Top 10 Most Iconic Dying Words of Movie Villains

These villains went out in style. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 last words of movie villains.

For this list, we’ll be looking at the all time greatest last words from big screen baddies, based on their emotional weight, thematic depth, or just sheer badassery. Obviously, a spoiler warning is in effect.

“Kill Bill: Volume 2” (2004)
Whereas “Kill Bill: Volume 1” dealt mostly in good old-fashioned revenge and buckets of blood, “Volume 2” significantly toned down the violence and presented us with a meditative and mature climax. Rather than ending things with a spectacular, air-hopping sword duel, Beatrix and Bill sit down for a complicated talk about their complicated past. After Beatrix slaps Bill with the exploding heart technique, Bill asks how he looks, wipes the blood from his chin, and buttons his jacket before walking away to die with dignity. It’s a surprisingly thoughtful death for such a mean bastard of a villain.

“Batman” (1989)
Sure, it’s not the cleverest double entendre in cinematic history. But it IS very Joker! Nowadays, there are several contenders for the title of “Best Joker Performance”. But when Tim Burton’s “Batman” came out in 1989, Jack Nicolson’s turn at the Clown Prince of Crime set a new benchmark. His maniacal laugh and gleefully devilish antics perfectly captured Joker’s violent, anarchic spirit. Of course, a joker’s ALSO gotta joke! And Nicolson sent his version off with one last one - even if it WAS on him. As he seems to win the day, defeating Batman, and preparing to escape, he chuckles these final words . . . As it turns out, he really DOES kill himself, in a way - by underestimating Batman.

“Apocalypse Now” (1979)
Colonel Kurtz is a classic movie villain, and left us with one of film’s most iconic lines.
Based on Joseph Conrad’s novella “Heart of Darkness”, Coppola’s adaptation “Apocalypse Now” relocates the tale from the Congo to Vietnam - but the evil Kurtz remains as dark and enigmatic as ever. This is of course in no small part thanks to Marlon Brando’s phenomenal performance. Mortally wounded by Willard, Kurtz stares into darkness, and seems to experience a moment of clarity . . . Is it a statement about his own choices? About the Vietnam War? About the human condition in general. Quite possibly all three - summing up the film’s major themes in a single line.

“Spider-Man” (2002)
2002's “Spider-Man” was one of the first modern superhero blockbusters, and it still holds the distinction of having the best final words from a villain. Impaled on his own glider, Norman Osborn begs Peter to not tell his son Harry that he was the Green Goblin. It’s a terrific nod back to Mary Jane’s line when Peter caught her working at the restaurant, and it also helps give the Green Goblin some level of humanity. Whereas most superhero villains are soulless beings, the Green Goblin was a man with a family whose final wish is to be proudly remembered by his son.

“Seven” (1995)
Is there a more malicious final line in cinema history? Doe reveals that he murdered Mills’s wife Tracy by having her head delivered in a box. He also presents a final whopper – Tracy was pregnant. After Mills shows confusion, Doe utters his devastating final line, “Oh. He didn’t know,” and it’s this that leads to Mills’s tragic act of wrath. It’s a devastating line that delivers one of the movie’s many shocking and heart-dropping twists, and it’s delivered with such pride by Kevin Spacey that it cemented John Doe as one of the greatest and most sinister movie villains ever.

“The Wizard of Oz” (1939)
“I’m melting” may be the most famous line from the Wicked Witch of the West's death speech. But it’s the depth and emotion of her final lines that earn them a place on our list. The Wicked Witch is the cruellest and one of the most powerful beings in the land of Oz, yet here she was defeated by a soft-spoken, polite country girl from Kansas - albeit accidentally. Her last words express her confusion and sheer disbelief in the face of her demise, and what SHE sees as the cruelty of the world - a world that’s turned against her.

“Avengers: Endgame” (2019)
He’s a warlord, a Titan, and as he likes to remind people, “inevitable”. In fact, “I am inevitable” is basically Thanos’ catchphrase. The Mad Titan considers himself unstoppable; and he’s not actually that far wrong. After all, he did succeed at least once - killing half the universe with a snap of his fingers. When Thor avenges the dead, Thanos also has a few last words . . . [“Perhaps I treated you too harshly”] But these aren’t nearly as dramatic as when a version of Thanos from the past breaks out his favorite phrase for the rematch. Fortunately, of course, Iron Man has a suitable response . . .

“Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi” (1983)
A heartless badass throughout the original trilogy, Darth Vader's final line is both touching and indicative of this transformation. Vader was a horrifically evil force, complete with an imposing black outfit and deep, intimidating voice. But in the end, he’s a loving, weakened man reduced to nothing but a whisper. He uses his final breath to voice pride in his son and to complete his character arc from violent villain to loving father seeking redemption. You can't imagine feeling sympathy for Darth Vader in the earlier movies, but this final scene makes you feel otherwise.

“Die Hard” (1988)
“Yippee ki yay”, the catchphrase of the “Die Hard” series, is badass enough coming from Bruce Willis. But it’s even cooler coming from Alan Rickman. Then again, pretty much anything is cool coming from Alan Rickman. During the climactic showdown, Gruber seems to have John beat, and taunts him with the same line that John used on him earlier in the movie. This causes John to laugh, distracting Hans and ultimately leading to Gruber’s death. It’s delightfully satisfying to see Gruber act so confident only to get his comeuppance not thirty seconds later. Plus, the line itself is just so damn cool that we're all better for hearing it one more time.

Before we unveil our number one pick, here are some honorable mentions:

“I’ll See You in Hell, William Munny”
“Unforgiven” (1992)

“Made It, Ma! Top of the World!”
“White Heat” (1949)

“For England James”
“GoldenEye” (1995)

“You Can't Afford to Take the Risk”
“Dredd” (2012)

“Thank God. I Die a True American”
“Gangs of New York” (2002)

“Blade Runner” (1982)
Rutger Hauer’s famous “Tears in Rain” monologue was actually written by the actor himself, based on a much longer speech in the script. His delivery makes it all the more heartfelt. His character, the replicant Roy Batty, has just rescued Deckard . . . but alas, the android wasn’t built to last. Roy’s speech showcases his humanity, encapsulating the major theme of the movie, and allowing us to feel sympathy for “Blade Runner’s”villain. Though couched in the language of science fiction, with its references to “C Beams” and “attack ships”, it’s nonetheless profoundly relatable - leaving us wondering, what makes this android’s thoughts and feelings any different to our own?