10 Villains That Are More Popular Than Their Hero Counterparts

Every protagonist needs a formidable antagonist - someone who takes the danger to the next level and challenges the hero to be better. Sometimes, however, these villains end up being more than just fearsome and become iconic personalities in their own right. Like an eclipse, there are rare occasions where these bad apples actually overtake their heroic counterparts in terms of popularity. Now, this isn't to say it's because they're noble or misunderstood. No, it's purely because we love them for who they are. And that's how it starts. The fever. The rage. The feeling of powerlessness that turns good men cruel (sorry, I couldn't help myself with that Alfred Pennyworth quote). Proving it's good to be bad, here are 10 villains that are more popular than their foil. As always, if you've got someone in mind that we didn't list, feel free to throw them in via the comments section down below. Skeletor You know, it really sucks that Skeletor has probably the most incompetent henchmen in all history - maybe rivalled only by the Shredder's bumbling buffoons. Here's a guy, with no skin on his face, who wants to rule Castle Grayskull and uncover its ancients secrets. He obviously wants to find out these secrets to rebuild his face, duh. Cruelly, the blond-haired douchebag named He-Man stops him at every turn, preventing him from ever having a beautiful face again. Poor guy has no luck… As a consolation prize, the skeletal warlord has his immense popularity to fall back on. He's the subject of many Internet memes, T-shirts, and popular culture references, proving that he's the one true Master of the Universe. Also, lest we forget, the outstanding Frank Langella portrayed him in the franchise's only big screen outing to date. Yes, the Academy Award-nominated and Tony Award-winning actor. And who was He-Man? Rocky's Ivan Drago, Dolph Lundgren (snigger). I think it's fair to say that Skeletor got the better deal here. Negan The swaying hips, the leather jacket, the smug smirk, and Lucille. Man, Negan is just too cool for zombie-killing school. Even if he did (spoiler alert) smash Abraham and Glenn's brains in, he's been the most exciting thing about the snore-worthy season 7 of The Walking Dead. He's a despicable guy - make no mistake about it - but he oozes confidence in everything he does. While Rick Grimes whines and loses his smile every other week, Negan continues to heat up the screen with his barbed-wire bat. He's dedicated to the cause, and he's so quotable, too. I mean, every time I open the freezer nowadays, I say, "this is going to be as cold as a warlock's ballsack." It's pretty obvious that the TV series is losing its legs and will probably get its eviction notice in a season or two. Until then, though, let's hope that Negs doesn't face the same fate as the Governor and is able to entertain us with some more of his Neganisms. Loki When Thor: Ragnarok was announced, most people were concerned by only one thing: was Loki going to be in it? Tom Hiddleston's turn as the God of Mischief has been universally praised, cementing this character as one of the best on-screen comic book villains. While he lacks the brawn to take on his brother, Thor, he certainly has the brains to excel. If it weren’t for those pesky Avengers interfering, he would've ruled Earth by now as well. Considering all that's going on in the world at the moment, would he have been any worse than some of our leaders? I rest my case. One of the biggest criticisms of the MCU has been its lack of credible villains, but Loki is the exception to the rule here. He's been the standout antagonist so far. Every time he appears, trouble soon follows - and that's exactly what we want from him. Dr. Evil Honestly, ask yourself why you even bothered with Austin Powers? It wasn't because of the groovy spy, his shagedellic chest rug, or his gorgeous sidekicks. No, it was because of his dastardly brother, Dr. Evil: the man with the sinister pinky and Lex Luthor haircut. Whether he stroked his cat, Mr. Bigglesworth, or tried to repair his fractured relationship with his son, Scott, the doctor of wickedness had a far more interesting arc than Powers. Let down by incompetent henchmen, Dr. Evil did the best with what he had, even if he did waste a lot of time explaining simple terms like "laser" too much. He's been quiet since 2002, and it's a downright shame. In fact, it's a travesty that we have endless seasons of Keeping Up with the Kardashians vomited out, but no more Dr. Evil in our lives. Throw me a frickin' bone here. Magneto Watch X-Men: First Class and X-Men: Apocalypse, then tell me you wouldn't react the same way Magneto did. When life gave Erik Lensherr lemons, he gave it metal-fused revenge in return. Do you blame him for his actions? While Charles Xavier's idealistic dream can be appreciated, Lensherr sees the harsh and brutal truth of the world around them. The fact that he can convince Charles' students to join his Brotherhood of