Top 20 Violent Characters in Cartoons

“Looney Tunes” franchise (1930-)

You might not expect this iconic mascot to be someone with violent tendencies. While he’s a far cry from a bloodthirsty maniac, Bugs Bunny is hardly an innocent little rabbit. For 80+ years he’s been tormenting the likes of Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, Yosemite Sam, and countless others. He once set a bomb loose on the Easter Bunny, tricked a dog into falling off of a building, and even nearly erased Daffy from existence. He’s done some truly heinous things and hardly ever feels bad for the chaos he brings. Just because “Looney Tunes” is bound together by cartoon physics and barely any continuity doesn’t mean we’re letting Bugs off the hook for his crimes!

“Gravity Falls” (2012-16)

Be weary of setting foot in Gravity Falls, because this killer triangle is out to get everybody. The chaos deity goes to the greatest of lengths to essentially unleash hell on Earth. Through his mastery of chaos magic he can do and pretty much destroy anything and everything. He’s responsible for the complete eradication of his home world, the “2nd dimension.” If that weren’t bad enough, he nearly destroyed Earth too. But when he’s not rearranging realities he’s also rearranging body parts like how he did with Mr. Northwest. Cipher is an enigmatic force with sinister intentions, ungodly amounts of power, and a sick sense of humor. So when it’s all said and done, Bill Cipher shapes up to be one truly messed up villain.

“Teen Titans” (2003-06)

Time and time again, Slade has proven to be one of the toughest foes that the Teen Titans have ever faced. Considering that his original name ‘Deathstroke’ couldn’t be used for the cartoon because it was too unsettling, you just know he’s trouble. There are plenty of times when we see Slade’s special blend of terror take hold. He was responsible for Terra’s death and created major rifts within the team. And even when he wasn’t around, he was still causing mayhem. His impact was so devastating that the years of torment he caused essentially gave Robin intense PTSD. He’s violent, but that’s not a description that properly does him justice. He’s a stone-cold criminal mastermind who preys on people and destroys lives.

“The Mask: Animated Series” (1995-97)

Whenever somebody dons this infamous mask, they make trouble whether they like it or not. The mayhem that the Mask creates is nothing short of a spectacle. On the regular, he whips out all sorts of crazy weapons and inventive maneuvers. But while he does everything in a hilariously cartoonish fashion, the pure insanity of this guy is no laughing matter. Sure, a slender green guy in a bright suit dancing around is all fun and games. But what about when he’s aiming a cannon straight at your face or cooking you alive? Yeah, not so funny now!

“Invader Zim” (2001-06)

If you’re an alien whose sole purpose is to invade Earth, then chances are you probably aren’t up to much good. While Zim’s elaborate plots often border on the goofier side of things, they still tend to lead to horrifying results. Wanting to hijack Christmas sounds like a funny villainous plot, but Zim having his computer drain the brain of a Mall Santa isn’t too delightful. Who could forget the time Zim began harvesting children’s organs in “Dark Harvest?” In fact, he makes so many unsettling choices that fans believe this episode is one of the reasons the show got canned. With all the twisted things Zim’s done, it’s no wonder his own people known as the Irkens ditched him.

“Family Guy” (1999-2003; 2005-)

What are some of the most vile crimes a person can commit? You name it and chances are Peter Griffin has done it. From robbing banks for a living to getting into fights with a giant chicken, he’s hardly an upstanding member of society. He’s also lashed out at kids and in some cases caused their demise. It honestly seems like violent tendencies just run in his family considering Peter's infant son Stewie has also done some equally heinous things. For a character who’s regarded as comic relief, Peter Griffin’s actions are a lot less comical and a lot more deranged.

“Star Wars: The Clone Wars” (2008-20)

Darth Maul is one of the most vicious Sith Lords and he’s shown his ruthlessness on more than one occasion. His ability to not only survive but bounce back from severe setbacks has allowed him to dish out some extreme brutality. He overcame losing his mind and body to get revenge on Obi-Wan, and also beheaded Pre Vizsla to conquer Mandalore. Not to mention he savagely massacred Clone Troopers in a hallway scene unlike any other. Hey look, you don’t become one of the coolest characters without dismembering a few people here and there. Saying that “Star Wars” has tortured souls is hardly anything new. But Maul is a character consumed by hatred in a way that simply few others can rival.

DC Animated Universe (1992-2006)

As the cruel dictator of Apokolips, Darkseid is not a character really known to be very peaceful. He’s enslaved planets, broken heroes, and nearly brought the destruction of everything on more than one occasion. While he often sends out his hordes of Parademons to do his bidding, he isn’t against getting his hands dirty either. He’s regularly gotten into intense scuffles with Superman and the rest of the Justice League. At one point during the iconic “Justice League Unlimited” finale, he even boasted about how he’d carve out Superman’s heart. That’s pretty freaking hardcore if you ask us. It’s no wonder why Darkseid’s arguably the most menacing villain in the entire DCAU.

