Lecter is the last psychologist anyone should ever go to with their problems. Answer the right question the wrong way, and Lecter may well eat his patient’s liver with fava beans and a nice Chianti. Technically speaking, the young FBI Agent who serves as the hero to his menace doesn’t track him down, as he was imprisoned long before they met. Her real enemy is Buffalo Bill, and the mad doctor’s even trying to help her…until he makes a violent escape and sets up a few lesser sequels.
Which character fights Darth Vader in the Star Wars series?
With a booming voice and apparent telekinetic powers, upon first appearances, audiences weren’t sure if Darth Vader was even human. In due time, the biggest twist in science fiction would actually reveal he was a cyborg destined to play the pivotal role in the battle between good and evil. His current state as a high ranking figure serving the Empire made that unlikely, but then again, the answer to this question is also his son, the true hero of The Force who indirectly proved that prophecy correct.
What boy wizard squares off against Lord Voldemort?
So well known for his sheer evil most wizards refer to him as “He Who Must Not Be Named” or other such vague terms, Lord Voldemort truly possesses a power like no other. Leader of the Death Eaters, his goal is to rid the world of the non-magical Muggles, and if a bunch of wizards also have to die in the process, that’s hardly going to stop him. The only thing standing against him is a young boy, who he initially tries having killed in infancy to no avail. What is the boy who lived's name?
What vampire raises the stakes against Aro in Twilight?
A world of sparkly vampires and textbook Mary Sues, the Twilight series isn’t known for high conflict aside from who Bella should choose between the werewolf and the vampire. However, as things progressed, she became increasingly close to the bloodsucker of the two, gradually drawing the wrath of an ancient vampire clan that didn’t like their kind mingling with humans. Leading the pack of this group, The Volturi, was Aro, who has the unique power to read every thought a person ever had upon touching them. What’s his name?
Which super spy is a nemesis of Auric Goldfinger?
Simple in concept if not execution, as his name implies, the German terrorist Auric Goldfinger is utterly obsessed with the color in his name. Not only does he wish to possess a whole lot of it, but he also occasionally uses his chosen hue as an ironic implement of death, murdering a love interest of the spy chasing him by suffocating her skin in aurelian paint. Implausible as that may be in reality, his greater plan to destroy the gold in Fort Knox is even less realistic, especially with a certain spy on the case, ready to take him down.
Which girl does battle with The Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz?
Working side by side with the Wicked Witches of the South and East, the Wicked Witch of the West easily dominated her quadrant of Oz and ruled with an iron fist. When a young girl arrives on the scene and accidentally leads to the death of the Eastern sorceress, her Western counterpart is furious, stopping at nothing to get revenge against the pretty outsider—and her little dog, too. She nearly achieves her dastardly comeuppance with the help of some flying monkeys, until the most severe hydrophobia in film history leads to her dissolution.
What heroic Hobbit fends off the nuisance that is Gollum in The Lord of the Rings?
Depending on how one looks at it, Gollum isn’t exactly a villain in the traditional sense. There are certainly more evil beings in The Lord of the Rings series, yet none are so central to that fated piece of jewelry that drives forth all other action. This is because Gollum is one of the few men to wear the ring, back when he was known as Sméagol, and doing so turned him into the hideously irritating creature audiences now recognize. Ever attached to his “precious,” Gollum now attempts to thwart a certain Hobbit from destroying the ring in Mordor.
Which new girl tries to take down Regina George?
In girl world, it's survival of the fittest. At least, that's what Regina George would have everybody believe. She's the meanest girl on the block and has a very strict set of rules anybody in her crew needs to follow. When she starts breaking these rules thanks to a bit of sabotage from our hero, she unleashes the Burn Book, which has nasty comments in it about every girl and woman in the school. Do you remember who pushed her to her breaking point?
Which title family has to stop Syndrome?
We can't actually name the movie because we'd be giving the answer away, but we can say that it was one of the most well-received movies ever made by Pixar. It deals with some intense themes surrounding identity, justice, and family but in a way that draws in children and adults alike. The sequel is in the works finally after so many years of people just waiting to see what that baby would wind up doing. We're excited! Do you know which movie it is?
Who does battle with Roy Batty in Blade Runner?
Once humanity started creating quasi-robotic semi-humans called “Replicants,” it was only a matter of time before the new creatures started getting horrifically abused. In turn, as the Replicants became smarter and more sophisticated, they would only allow this sort of behavior to happen for so long before revolting, and thus begins the war seen in Blade Runner. Leading the rebellious Nexus-6 is Roy Batty, the smartest and most powerful Replicant of all, and the fact he’s slowly learning to feel emotions only makes him scarier. In the end, though, his entire existence is nonetheless lost, like tears in the rain.
