Top 10 Best Cartoon Villains of ALL TIME

These are the kings of classic, childhood and modern cartoon villains. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we are counting down our picks for the top ten cartoon villains of all time.

In the final part of our series on animated villains, we’ll be counting down the best cartoon villains to ever appear on television.

#10: Aku
“Samurai Jack” (2001-04; 2017)

The amalgamation of all the evil in the universe takes shape as a demonic-looking being with a laugh that pierces through time itself - how could he not be on this list? In the beginning, Aku was nothing but formless darkness floating through space, until three mythical Gods destroyed him. However, a small shard of his essence survived and landed on Earth, eventually taking on the form we all know and fear. He may constantly be bested by our favorite samurai, but since he holds dominion over the world, The Shogun of Sorrow is still the one holding all the cards.

#9: The Monarch
“The Venture Bros.” (2003-)

It takes guts to draw your super villain inspiration from a butterfly, but kudos to the Venture Bros primary antagonist for pulling it off…with varying degrees of success. With a deep-seeded, obsessive hatred for Thaddeus Venture, The Monarch is the supervillain we often find ourselves rooting for due to just how pathetically incompetent he actually is. Still, for being a wimp that doesn’t exactly know that much about butterflies, he still managed to gain a group of devoted henchman, and not to mention a smoking hot yet rather gravelly voiced partner in the form of Doctor Mrs The Monarch. Well played.

#8: Skeletor
“He-Man and the Masters of the Universe” (1983-95)

Nowadays he may be known as a comedic figure with a high-pitched voice that makes us laugh more than it strikes fear into our souls, but back in his hey-day, Skeletor was the villain’s villain. He had the evil laugh down, a host of unexplained magical powers, and a whole slew of maniacal ideas to take over Eternia. Sure, having a literal skeleton as the main antagonist is kind of cheesy, but there’s no denying his popularity as a cartoon villain. He’ll always be our favourite evil skeleton, even more so than Baron Dark! And while Hordak was a great villain in his own right, he’s still got nothing on our man Skeletor!

#7: Sheldon J. Plankton
“SpongeBob SquarePants” (1999-)

He may be smaller than everything else under the sea, but you won’t find a better source of rage, insanity and laughter than this pint-sized organism. Owner of the Chum Bucket, Plankton’s single goal in life is to steal the Krabby Patty formula from his business rival Mr Krabs so his restaurant can become a rousing success, leaving the Krusty Krab in its dust. Sadly his plans, always, always, always fail, which often just sends him into further spirals of madness and aggression, which you have to admit is often the highlight of any episode. An unappreciated shell of a sea creature with a size complex, may he never change!

#6: Shredder
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (1987-96)

These heroes in a half-shell have no shortage of bizarre enemies, but the most lethal among them by far is the leader of the Foot Clan; the master ninja known as the Shredder. Even in his campiest incarnation, this razor-bladed death machine proved to be just as skilled in martial arts as the turtles, besting them in battle on a few occasions. With his legion of Foot ninjas as well as his advanced technology provided by the alien tyrant known as Krang, Shredder more than earned his title as the turtles’ greatest foe.

#5: Cobra Commander
“G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero” (1983-86)

He may have a voice that could shatter glass, but he’s much deadlier than he sounds. Cobra Commander is the supreme leader of the terrorist organisation Cobra, and considering they’re responsible for every bad thing that happens in the G.I. Joe universe – that’s quite an evil accolade. Even though he tends to have his minions second guess him at every turn, and despite the fact that he was even once dethroned, there’s no one who can rock a chrome mask quite like the Commander. His plans for world domination might often be considered crazy, even by Cobra’s standard, but to be honest, that’s part of his wacky appeal. Besides, who else would think of hiding rockets within fast food restaurants?

#4: Fire Lord Ozai
“Avatar: The Last Airbender” (2005-08)

Avatar’s spin-off series “The Legend of Korra” gave us the stoic and terrifying villain Zaheer, he is no match for the OG Avatar villain. As the Ruler of the Fire Nation, he causes extensive suffering, which can be seen in the oppression of the Water Tribe as well as on the scarred face of his own son. And, all of that happens before he even takes centre stage as the main antagonist. Of course, things change in the finale, where he shows viewers the true extent of his ruthlessness with his plans to set fire to the entire Earth Kingdom, culminating in a legendary showdown with Avatar Aang. All hail the Phoenix King!

#3: The Joker
“Batman: The Animated Series” (1992-95)

This may not be the first time that the Clown Prince of Crime graced the small screen, but many to this day still believe this to be the definitive incarnation of the iconic Batman villain. A murderous psychopath never seen without his trademark smile and laugh, this clown only exists to bring anarchy and pain to Gotham City. Obsessed with trying to bring down Batman, The Joker raised the bar for all villains everywhere with the depravity of his crimes, the genuine fear he installed in us, and the mental war he waged on Batman to try and push him over the edge. Throw in the now legendary voice-work of Mark Hamill, and you have an animated character for the ages.

#2: Megatron
“Transformers” (1984-87)

Despite his numerous incarnations over the years, the original leader of the Decepticons has endured to become a timeless villain that still holds up to this very day. A ruthless conqueror with an unquenchable thirst for power, Megatron will sacrifice whatever it takes in order to win the war against the Autobots and secure himself as the ruler of the entire universe. While a lot of villains reach for the same goal, this is the guy who can back up his claims with a zero tolerance for failure policy and a ton of firepower. There was also that one time he managed to kill Optimus Prime, so he deserves the top spot for that alone. All hail Megatron!

Before we reveal our number one pick here are a few honorable mentions.

Gargamel
“The Smurfs” (1981-89)

Mojo Jojo
“The Powerpuff Girls” (1998-2005)

Ice King
“Adventure Time” (2007-)

#1: Mr. Burns
“The Simpsons” (1989-)

For over thirty years, this malnourished, un-empathetic millionaire at the has served as Springfield’s resident antagonist. Whether it’s random acts of organised violence, theft, bribery, manipulation and probably every other criminal activity under the sun, Charles Montgomery Burns has done it several times over. He can be downright intimidating or pathetically hilarious all within the space of an episode, as he never fails to entertain. Sideshow Bob may be a fan favorite, but Burns is a threat to all of Springfield, maybe even the entire world, while Bob only ever has eyes for Bart. What is there to say except that our number one villain is nothing if not “exeeeecellent.”