Top 10 Teen Drama Villains Motivated by Revenge

Regarded by some fans as the worst character in the series, this obsessive narcissist brings so much juicy drama to the plot. Spoiled rich boy Oliver tries to manipulate Marissa into falling in love with him only to threaten himself with a gun when things don’t go his way. The beef between him and Ryan is somewhat vague, but there may be a tinge of jealousy. As Marissa and Ryan’s romance blooms, Oliver seems to be seeking revenge on some cosmic injustice. Luckily, he’s hauled away by the police and sent to a rehab clinic. Whatever his true motivation was, we’re glad that he’s never heard from after season one.

Infidelity can make people do some wild things. In this villain’s case, he discovers that his brother had an affair with his wife. Then he hires a woman to fall in love with his brother and leave him at the altar on their wedding day. Yikes. On the surface, Dan seems like he could be a decent guy. But dig deeper and you’ll find a verbally abusive liar. He also has some pretty bad luck. Despite all of his dastardly deeds, Dan was awarded a surprisingly satisfying redemption arc. We truly saw him try to become a better person.

Riddled with anxiety, this character is just as sympathetic as he is villainous. In the first season, he falls into a polyamorous relationship with Christian and his girlfriend Carla. But after the entire throuple falls apart, Polo resents Christian. It’s possible that this thirst for vengeance has some romantic subtext. Regardless, Polo yearns to make Christian suffer. But Álvaro Rico’s brilliant performance gives Polo a lot of depth. It’s easy for a character like this to be portrayed as simply evil. But he’s handled with such care, the audience can empathize with him. It doesn’t excuse his actions. However it does make him incredibly interesting to watch.

One would hope that after living for over a thousand years, something like revenge would seem petty. Unfortunately in Klaus’ case, he seeks vengeance against everyone who’s betrayed him. Over the centuries, that list has grown quite long. Between the way he’s been treated by his mother and former allies, it’s no wonder he has trust issues. Klaus is gifted at using devious methods to manipulate people to act in his interests. Moreover, his violent tendencies have become the stuff of legend among both friends and foes. Crossing his path often leads to severe consequences. He’s unafraid to eliminate anyone who stands in his way. But deep down, there is a glimmer of remorse. Despite his actions, Klaus still loves his large, twisted vampire family.

Among all the werewolves, banshees, and lacrosse games, this compelling story with some of the best villains stands out. When he lost his family in a tragic fire, Peter Hale fell into a coma for six years. During that time, his hatred festered and intensified. When he finally awoke, he embraced his darker instincts and committed an unforgivable act. He killed his niece, harnessing her power to ascend as the new Alpha. Fueled by his desire for revenge, his werewolf form is a massive monstrosity. His relentless pursuit was aimed at the supernatural hunter responsible for the blaze that decimated most of his family. This multifaceted villain personifies the essence of tragedy.

This devilish Upper East Sider is truly chaos incarnate. She’s cruel, manipulative, and wickedly good television. Much like a hurricane, Georgina returns to wreak havoc on Serena’s life. Every time she appears, she triggers Serena’s inner wild-child. But the main focus of her vengeance is Blair. One time, she even sent Blair on a fool’s errand to join some secret society. Georgina uses her wits and charm to terrorize Blair’s social life. Over time, Georgina seems to calm down. While she continues to revel in mayhem, it’s with less malicious intent. While she isn’t necessarily a series regular, she’s definitely a fan favorite.

In Kappa Kappa Tau, the Chanels reign supreme. Their leader, Chanel

This gem of Canadian television has given an entire generation of teens scores of cautionary tales. But this particular character plays a central role in the school’s darkest chapter. After his relationship with a fellow student turns violent, details of his abusive nature spread throughout the school. This turns Rick into a social pariah. He endures bullying by his peers, and eventually he resorts to violence. He brings a weapon to school and renders a classmate paralyzed. Unfortunately, Rick also loses his own life. This was a stark depiction of how violence can manifest in schools. True to its tagline, this show really does go there.

This Swedish hit, set at a fictional boarding school, is filled with LGBT+ drama. August, who starts out pretty inoffensive, grows jealous of his second cousin Prince Wilhelm. But August must remain civil, in order to cash in on the benefits afforded to royals. The two do grow rather close, acting as each other’s emotional support. But August catches Wilhelm in a compromising position and records the act. He then posts the video on the internet. While it must be tough to feel less fortunate than a family member, using their private life against them should be off limits. Sure, he feels bad for taking his revenge, but it’s unlikely that there will be a time-travel plot device for August to make this right.

Very few teen dramas have villains as infamous as the A-Team, the enigmatic supervillain group that torments our main characters. As they communicated as the singular A, the culprit constantly changed hats. Mona was the most obvious villain on this team, so when Cece is revealed as the true leader of the A-Team, it is shocking. We had come to know Cece as a caring mentor to her cousin Alison, but she was actually Alison’s sibling all along. She sought vengeance for Ali because she believed that The Liars had disrespected Ali’s memory. This reveal was also highly controversial and raised the topic of trans representation, especially by non-trans actors. Cece and the show itself illustrates the sheer mayhem of teen dramas.