Top 10 Most Badass Arrowverse Villains
#10: Vandal Savage
Vandal Savage lived in 1700 B.C. as a resentful Egyptian priest under the name Hath-Set. After being struck by a special meteor, he was granted immortality. In order to keep it, he had to repeatedly kill two lovers that kept reincarnating through history. After slaughtering the couple dozens of times, he started plotting to take over the world. Savage was a vicious conqueror willing to destroy cities if it kept him in power. In one timeline, he released a virus that killed billions and murdered Rip Hunter’s innocent family. Although time-traveling heroes managed to kill Savage for good, he still left his dark mark on centuries of history.
#9: Damien Darhk
He’s the wittiest mass murderer you’ll ever meet. Damien Darhk was once a member of the League of Assassins. After failing to become its leader, he created a new crime syndicate known as H.I.V.E. Using his new resources, he gained mystical abilities along with a desire for more power. Darhk’s twisted ambitions have driven him to nuke a city and kill a vigilante in front of her friends. And whether his evil scheme is failing or succeeding, he always has a joke ready. Darhk’s humor and intelligence throughout his bloodshed result in a brilliant villain that truly enjoys being bad.
#8: Rhea, Queen of Daxam
When the planet Daxam was nearly destroyed, Queen Rhea was separated from her son Mon-El. Upon finding him on Earth, she wanted him to leave to help rebuild Daxam. But when he refused, she began a ruthless campaign to get her son back. Rhea threatened everyone from Supergirl to children to make Mon-El change his mind. But when those plans failed, she killed the king of Daxam and invaded Earth. Supergirl had to fill the planet’s atmosphere with lead just to stop the queen’s deadly assault. It’s understandable that a mother wanted to be with her son, but Rhea’s insane actions went way too far.
#7: Leonard Snart [aka Captain Cold]
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After being forced to help his father with robberies at a young age, Leonard Snart became an expert thief. When the Flash stopped one of his heists, Snart decided to upgrade his arsenal. He “acquired” a cold gun and was nicknamed Captain Cold. Snart’s high intelligence and adaptability pushed the Flash to his limits with every new crime. But over time, Cold showed there was a complex man underneath his snarky exterior. Snart demonstrated his better side by helping the Flash and ultimately sacrificing his life to save his team. He may have begun his journey as a criminal, but he died a hero.
#6: Ra’s al Ghul
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Every leader of the League of Assassins is called Ra’s al Ghul. However, this villain was so devoted to his position that he abandoned his actual name. As Ra’s, he stabbed Oliver Queen to avenge one of his assassins. But when Oliver survived the blow, Ra’s became obsessed with making Queen his successor. Ra’s was an incredible tactician who remained calm as he outclassed his opponents. However, his campaign to frame the Arrow and near murder of Thea Queen reminded everyone why he’s also called the demon’s head. Despite his heartless actions, Ra’s respect for his enemies made him stand out as an honorable villain.
#5: Adrian Chase [aka Prometheus]
Simon Morrison discovered that his corrupt father was killed by Oliver Queen’s alter ego. Vowing revenge, he changed his name to Adrian Chase and started a murderous rampage under the alias Prometheus. Chase’s insane fixation on the vigilante meant that no one, not even his own wife, was allowed to get in his way. Torture, kidnapping, and killing innocents were all fair game for his quest. And Chase’s League of Assassins training enabled him to carry out his revenge personally. His hatred was so strong that he killed himself to hurt Oliver one last time. Chase’s obsession shook team Arrow while leaving some permanent scars.
#4: Hunter Zolomon [aka Zoom]
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His name might not sound horrifying, but you should run from it quickly. As a child, Hunter Zolomon saw his father murder his mother. His trauma inspired him to become a demented serial killer. During Zolomon’s imprisonment, an accident gave him super speed and led him to adopt the name Zoom. Zoom lived to make people suffer and aimed to become the fastest man in any reality. He left his entire world behind to steal Flash’s speed. After his theft succeeded, Zoom killed the Flash’s father to make the hero sink to his level. Zoom was sick enough to terrify multiple realities with his cruelty.
#3: Malcolm Merlyn [aka Dark Archer]
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Malcolm Merlyn was changed forever when his wife was murdered in Star City. Consumed with grief, he trained with, say it with us now, the League of Assassins, and vowed to destroy the neighborhood where his wife died. His calculated plot killed hundreds before he was stopped by Team Arrow. Merlyn is manipulative and selfish to the core. He once hypnotized his own daughter into murdering her friend to save his own skin. Merlyn’s faked death multiple times and conned his way into leading the League of Assassins. Although he occasionally assists team Arrow, his good deeds can’t measure up to the havoc he’s caused.
#2: Slade Wilson [aka Deathstroke]
Slade Wilson was once Oliver Queen’s close friend and mentor. But after a hellish day where he was injected with an experimental drug and discovered the woman he loved had been murdered, he lost his mind. Believing Oliver to be responsible for everything, Slade swore to make his former friend suffer. With years of experience as the mercenary Deathstroke and enhanced strength from the drug, Slade was practically unbeatable. In his madness, he raised an army to destroy Star City and murdered Oliver’s mother. Slade’s brutal measures may have been surpassed by later villains, but his connection to Oliver added a tragic undertone to his actions that can never be matched. Before our top villain reveals their evil plot, here are some honorable mentions. Caitlin Snow [aka Killer Frost] Gorilla Grodd Laurel Lance (Earth Two) [aka Black Siren]
#1: Eobard Thawne [aka Reverse-Flash]
In the year 2151, Eobard Thawne dreamed of becoming the Flash. After using his scientific prowess to give himself super speed and time travel abilities, he discovered a shocking truth. Thawne was actually meant to become his hero’s deadly nemesis, the Reverse-Flash. Thawne committed many atrocious acts to fulfill his dark destiny. He purposefully caused a deadly explosion, murdered several heroes, and helped run a Nazi-controlled version of earth. But most significantly, Thawne traveled back in time and killed the Flash’s mother. His cunning and speed allowed him to escape everything from imprisonment to being erased from reality. There’s no telling what appalling acts this speedster will commit in the future. Or the past.
