Top 10 Animated DC Villains That Stole the Show
#10: Inque
“Batman Beyond” (1999-2001) This shapeshifting villain immediately caught our eye with her unique design and creative use of her powers. Knowing that she could both slip through cracks and grow to enormous sizes at a whim instantly made her into a credible threat. Outside of Inque’s powers, what made her so fun to watch was how ruthless she was. On two separate occasions, she nearly killed both the younger and older versions of Batman. She could also turn on any ally or employer at any time because she was always about doing what’s best for her. Overall, Inque was a powerful and dangerous wild card. Whenever she inked into a room, we knew one or more Batmen were about to be in the fight of their life.
#9: Monsieur Mallah & the Brain
“My Adventures with Superman” (2023-) During this villainous duo’s first scene, the couple doesn’t hurt Jimmy Olsen because the young photographer is having friendship troubles. Their surprising choice set the tone for a series of funny and unexpected scenes with the two antagonists. While Monsieur Mallah is a sensitive and superintelligent talking primate, the Brain is a bloodthirsty and angry genius. But despite their differences, the two constantly express their love for each other. Their unexpectedly compelling romance completely stole the focus from the antagonists. And the fact that they like to conduct dangerous experiments didn’t hurt either. Although this duo chooses to leave Earth behind to find a place where their love will be accepted, we’d welcome them back with open arms.
#8: The Riddler
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“The Batman” (2004-08) After Batman got trapped underwater with this puzzling villain, the rogue revealed his full backstory. We learn that The Riddler spent most of his life being mistreated by family and employers who couldn’t understand his brilliant mind. When he was finally given a chance to show off a visionary invention, his presentation was sabotaged and he was branded a failure. The Riddler’s sympathetic backtory actually got us cheering for him. And he became even more interesting when he still committed himself to cold revenge after baring his heart. Surprisingly, the Riddler didn’t make many appearances on the 2004 series. Maybe that’s because he would’ve stolen the show from Batman.
#7: Sportsmaster
“Young Justice” (2010-22) There was a time where Sportsmaster believed his daughter Artemis was slain by hero-turned-villain Aqualad. The bad dad then became fixated on trying to assassinate the Atlantean. Not only did Sportsmaster risk his life, but he betrayed his own evil allies to try to get at Aqualad and Black Manta. Every time the slighted father appeared, he did something reckless that put him firmly in the spotlight. And to make matters better, Sportsmaster kept claiming he wasn’t motivated by revenge. He just wanted to slay the father and son to preserve his reputation. The combo of Sportmaster’s hilariously misguided motivations and fun scenes made him stand out. While he was a fun character before this arc, the running storyline cemented him as a fan favorite.
#6: Ebon
“Static Shock” (2000-04) Although the electrifying hero faced many enemies, the rogue that always stood at the top of his gallery was Ebon. This antagonist had shadowy powers that allowed him to do everything from shapeshift to teleport. Ebon was also an intelligent villain who carefully examined the weaknesses of his opponent before striking. And since he had so much street cred, he had no problem assembling crews of meta criminals that were willing to do his bidding. Ebon’s confidence and charisma could be felt as soon as he snuck into a scene. He also never stopped trying to get more powerful. Ebon’s immense drive and smooth operating style led him to become one of the most memorable characters of the entire “Static Shock” tv run.
#5: Brainiac
“Superman: The Animated Series” (1996-2000) In the very first episode of this show, Brainiac leaves virtually everyone on the planet Krypton to die so HE could take the planet’s information and save himself. His savage actions in the pilot were only a taste of what was to come. During Brainiac's followup appearances, he concocted elaborate plans that fooled heroes and villains alike. And if he needed to fight, his tactical brilliance and natural strength made him an extremely tough foe. This superintelligent being always got our attention because he was a world ending threat. If Brainiac was in an episode, we knew there would be planetary sized stakes and a hugely impactful battle in our near future.
#4: Bane
“Harley Quinn” (2019-) Picking just one scene-stealing baddie from a show full of them was difficult. We were tempted to say hell yeah to Kite Man. However, the most consistently entertaining character is Bane. Although he looks intimidating, his social awkwardness and silly voice led him to become one of the show’s biggest jokes. But he’s shown that he’s more than just muscles on several occasions. As the series has gone on, we’ve seen Bane get vulnerable about his insecurities and inability to connect to others. It’s gotten to the point that we feel bad whenever someone takes advantage of him. Bane definitely isn’t seen as a valued member of the supervillain community on the show. Fortunately, he’s the best big bad from the series in our eyes.
#3: Darkseid
“Justice League Unlimited” (2004-06) While Lex Luthor was trying to revive Brainiac, Darkseid came to life instead and immediately took charge. This scene was a great metaphor for the conqueror’s presence on the show. Darkseid’s incredible power and brutal nature took center stage when he burst onto the scene. Since he was so formidable, heroes and villains agreed to team up just to stop the big bad’s plan. And did we mention that Darkseid has some truly awesome lines of dialogue? The writers wisely saved the villain for the finale of this acclaimed show. He was actually in less than three episodes total across “Unlimited” and its prequel series. Despite limited screen time, Darkseid’s appearance gave fans a few of the show’s most iconic scenes.
#2: Slade
“Teen Titans” (2003-06) We were fully invested in Slade once we heard Ron Perlman speak the villain’s very first lines. His chilling vocal performance fit a calculated villain who never missed an opportunity to ruin the Titan’s lives. Outside of being a physical threat, Slade was als o extremely prepared for every scenario. It got to the point that every time he lost, we got excited to see how he’d get out of the bad situation and fight another day. Slade was such a scene-stealing villain that he starred in one of the show’s best episodes while he was still technically dead! When the ghost of the antagonist keeps fans glued to the screen, you know you’ve created a legendary character.
#1: Harley Quinn
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“Batman: The Animated Series” (1992-95) Since the Joker loves to be the star of the show, we had to shout out his manic presence and Mark Hamill’s performance. But we ultimately chose Harley because of her pop culture impact. She was originally supposed to make her debut and last appearance in the “Joker’s Favor” episode. However, Harley was so well-received that she was brought back for numerous episodes to make us laugh, cry, and feel sympathetic for her horrible relationship with the Joker. But her breakout fame on the show was just the beginning. After making the tv debut, she appeared in pretty much every single artistic medium you can think of and got her own self-titled show. Decades after Harley’s debut, she’s still stealing scenes wherever she goes.