Top 10 Scariest Movie Characters That Didn't Kill Anyone

Who says all villains need to rack up a bloody body count? Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 scariest movie characters that didn’t kill anyone. For this list, we’re ranking the characters from cinema that have served as a particularly frightening focal point in their respective films, but never directly took the life of another character. Given that we’ll be delving deep into some important plot points, however, a spoiler alert is definitely in order!

The fact that he’s called Trantor the Troll should already clue you in as to what we’re dealing with here. Back in the day, an ancestor of our titular character named Reverend Phineas Worrell captured the ancient, demonic troll with evil intentions so that he’d stop transforming kids into wooden dolls. Two centuries later, the terrifying monstrosity is accidentally released and goes back at it again. Just because he’s scared stupid doesn’t mean Ernest can’t be a hero though; and fortunately he saves the day!

#9: Nurse Ratched “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (1975)

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If you’re looking for an example of how absolute power can corrupt absolutely, then look no further than this iconic villain. Nurse Ratched is brilliantly portrayed by actress Louise Fletcher, and represents just how far the abuse of authoritative power can take someone, if pushed too far. Ratched rules over the patients in her mental institution with both an iron fist and a cruel mind, in one case pushing the guilt-ridden virgin Billy Bibbit to suicide after threatening to reveal to his mother an encounter with a prostitute. Although Ratched technically keeps her hands clean, her commitment to her position is resolute and ruthless.

Butch Coolidge is in big trouble after double-crossing gangster Marsellus Wallace. It’s in the middle of a heated chase, however, when both men happen across two violent, perverse men who operate in the basement of a pawnshop. Both Butch and Marsellus are beaten and tortured, with Marsellus being gagged and sodomized by Zed the security guard. Butch manages to break free, however, and rescues Marsellus from his attacker, thus settling their debt. It’s a dark and disturbing scene, thanks to the setting, subject matter, and one of the rapists’ black leather gimp outfit.

#7: Seth Brundle / Brundlefly “The Fly” (1986)

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“Be afraid...be very afraid” was the original tagline for this 1986 body horror classic from director David Cronenberg, and it referenced The Fly’s central character: brilliant scientist Seth Brundle, played by Jeff Goldblum. Brundle’s tragic transformation into the titular fly is made all the more tragic by the fact that The Brundlefly, although severely wounding several characters with his super strength and corrosive acid vomit, doesn’t actually kill anyone... even those who might deserve it. No, Seth Brundle’s story is unfortunate for everyone involved, with no happy endings in sight.

#6: Annabelle “The Conjuring” (2013)

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Creepy dolls have been known to petrify even the heartiest of horror fans, but this demented little girl just might take the proverbial cake. Her name is Annabelle and she’s based on a real life Raggedy Ann doll, which was supposedly possessed, as claimed by New England paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. The evil-infused doll provides a ton of scares in both 2013’s “The Conjuring,” as well as its spinoff/prequel, “Annabelle,” despite not directly causing the deaths of any characters. However, Annabelle continues to frighten horror fans at least half to death with every one of her spine-tingling appearances.

This mad scientist is certainly obsessed with the factors of death and decay, but he prefers to create life rather than take it. 1931’s “Frankenstein” saw the first significant film appearance of this iconic Mary Shelley character, but with him renamed “Henry” instead of Victor. Although Frankenstein sends out his assistant Fritz to acquire body parts of the recently deceased in order to assemble his monster, the scientist himself doesn’t do any of the dirty work or heavy lifting. This makes Henry a morally questionable character, but not one who is quite willing to take that final step towards the crime of murder.

“No wire hangers ever!!” This fan favorite line is delivered with frightening intensity by Faye Dunaway in “Mommie Dearest,” which was based on the bestselling memoir of Christina Crawford, daughter of famed Hollywood siren Joan Crawford. Although the film has received somewhat ironic praise in the years since its release, Dunaway’s performance as Crawford is simultaneously terrifying and magnetic. It possesses an immense power that deserves some serious reappraisal by those who write this one off as a “so bad it’s good” movie. The actress portrays Crawford as a nuanced, complex and at times tragic character who nevertheless inflicts some severe emotional wounds upon those dearest to her.

So many young children have this classic character to thank for their nightmares growing up. Actress Margaret Hamilton portrayed both the Wicked Witch of the West, as well as her Kansas-based alter ego Miss Almira Gulch. She gained critical and commercial praise for stepping into the world of author L. Frank Baum’s original novel. Whether it was The Witch’s army of flying monkeys, her evil, cackling laugh, or her tendency to pop up in crystal balls at a moment’s notice, this villain caused more than enough psychological damage to make up for the fact that she never does “get” Dorothy, or her little dog.

Mysterious, mischievous, and capricious, this woodland creature from Guillermo del Toro’s “Pan’s Labyrinth” has but one goal on his mind: to reveal to the film’s young protagonist Ofelia her true identity. The Faun’s horned, semi-animalistic appearance falls in line with the creature’s mythological roots, while the character’s moral ambiguity towards Ofelia’s wellbeing at times makes his relationship with the troubled young girl a complex one. A father figure, a tour guide, and a possibly untrustworthy ally, the Faun’s unpredictable behavior and propensity to anger make him a frightening creature indeed. Before we reveal our scariest, non-lethal movie character, here are a few honorable mentions! Oogie Boogie “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993) Kyra Collins “The Sixth Sense” (1999) Cruella De Vil “One Hundred and One Dalmatians” (1961) The Dementors “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” (2004)

#1: The Babadook “The Babadook” (2014)

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There are few things more frightening than the monsters that lurk within our imaginations. This is the birthplace of The Babadook, the product of a young boy’s fears and anxieties, which sees an anthropomorphized birth, thanks to a pop-up storybook. The Babadook’s penchant for possession, torment, and deceit make it a particularly frightening villain, despite the fact that the creature itself is never physically responsible for any human’s death in the film. Still, its ability to tap into fear and make even the most staunch skeptic a victim of its power make The Babadook a frighteningly effective creature of modern horror. Do you agree with our list? Which movie characters frightened you, and were you surprised to find out they actually didn’t kill anyone? For more scary-good top 10 lists published everyday, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com!