What superhero is the primary rival of Loki?
A mischievous trickster by nature, Loki is definitely the most meddlesome deity in Asgard. Given these qualities, it’s only natural that Loki would vie for control of the throne after his adoptive father Odin prepared to step down. Unfortunately for him, another deity was in line to takeover, and the fact he doubled as a superhero meant it was going to be hard for Loki to break the line. He almost gets his way when the other god is busy trying to reclaim his fabled hammer Mjolnir, but he makes it back in time to stop evil from reigning supreme.
What regular guy enters The Matrix to battle Agent Smith?
Everything that happens inside The Matrix can be a little confusing, especially after the two sequels came along and muddied up a perfectly respectable franchise. Nonetheless, the one thing audiences understood throughout it all was that the inhuman Artificial Intelligence program known as Agent Smith was a heartless assassin prepared to take down anyone who messes with the system. This includes any hero willing to take the “red pill” and enter Smith’s world of altered reality, which is how the journey of a regular hacker who takes him down begins.
Which princess can’t stand Gaston in Beauty and the Beast?
Most of the time, when a handsome, decorated soldier does battle with a monstrous, frightening Beast, there’s no question who the good guy and bad guy are. Flipping that dynamic, Beauty and The Beast presents the title character as an artistic and kind soul, was his romantic rival Gaston is a brash jerk no rational person would give the time of day. This includes their shared object of affection, and the true hero of the film, who repeatedly buffs Gaston’s advances to stay with her true love instead.
What future hero is the first to take on The Terminator?
Emotionless, gigantic, and always snappy with the one-liners whether he realized it or not, the original Terminator was so darn cool he later gained more fame as a hero than a villain. Even so, the cold incalculable nature of a killing machine was perfect in line with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s original iconic performance, sent back in time to destroy the mother of the man who would save the world before he was even born. Little did the Terminator’s know, she was one tough chick, and it would take more than a muscle-bound monster to change her life.
What every day cop tackles terrorist Hans Gruber in Die Hard?
To most people, Christmas Eve is the day for one last business party before a nice, long weekend off. That’s certainly how the average employee at the Nakatomi corporation felt, only for a vicious German terrorist named Hans Gruber to coldly come along and shatter their plans. Believe it or not, terrorism was just a cover in this case, with Gruber’s real plan being to steal some $640 million dollars from the company. Little does Gruber know an off-duty cop happened to be on the scene visiting his ex-wife, and he alone had the street smarts to stop the terror.
What soldier ultimately detains Hans Landa in Inglorious Basterds?
It should go without saying that anyone supporting the regime of Nazi Germany is horrifically evil for that fact alone. That said, “Jew Hunter” Hans Landa takes things to an especially heinous degree by brilliantly tracking down any member of the Jewish faith who managed to hide from the Third Reich’s wrath. Given his level of evil, Landa makes a large number of enemies, including a young woman who escapes from his clutches and later takes down most of his allies. However, it’s a US Army Lieutenant who apprehends Landa himself and forever marks him as a villain.
Which Star Trek Captain does battle with Khan in The Wrath of Khan?
One of the biggest franchises in film or television history, it’s only appropriate the most memorable villain in any Star Trek film would have started on one of the TV shows. It was on that series the vicious warlord Khan Noonien Singh, who once owned nearly a quarter of the Earth during the Eugenics Wars. The conflict began when Khan, a genetically modified superhuman, banded together with others like him to assert dominance over humanity. It didn’t quite work, but he would return multiple times throughout history, now with a new rival in the captain of the USS Enterprise.
Who is Bill trying to kill?
Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 were incredibly violent but incredibly fun. Featuring a mostly female cast in roles that were traditionally filled by males, this kung fu series took its fans on quite an adventure. From a church massacre to a five point kill technique, we got to follow the protagonist as she literally cut and slashed her way to Bill, played by David Carradine. At first, her character was known only as the bride, but Tarantino had sprinkled in hints as to her true identity.
Who is the Hunchback of Notre Dame that Frollo hates?
Viciously mad to a degree that harshly betrays his frock, the heavily religious Judge and Archdeacon Claude Frollo’s story begins when he murders a woman in cold blood. In penance, he’s forced to raise her horribly deformed son, shielding him from the world and forcing him to live a life in seclusion. Once the Hunchback finally enters society, he quickly meets a gypsy woman who draws Frollo’s wrath with her use of magic. Hearing the kindest soul he met is to be burned at the stake, Frollo’s adopted child has no choice but to stop his plan.
