Top 10 Comic Book Villains on Television
*Note that this list is purely my opinion
#10) Malcom Merlyn
Malcom Merlyn is portrayed by John Barrowman in the CW television series Arrow. He appears very early on in the show's first season and is the antagonist of Oliver Queen. By day he is a wealthy businessman and philanthropist, by night he dons all black and equips a bow becoming the Dark Archer. He plans to carry out "The Undertaking" which is his plan to wipe out The Glades ( a ghetto in Starling City that happens to be the place where his wife was murdered). In the first season Malcom was the perfect villain but as the show progressed his character was reused over and over again; with each encounter being less entertaing than the last.
#9) Captain Cold
Captain Cold AKA Leonard Snart appears on The Flash and is played by Wentworth Miller. He is a professional thief armed with a cold gun that decreases the speed of molecules in objects thus making them extremely cold. He is one of the few villains who knows the identity of The Flash. Therefore making him one of Barry's more personal foes. Leonard gave Barry a run for his money early in the hero's career. In their first confrontation he proved how dangerous he was despite not being a meta-human. When The Flash failed to save one of Snart's victims from an icy death; Barry fully realized no matter how great his power he couldn't save everyone. Captain Cold is a great addition to the cast and brings something new with every appearance.
#8) The Penguin
Coming in at #8 on the list is Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot AKA The Penguin. Robin Lord Taylor plays this unique villain in the FOX television series Gotham. In the series' first season the audience witnesses The Penguin's progression from Fish Mooney's underling to up-and-coming mobster. By far he is one of the best villains on the show displaying his cleverness on multiple occasions as he plays both sides of a gang war while he rises up the criminal totem pole.
#7) Kilgrave
David Tennant as Kilgrave in the Netflix original series Jessica Jones won over alot of fans with his depiction of the nefarious antagonist in the series. Kevin Thompson was the result of an experimental procedure that allowed him to control minds. When he used his ability to manipulate his parents, they abandoned him at a young age. With no parental figures in his childhood he grew up to be an irrational man focused on getting his own way. This mentality coupled with his abilities made him a dangerous man. When he first meets Jessica his infatuation quickly reaches obsession since he had never come across another person with powers like him. As the season progresses you see how twisted and sick this villain is.
#6) HYDRA
Though technically not a villain, HYDRA is the global criminal organization that was intially a separate branch of the Nazi Party in the 1940's. They were heavily involved in World War II. However Captain America regularly foiled their plans to win the war and take over the world. After remaing dormant for decades it is revealed in the television series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D that HYDRA had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D years ago and had been operating in secret with the organization. You don't know who you can trust, as allies that you got close to in the beginning of the season are revealed to be sleeper agents. Not only did this big reveal have fans on the edge of their seats, it also truly tied together the MCU and their television properties. Captain America: The Winter Soldier dealt with similar themes but Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D offered a different perspective to the major threat.
#5) Kingpin
Wilson Fisk (Vincent D'Onofrio in Netflix's Daredevil) is a powerful crimelord in Hell's Kitchen New York. Little goes on in his city that he doesn't know about. Being a long time resident of Hell's Kitchen he cares deeply about the neighborhood and believes the only way to "save" it is to start over. He often worked with leaders of the Chinese, Japanese, and Russian gangsters. Thus controlling most of the crime. As a child he was bullied by other kids and his father encouraged him to not only fight back but brutally beat nthose bullies into submission. When his mother was being assaulted by his father, Wilson murdered his father with a hammer. Later in life he is still prone to violent outbursts and protective of the women in his life. When Fisk is with his girlfriend it shows how vulnerable he can be despite his violent tendencies and criminal career. His vulnerablities make him one of the more relatable villains on the list.
#4) Deathstroke
Probably the most lethal villain on this list. Manu Bennett's Deathstroke/Slade Wilson (Arrow) is a mercenary who challenges the protagonist physically and pschologically. His relationship with the protagonist is dynamic, he isn't evil for the sake of being evil. At one point he considered Oliver a brother. But Deathstroke truly believes he was wronged by Oliver and for five years he strategized the perfect way to get revenge against him. He is merciless and won't hesitate to kill one of Oliver's loved ones. Deathstroke's lethal skills aren't just what make him a great antagonist, the fact that he is a man with nothing to lose and won't stop until his personal vendetta against Oliver is satisfied which makes him a ruthless villain.
#3) The Governor
Before the Walker Apocalypse Philip Blake (played by David Morrissey in The Walking Dead) was a mild mannered man with a wife and a daughter named Penny. His wife died before the apocalypse in a car accident which made Philip protective of Penny. When the apocalypse began Penny is turned into a walker. Philip just can't kill his daughter even though it'd put her out of her misery. So he selfishly and inhumanely keeps her chained up in a closet while he morbidly acts out his fantasies of life before the apocalypse with an undead Penny as his unwilling participant. The Governor is a power hungry murderous dictator, who lies and manipulates his followers for his personal gain. His need to be in control could be a result of his physically absuvive father. The way he rules over his followers and his quick-to-violence nature contrasts to Rick's democratic approach and attempts to reason with hostiles before engaging in violence. The Governor's villainous actions are unforgivable despite his troubled past, Making him perfect for my list.
#2) Jerome
Jerome Valeska (Cameron Monaghan) was one of the best villains on the FOX televsion show Gotham. Although it isn't explicitly stated that he is The Joker it is heavily implied. He possesses many of the characteristics most fans associate with The Clown Prince of Crime. His character was the reason people who claimed to "hate" Gotham tuned in every Monday night to see what Jerome would do next. His version of the Joker was an original take. Jerome often stole the scenes that he was in, and truly embodided the comic book Joker. Killing him off was probably one of Gotham's biggest mistakes.
#1) Reverse-Flash
Tom Cavanagh ( Reverse-Flash/Harrison Wells/Euobard Thawne in CW's The Flash) proves that the best disguise for a villain is to hide in plain sight. For weeks his character had the audience fooled into thinking he was the innocent brilliant scientist Harrison Wells. When it was revealed that Harrison wasn't a friend of the protagonist, but the antagonist hell-bent on making Barry suffer. fans of the show were in utter shock. As they speculated how someone that Barry viewed as his mentor could betray him. The Reverse-Flash's dedication to his meticulous years-in-the-making plan is unrivaled by anyone, and exhibits his pure hatred for The Flash. The Reverse-Flash is the greatest villain because throughout the season you're wondering how and if Barry could defeat a foe who is smarter, faster, more powerful, and had even altered spacetime just to fufill his personal mission to destroy Barry's life. You don't see this plot twist coming. He is a force to be reckoned with, who is more dangerous than any of the others on this list.