“Mr. Pickles”(2013-19)

This dog is a psychotic border collie who regularly does incredibly gruesome things to anyone he sees as a threat to his owner Tommy Goodman and his family. It’s probably best we don’t go into extreme detail about all of the murders he’s committed. So rest assured when we say he’s not exactly a good boy. In fact, the show would later reveal that Mr. Pickles is descended from a long line of sinister dogs who essentially took control over an entire kingdom. Needless to say, you should be careful around this wild animal. If you anger him, then it’s going to be you who’s in the dog house!

“Invincible” (2021-)

Omni-Man is kind of like Superman… if Superman decided to become a full-blown villain. Saying he has serious anger issues would barely scratch the surface. In the final moments of just the first episode of “Invincible,” viewers are properly introduced to Omni-Man’s brutality. He betrays and gruesomely murders his teammates, the Guardians of the Globe. Later in the first season’s finale when his son Mark doesn’t embrace his vision, they come to blows. He doesn’t just beat him within an inch of his life, he also creates tons of collateral damage in the process. Let’s just say we’re a lot less comfortable being in subway stations now…

“Samurai Jack” (2001-04; 2017)

In a future dominated by the evil that is Aku, you would have thought the most beastly thing out there would be one of his many robotic or alien minions. But nope! That honor goes to this kilt-wearing fellow who likely hails from the highlands. A feared warrior as well as one of Jack’s closest allies, the Scotsman loves nothing more than to start a brawl. Armed with his own magic sword, a machine gun in place of a leg and a mean set of bagpipes, there’s no meaner Scot than him. Well, other than his bonnie lass at least.

“Avatar: The Last Airbender” (2005-08)

Unlike other princesses, Azula doesn’t spend her days being pampered in palaces. She prefers turning peasants to ash. A master manipulator, infiltrator, and all-around badass when it comes to firebending, her accomplishments include bringing down the city of Ba Sing Se, turning Zuko back to the dark side, and in essence killing the Avatar, albeit briefly. Selfish in her wants and relentless in her pursuits, she would happily burn down the whole world should it suit her ends. And that was all before she started to lose her mind.

“South Park” (1997-)

Granted, he may not by the most physically intimidating resident of the quiet little mountain town, but if there’s one thing Eric Cartman’s good at, it’s bringing about violence and death. He nearly brought death to all Jews in South Park by inciting hatred, got a woman to take her own life herself with just a phone call, and even managed to take control of the world-ending Cthulhu. Of course, his most infamous moment came when Cartman arranged for Scott Tenorman’s parents to be killed, turned into chili, and unknowing fed to Scott in an act of revenge. Dayum.

“Tom and Jerry” franchise (1940-)

These two have been at each other’s throats for decades now and while their scraps may not exactly be the bloodiest, they certainly don’t hesitate to knock the stuffing out of each other. This is especially true of Tom the Cat, who more often than not ends up on the receiving end of Jerry the Mouse’s brutal comebacks. Sliced apart, crushed, beaten up, set on fire, even caught in an explosion, this pussycat has endured some pretty harsh punishments over the years. But to be fair, he usually started it.

“Spider-Man: The Animated Series” (1994-98)

What do you get when you take a mass murderer and add an alien symbiote to the mix? A whole pile of dead bodies, that’s what. While he was a sick SOB all by his lonesome, Cletus Kasady absorbed the spawn of Venom, becoming a whole new kind of monster. With all of Spider-Man’s powers, plus the nasty tendency to turn his tendrils into weapons, Carnage quickly established himself as one of the web-head’s most dangerous adversaries. Not to mention the most psychotic.

“Batman: The Animated Series” (1992-95)

The Clown Prince of Crime has enough deaths on his hands to fill whole graveyards, and while he doesn’t tend to be as blunt with his kills compared to the rest of Batman’s rogues gallery, he’s certainly not afraid to get his hands dirty. Whether it’s with his signature laughing gas, a whole assortment of deadly gags, or one of his many ingenious death traps, the Joker certainly knows how to combine theatrics with murder. Heck, he’s not above using sharks as a means to try and kill the Dark Knight.

“The Simpsons” (1989-)

What if Tom and Jerry ditched their usual routine and tried literally butchering each other? You might get something resembling these two. In a rather brutal parody, the subjects of Bart and Lisa’s favorite cartoon show spend each episode finding new and creative ways to kill one another off. More specifically, we get to see how many ways Scratchy can be dismembered, devoured, and just downright destroyed. One of the most successful running gags in “The Simpsons” franchise, the furry duo seems to get more bloodthirsty with every season.

“Rick and Morty” (2013-)

While traversing across space, time, and a whole plethora of dimensions, one constant has become abundantly clear over the course of this hit series: cross Rick Sanchez and you are going to die, in a rather gruesome fashion. Whether it’s to protect himself and Morty or just for the sake of it, it’s bound to be bloody and oh-so hilarious. Try to steal his work? He’ll blow you up. Try to take advantage of his grandson? He’ll blast you into a thousand pieces. Inconvenience him during a mission? Prepare to lose your head.

v#2: Brock Samson