What superhero views General Zod as an arch rival in Man of Steel?
Having indirectly caused the demise of Krypton by attempting an uprising against the government, General Zod was sentenced to an eternity in the Phantom Zone for his crimes. Immediately upon his escape, he tracks down the last survivor member of his race on Earth, both to get a measure of revenge against the son of a man who took him down and to usurp the planet he resides on as his new home. In doing so, however, Zod greatly underestimates the young man’s power, leading to one’s death and the other’s coronation as a hero.
What robotic hero does Obadiah Stane rip off in a nefarious way?
Typically speaking, superhero movies are matters of power and destruction in the global sense. Ultimately, the scale of Obadiah Stane’s tyranny will indeed affect much of the world, but at his core, he’s just a viciously greedy businessman desperate for power. The son of Stane’s business partner was given the reigns of the company after his father’s death, and much to Obadiah’s chagrin, the newcomer decides their organization should no longer manufacture weapons, which had previously been their main output. He also fights crime in a big robotic suit, so Stane builds his own outfit to try and fight him.
Which young cub takes arms against Scar in The Lion King?
Vain, conceited, and dangerously ambitious, the deliriously evil Scar sees nothing wrong with killing his own brother Mufasa if it means he gets to be king. Heck, that’s not even enough for the guy, as he also makes sure to frame his nephew for the murder, leaving the kid feeling seriously depressed and lost, imposing a self-exile on himself for years. This easily allows Scar to step in and take Mufasa’s throne as King of the Jungle, with the rest of the animals having no choice but to accept him or face his vicious wrath.
Who has to stop Lord Business in the Lego Movie?
This movie was a pleasant surprise to both kids and adults. Other toy-based movies have tried to make a mark, like Real Steel based on Rock'em Sock'em robots, but none did it as well as The Lego Movie. Anybody who say it probably still has the Everything is Awesome song stuck in their head and can't help but refer to glue as "the craggle." But do you remember the name of the guy who found himself tasked with stopping Lord Business?
What underdog boxer does battle with Apollo Creed?
Floating like a butterfly and stinging like a bee with one-liners even better than Muhammad Ali, there has never been a boxer quite like Apollo Creed, real or fictional. The charismatic world champion is barely even a villain in the traditional sense, with his American flag based tights and the pomp and circumstance surrounding his every fight making him a media sensation long before an Italian Stallion wannabe took him to the limit three times. Still, it was those fights that made him a movie legend, even if he didn’t really “win” any of them.
Which time traveling teen regularly has problems with Biff Tannen in Back to the Future?
Telling his victims to “make like a tree and…get outta here,” Biff Tannen is far from the sharpest tack in the drawer. Even his brute strength can only get him so far, as it merely took a single knockout punch in 1955 to turn him into a sniveling sycophant for decades. On the flipside, once Biff stumbles upon the time traveling DeLorean and gives his past self a sports almanac, he uses the information to become a millionaire. Whether Biff is simply ruining society or just trying to hook up with Lorraine Baines, though, a certain teen always stops him.
What aspiring golfer sparks a rivalry with Shooter McGavin?
Unlike the average villain in a sports movie, Shooter McGavin doesn’t have the body of an adonis. However, as a professional golfer, he doesn’t really need one, so long as he can send the ball to its home every time he makes a slice. Just about everyone agrees this is the year Shooter will finally enter PGA history by winning the Tour Championship and earning his golden jacket, until a brash former hockey player hits the scene and suddenly changes everything. So unorthodox is the newcomer that golf traditionalists might even view Shooter as the true hero.
Which hero stands up against Ares, the God of War?
Long before the current course of human history, Amazonian history dictates that Ares killed virtually all of the gods after deciding humanity must be destroyed. Not wanting to lose his creation, Zeus quickly intervened and stuck Ares down at the last minute, then bequeathed the Amazons a “Godkiller” weapon to ensure his madness would never again rise. Although they’re well aware Ares must be stopped the second he reveals himself, the God of War is also a master of disguise, masking his identity for centuries until he begins to fear the end is near.
Who saves the world from the plight of The T-1000 in Terminator 2: Judgment Day?
