Top 10 Supervillain Quotes from Movies

When taking down an evil Nazi organization hell-bent on world domination, it’s best to attack from the ground up. Hydra’s treacherous outreach had never been so apparent until their commanding officer uttered these significant words. The army branch’s true terror didn’t solely rely on their individualized strengths, but their overwhelming masses, undying loyalty, and collective resolve. Super-soldier serum or not, this scene indicated that it was going to take a lot more than the Captain to take down this deeply rooted terrorist group. Even 70 years after Red Skull’s demise, HYRDRA is still very much alive.

This comic book movie went meta way before it was cool for comic book movies to go meta. Rorschach and Nite Owl’s encounter with the omnipotent Ozymandias went anything from smooth, but just when you think the movie is set to enact the classic “villain spills their master plan” trope, it decides to do a complete 360. Instead of enabling himself to be backed into a corner, the brilliant tactician shines absurdity on the self-incriminating plot device, thereby stepping outside of its fantasy-based world and poking fun at according films.

It’s been said that talking to one’s self was only for the loonies, but after this chilling mirror conversation, we’d be inclined to believe that. At wit’s end on how to bring an end to his webbed nemesis, Osborn receives some advice from the little voice inside his head. Coinciding with true villain nature, Osborn resorts to a plan that will destroy his opponent emotionally and from the inside out. This scene became so relevant to the character as it depicted his complete decline into the insane Green Goblin persona.

The only villain capable of defeating Batman both physically AND mentally, Bane is by far one of Batman's most menacing villains. After having learned Batman's true identity, Bane breaks the Dark Knight and brings him to "The Pit", an ancient prison described as 'the worst hell on earth'. As if that wasn't bad enough, Bane personally sees Bruce Wayne off, vowing that in Batman's absence, Gotham City will burn and there is nothing Wayne can do to stop it. Of course spoiler alert, that doesn't happen and Batman returns to throw Bane's line right back in his face. Of course it sounds a lot better when Bane says it.

Criminals break the law, villains simply make their own. Regardless of the movie’s unorthodox use of the character, or lack thereof, the terrorist organization leader known as the Mandarin painted a multi-faceted portrayal of himself during his PSA to the Land of the Free. The Mandarin’s distrust of America and its tainted history led him to his destructive resolve. The motives behind the fear and unrest he sets out to cause has actual context behind it, forcing you to consider if there’s actual such a thing as heroes or villains after all.

We’re not so different, you and I. What makes the bouts between the X-Men and Magneto so interesting is that they’re all one in the same, simultaneously contending against a world that hated them more than they did each other. This line from the metal-bending mutant not only humanized him, but made his character sympathetic as well. You might even find yourself rooting for him. Despite their methods, Charles and Magneto have always wanted the same thing, however, they’ve came to realize that working alongside each other just isn’t an option.

Some villains just know how to make an entrance. Asgardians aren’t commonly known for their modesty, and while the God of Mischief was previously featured in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it was this film that he set out to reintroduce himself. Armed with the Chitauri Scepter, Loki steals the Tesseract in order to enact his grand plan of stripping the Earth of its freedom. Whether it be born from his inferiority complex to his brother Thor, or his severe delusions of grandeur, Loki truly believed himself to be the world’s savior.

A signature catchphrase needn’t be necessarily significant or meaningful; just make sure it sounds badass. It’s beyond even the capabilities of Batman to explain The Joker’s motivations, yet there’s reason why this line has become so synonymous with the Clown Prince of Crime. Revealing it to be the last words he tells all his victims gives testament to not only his lunacy, but also his need for theatrics. Crimes that don’t deliver a spectacle have never been the villain’s style, giving such a quote so much relevance to the character.

Don’t make him ask twice. Villains often tend to make harsh demands of their enemies, but hardly are they ever as arrogant and narcissistic as this man’s. Disregarding the fact that this alien terrorist had the audacity to refer to himself in third person, but he required Superman, along with the whole human race, to kneel before him to feed his own over-inflated ego. This satirical order has allowed Superman’s arch-nemesis to become an icon in his movie universe. Even though the line might sound pretty straightforward on paper, General Zod totally sells it with his domineering presence and delivery.

Before we unveil our pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

“How Ironic, Tony”
“Iron Man” (2008)

“The Power of the Sun”
“Spider-Man 2” (2004)

Everything They Build Will Fall”
“X-Men: Apocalypse” (2016)

It’s time to put a smile on that face. Between The Joker’s illustrious story on how he came to inherit his mutilated face or Harvey Dent’s dismal outlook on good and evil you begin to get the sense that Gotham City is a tough place to grow up. A true villain’s one-liners are meant to deliver the sense of true terror and helplessness, a trend that this masterful performance from the late Heath Ledger did so well. By completely redefining our perception on what a true villain should be, this quote easily tops our list.