Mutants shows us that his ideals resonate strongly with others, too. Think about it: more mutants have hopped over to Magneto's side than the opposite. That tells you something. He's been a thorn in the X-Men's side since their inception, and he's been their leader on occasion as well. Professor X may be the founding member and recognized head of this iconic team, but Magneto remains more popular than his on-and-off-again bestie. You could say that he has a natural magnetism to him. Freddy Krueger Off the top of your head, what's Nancy's surname? Better yet, how many of you can even remember that Nancy Thompson was Freddy Krueger's main nemesis in The Nightmare on Elm Street franchise? Yeah, you can try to act clever in the comments, but I know that you had to Google at least one of those facts. As one of the most popular villains in horror cinema, Freddy terrorizes horny teenagers to the delight of viewers everywhere. He's appeared in everything from video games to a short-lived TV series, solidifying himself as the late Wes Craven's greatest creation. You'd be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn't know the "One-Two-Freddy's coming for you" lullaby. Whether it's Jackie Earle Haley or the legendary Robert Englund in the striped sweater and worn-out fedora, Freddy is the only reason that we bother with this never-ending franchise. End of story. Hannibal Lecter When you have a TV series and two films named after you, you know you're the MVP. This holds true for everyone's favorite cannibal, Hannibal Lecter. While he may put us off a steak dinner when he appears, he's still one of fiction's most menacing and intellectual villains. We've seen his brutal side and we've witnessed his cunningness. Whichever method he chooses to employ, he always outmaneuvers Clarice Starling, Will Graham, and Jack Crawford. His game of human chess is already predetermined, with him coming out on top every single time. His most recent outing, Hannibal, might've ended prematurely, but that hasn't stopped his fans from demanding its return. One thing's for sure: this isn't the last we've seen of Hannibal the Cannibal. Dracula There was a time when vampires didn't sparkle or act like emo teenagers. A time when the mere mention of the name Dracula struck fear into the hearts of people everywhere. It's an era that many wish we could return to, ridding our minds of Stephenie Meyer's bastardization of the creatures of the night. When you think of popular vampires, you'd struggle to think of a name more popular than Dracula. In fact, the Count is so famous that over 200 films have featured him in a major role. Only Sherlock Holmes can claim to have more films based after him. Abraham Van Helsing has long been considered Drac's biggest adversary, yet he plays second fiddle to his bloodsucking nemesis on numerous occasions. There might be many pretenders to his throne, but Count Dracula still remains the one and only coffin king. Darth Vader Was there any doubt that Darth Vader would be on this list? When you think of Star Wars, the cyborg, born Anakin Skywalker, will be the first person to pop into anyone's mind. From his celebrated look, booming voice, and mastery of the red lightsaber, there's never been quite a villain like Vader. Part of the Sith Lord's appeal is undoubtedly his history, which paints him out to be a tragic hero of sorts. Sure, let's forget the fact that he blew up planets, betrayed the Jedi, and slaughtered a bunch of helpless children, but he did redeem himself at the end of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. So, I guess that counts for something, right? In a universe with a plethora of unforgettable and colorful characters, Lord Vader chokes the life out of everyone around him to stand supreme. If only he'd turned to the dark side earlier in his life and finished off Jar Jar Binks before the prequels… The Joker The Clown Prince of Crime. The Harlequin of Hate. The Ace of Knaves. Whichever name you use to describe him, you know the Joker's the yin to Batman's yang. There's no villain quite like him who riles up the Bat and the Internet community so vehemently (just ask Jared Leto). Every piece of news about this aficionado of purple and green just seems that much bigger than anything else. Undoubtedly, the height of Mr. J's popularity came when the late Heath Ledger's performance of him in The Dark Knight earned him a posthumous Oscar win for Best Supporting Actor. Not only did he steal the show in the film, but he also inspired a whole new generation of Halloween getup. He put a smile on our faces and carved out a legacy as one of the finest comic book movie villains of all-time. Whenever the news of a Batman reboot hits the airwaves, the first question is, who'll be the Joker? Naturally, like any good Internet conversation, it turns into insults and controversy, since he's such a beloved character in the DC universe. The Bat is famous, but the Joker will always be infamous. He's a different class of criminal, you know.