And you thought Arnold Schwarzenegger was scary. Turns out, it’s not just the man that makes the robot, as the T-1000 that continues the original Terminator’s mission in the sequel film Judgment Day was infinitely more vicious than Arnold’s mountainous monster. The thing that made the follow up so effective was his new ability to transform into liquid metal and take on virtually any form imaginable. Amazingly, it’s still not enough for him to find and destroy his target, even though said person happens to be a 10-year-old boy.
Which escaped slave helps take down plantation owner Calvin Candie?
True to form with many Quentin Tarantino villains, Calvin Candie was already a monster based on his occupation as a slave owner. As if subjugating and owning people wasn’t already the worst thing a person could do, Candie found a way to be even more evil by forcing select slaves to participate in “Mandigo” fights to the death as he gleefully sipped alcohol from his massive Candyland estate. Initially, all Dr. King Schultz and his associated wanted was to rescue a single one of his slaves, but after seeing Candie’s madness, they decide he has to die.
Which wrongfully imprisoned man challenges Warden Samuel Norton in The Shawshank Redemption?
Though definitely the face of a corrupt system, in fairness to Warden Samuel Norton, he’s really just the tip of the iceberg in terms of “villains” seen in The Shawshank Redemption. To an innocent man wrongfully accused of murder, the entire criminal justice system can be seen as an enemy, doing whatever it can to keep incarceration rates high regardless of the actual reality of a given case. Norton in particular has no interest in right or wrong, using his prison to illegally pad his bank accounts, and keeping select inmates around longer than their sentences to serve him personally.
Which high-flying superhero is a rival to Curt Connors, aka The Lizard?
Having lost his arm in an army incident many years ago, Dr. Curt Connors is understandably concerned with the idea of humans somehow regenerating their limbs after disasters like his. In a mutually beneficially agreement, his company Oscorp allows him to work on a project combining human and animal DNA in any way that might help humanity. Knowing some reptiles can regenerate body parts, Connors was naturally drawn to them in his experiments. This backfired in a major way when a drug quickly turned him into a violent destructive Lizard, but hey, at least he got his arm back.
Which vampire/human hybrid is an enemy of Deacon Frost?
Through their general nature, most vampires are seen as natural enemies to humanity, and Deacon Frost is no different. Throwing equally menacing concepts like eugenics and ethnocentrism into the mix, Frost takes it a step further by wishing to rid the world of all humans and allow for a ruling vampire race, rather than just killing a few people for sustenance. At the same time, Frost wishes to become the vampire god La Magra, effectively making him leader of the world. Who comes along and blows his plans to bits?
Who does Michael Myers stalk throughout the Halloween series?
Silent, deadly, and never seen without his trademark white William Shatner mask, Michael Myers never once had to say a single word to strike fear into the hearts of children everywhere each Halloween. Originally just an off-kilter kid, Myers was sent to an insane asylum at a young age after murdering his sister, and he looked to resume the killing spree immediately upon his escape. While he found many victims from there, the one woman to continually escape his grasp was a high school girl, who has no idea she’s also his last surviving relative.
Which college student takes down Frank Booth in Blue Velvet?
Nothing is more chilling than a serial killer looking you dead in the eye and shrieking, “you’re just like me!” Well, except maybe huffing from a gas mask that clearly intoxicates him with some sort of unclear yet highly dangerous and presumable illegal drug. In part due to the chemicals constantly flowing through his brain, Frank creates a vast criminal empire involving kidnapping, drug abuse, and forced prostitution. Only by grace of an unsuspecting college student does Frank’s empire fall, starting when he stumbles upon an ear in the woods that had been cut off one of his victims.
Who is the wife and prey of Jack Torrance in The Shining?
Heeeeeeere’s Johnny! Nothing can drive an artist mad quite like writer’s block, especially when they also rely on their creations to fund their existence. Such is the case with Jack Torrance, who fails to find any creative ideas despite a family trip to the Overlook Hotel. Instead, the supernatural forces of the building slowly drive him mad, leading to a murderous crime spree that apparently loops every couple generations. Jack manages to kill the cook before freezing to death while pursuing his wife, but luckily, she and their son escape.
What animal cop is searching for Lois Einhorn/Ray Finkle?
When the Miami Dolphins legendary mascot, the adorable porpoise Snowflake, there’s only one Pet Detective skilled enough to find her. Unfortunately, no one at the Miami Police Department will take him seriously, including Lieutenant Lois Einhorn. As it would turn out, this is because Einhorn herself is directly involved in the crime, due to a secret past life as a man named Ray Finkle. It was all a plot to get revenge on Dan Marino for a very petty reason, something it took the animal sleuth less than an hour to figure out.