16 Best Big Bads of the Decade (PHOTOS)
The Mind Flayer (Stranger Things)
The monster from the Upside Down terrorized Hawkins — and especially the kids — and turned something fun like friends playing D&D into a horror movie.
Alpha (The Walking Dead)
Fans were waiting for the Whisperers’ debut on the AMC series, and with these villains came an iconic moment from the comics, one that was just as chilling to watch play out onscreen. Alpha’s reign of terror isn’t over yet, but she’s already put some of the survivors’ heads on pikes and had one of her people leave a baby behind.
Eobard Thawne/Reverse Flash (The Flash)
Eobard Thawne spent most of the first season disguised as Earth-1’s Harrison Wells, ostensibly acting as the team’s ally, after traveling through time and killing Barry’s mother in the past. And Barry has yet to truly be free of his nemesis, even five seasons later.
Joffrey (Game of Thrones)
There are villains you love to hate, and then there’s Joffrey. Beheading Ned Stark alone would earn him the title of “big bad,” but his cruelty only worsened, to the point that his death was quite satisfying.
Villanelle (Killing Eve)
The assassin Villanelle is half responsible for what may be one of the most entertaining and fascinating cat-and-mouse games ever to play out on TV. She gets quite creative with her kills, and she even manipulated Eve into murder before leaving her for dead.
Michael (The Good Place)
Michael may have ended up on humanity’s side, but back in Season 1, he was the one responsible for torturing Eleanor, Chidi, Tahani, and Jason before the big reveal that they were actually in the Bad Place.
God (Supernatural)
“Welcome to the end.” And with that, Chuck turned on his creations (in this world, after having abandoned others) and set Sam, Dean, and Castiel on their final season journey. The most terrifying part? What he sees as the end involves one brother killing the other, and that threat looms large at the end of the decade.
Kilgrave (Jessica Jones)
Is there anything more terrifying than a mind-controlling villain, especially one who did as much damage as Kilgrave did? And even after she killed him, he popped up again to haunt her as the devil on her shoulder in Season 2.
Klaus (The Vampire Diaries)
Before he moved onto his own show, The Originals, and eventually became (somewhat of) an ally, Klaus Mikaelson terrorized Elena and her family and friends. His body count is too high to count, and he had no problem using Alaric’s body while he awaited his own.
Greg Yates (Chicago P.D.)
Though Yates would eventually move over to SVU and torment Rollins, Chicago P.D. fans will always remember him for raping and murdering Nadia — and hearing the full extent of her injuries during his trial.
Pelant (Bones)
The list of crimes against the serial killer and hacktivist is a long one and not limited to murder, keeping Booth and Brennan apart by forcing Brennan to go on the run, delaying their wedding, and some truly gruesome (and creative) deaths, including Flynn’s.
Mr. Scratch (Criminal Minds)
Peter Lewis terrorized the BAU for years. He was responsible for one of the most terrifying sequences yet on the CBS drama as Hotch thought he’d seen his team being killed. Let’s not forget that he was also responsible for the car crash featuring most of the team, resulting in Walker’s death and Prentiss’ torture.
Rowan (Scandal)
Olivia’s family was quite complicated, especially when it came to her father, who was command of B613. Guilty of everything from torture to murder, there seemed to be a short list of things he wouldn’t do.
William Lewis (Law & Order: SVU)
Any SVU fan knows (and shudders at) the name William Lewis. From what he put Olivia through while he had her to what she was forced to go through when he was on trial, he may be one of the most terrifying serial killers ever in a procedural drama.
Deathstroke (Arrow)
While on the island, Slade Wilson/Deathstroke was Oliver’s friend — at least until he was given mirakuru, Shado was killed, and he went crazy. Oliver had to face that past when Slade terrorized Starling City and killed his mother, Moira, in Season 2.
Gus Fring (Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul)
Introduced on Breaking Bad, the villain later appeared on the prequel, Better Call Saul, allowing for a deep dive into his past. The drug lord was quite the thorn in Walt and Jesse’s side in the original series, and who could forget him fixing his tie as he was killed with half his face blown off.
It’s almost the end of 2019 and the decade, so we’re taking a look back at television in the 2010s with some of the best moments, pairings, surprises, and more.
Since 2010, TV viewers have been introduced to serial killers, villains, and just awful people across genres — in dramas, superhero shows, and even comedies.
Whether these bad guys killed beloved characters, terrorized a city, kept a couple apart, or even were once a protagonist’s friend, they’re each unforgettable in their own way.
Click through the gallery above to take a look at the best big bads of the past decade. (Note: All of these villains made their debut in 2010 or after.)
