The Top 20 Villains In Fantasy Television, Ranked

The fantasy genre is often where you will find the greatest TV villains of all time, and this is likely because there’s so much room for creativity in the category. Whether the villain relies on political maneuvering, like many of the best villains in Game of Thrones, or has formidable magic powers, an antagonist can make or break a TV show.

There is more to writing a great villain than just making them evil, because evil can often look the same, no matter which series the character is in. A well-written antagonist must have something that makes them stand out, whether that is their charisma, odd quirks, or unpredictability. Some TV villains can be incredibly fun to watch, and the best are mesmerizing.

Vilgefortz

The Witcher

Vilgefortz’s charm hides a true villain, with the character operating from the sidelines while appearing respectable and honorable. This makes him easy to underestimate, until his series of betrayals and a brutal one-sided fight against Geralt. He is one of the strongest villains in The Witcher and always gives the impression that we are still only seeing a fraction of his power.

The Four Horsemen

Good Omens

Good Omens‘ version of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse is one of the most creative of all time, and the characters are threatening despite the show being mostly comedy. The war correspondent (War), businessman (Famine), otherworldly being (Pollution), and Death himself are the modern Horsemen, who answer to nobody and steal the scene every time they appear onscreen.

Gerbert D’Aurillac

A Discovery Of Witches

Some of the best TV show villains combine a force for good with true evil, and Gerbert D’Aurillac does exactly this with his religious standing. As both a vampire and a former pope, he commands authority in a cold and calculating way and is long-lived enough that he knows how to play the long game in A Discovery of Witches.

Morgana Pendragon

Merlin

Morgana is one of the most complex characters in Merlin, and her downfall from hero to antagonist is a sad story. The formerly kind-hearted character becomes a terrifying villain through the fear of her own magical powers and through witnessing others being persecuted for theirs. Morgana is unrecognizable by the end of Merlin, as her character gets darker with each season.

The fact that Morgana’s fears and actions can sometimes be seen as justified makes her a fascinating character, as it is sometimes hard to pinpoint exactly when she passed the point of no return. This makes Morgana one of the best fantasy TV show villains, as it is rarer for a good character to become evil, while we are used to redemption arcs.

Aemond Targaryen

House Of The Dragon

Credit: Image via Max

While the House of the Dragon showrunner insists that Aemond Targaryen is not a psychopath, many fans feel otherwise. He is both extremely intelligent and calculating, but with the streak of rage that the Targaryen house is famous for. This leaves viewers waiting in suspense to see when he will erupt next, making him one of the most compelling villains in fantasy.

SkekSo

The Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance

The Emperor of the Skeksis reflects many real-life villains desperately clinging onto their empires at the expense of everything around them. This is shown in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance through excellent character design and metaphor. Every aspect of SkekSo’s physical appearance and surroundings suggests decay and corruption as he literally drains the life essence from others to preserve himself.

The Darkling

Shadow And Bone

Not all villains are deliberately evil, and Shadow and Bone‘s Darkling demonstrates this perfectly. His motivations are good, but the way he goes about protecting Grisha is twisted. The Darkling’s belief that he can save the world by controlling it highlights the fact that good intentions can still produce evil actions. He is a terrifying visionary and a well-written warning.

Crowley

Supernatural

Supernatural is one of the best fantasy shows of all time, going from a relatively simple “monster of the week” set-up to a complex saga. The witty and sarcastic demon Crowley is the center of attention in his scenes, while also being surprisingly menacing. He was such a popular character that his role was expanded, allowing him to evolve throughout the series.

Ishamael

The Wheel Of Time

While The Dark One is The Wheel of Time‘s overarching villain, the best antagonist in the show is Ishamael. Ishamael relentlessly manipulates those around him, using his talent for finding and exploiting weakness. His ancient wisdom and calm belief that the world needs to end make him a terrifying character, similar to a cult acolyte but far more powerful.

Eren Yeager

Attack On Titan

Eren turns from hero to villain in Attack on Titan, driven by the desire for vengeance. Game of Thrones could have learned from this, as the slow change in Eren is some of the best writing in any fantasy TV show. The idealistic boy becomes a genocidal man, and his descent into villainy makes him one of the most unforgettable characters in the genre.