The science fiction genre is one that is well known for its memorable protagonists, but sometimes there comes a villain that manages to steal the hero’s spotlight. This is mainly due to the actors’ incredible performances, ones so compelling and often so fun that they could easily land them in the sci-fi hall of fame. Even so, these villains manage to outshine the protagonist in every scene they’re in for a variety of different reasons, often over the top in their comedy or theatrics.
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Sci-fi characters have the unique opportunity to tell stories that break from the norm, making the villains of these narratives that much more memorable. This is even the case in lesser-known sci-fi films, which carve out their own space for themselves in the genre. Keeping this in mind, sci-fi films like Mad Max: Fury Road and Everything Everywhere All at Once have gone the extra mile to craft villains that last.
You are watching: These 10 Sci-Fi Movie Villains Were So Great, They Even Outshone The Hero
10
Immortan Joe
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
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Mad Max: Fury Road is an incredible continuation of a series that takes place in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, focusing on the brutal civilizations that build up around the need for water. With a full-throttle storyline and plenty of car chases, this film dives into a dangerous plot following the titular hero, Max Rockatansky, as he attempts to free the “wives” of Immortan Joe. Despite the focus being on Max, there are several instances where Immortan Joe takes center stage.
As a character, Immortan Joe is larger than life both in stature and in personality. Equal parts cult leader and wasteland overlord, Immortan Joe is charismatic in a way that emphasizes the culture of fear he cultivates, taking what he wants from those too powerless to defend themselves. This, coupled with his outrageous character design, make him instantly stand out compared to the nearly silent protagonist.
9
Khan Noonien Singh
The Star Trek Franchise
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One of the best Star Trek movie villains of all time, Khan Noonien Singh is a complicated character with an intense backstory. Starting out as a villain in an episode of Star Trek: The Original Series, Khan is a human that was genetically engineered to have special powers, becoming a conqueror during the Eugenics Wars. This backstory is slightly different compared to the Star Trek: Into Darkness version of the character, who plays a similar role to the original.
Khan has been played by two different actors over the years, those being Ricardo Montalbán and Benedict Cumberbatch.
When surrounded by a fantastic cast of characters that includes the likes of Captain Kirk and Spock, it can be difficult for some villains to really stand out. However, Khan has managed to become a foundational part of Star Trek‘s history. Khan is notable not only for the menacing threat he poses to the crew, but the iconic performances that bring him to life.
8
David
Promethus (2012) & Alien: Covenant (2017)
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The Alien franchise is full of iconic characters, but some of the more recent films have lacked a protagonist with quite the same draw as the original hero of the series, Ellen Ripley. Though the heroes of Prometheus and Alien: Covenant are interesting, none have quite the staying power that David has. As an android with an interesting way of rationalizing things, David has become one of the greatest characters of the modern Alien franchise.
Alien
Movie(s)
Alien, Aliens (1986), Alien 3 (1992), Alien: Resurrection (1997), Prometheus (2012), Alien: Covenant (2017), Alien: Romulus (2024)
Created by
Ridley Scott
First Film
Alien
Summary
The Alien franchise, which began with Ridley Scott’s 1979 film, is a Sci-Fi series comprised of several horror films, games, and comic books centered on humanity’s encounters with a hostile extraterrestrial species known as Xenomorphs. Characterized by their lethal prowess and capability to reproduce at an alarming rate, these creatures pose a profound threat to human existence. The primary series protagonist, Ellen Ripley, acts as the voice of reason as she seeks to keep the creatures out of the hands of greed-driven corporate scientists.
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First seen in Prometheus, David is shown throughout the film as having a distinct desire to create life on his own. He is obsessed with the way humanity came to be, urged on by memories of his own creator and the knowledge of the aliens that came before. His character only becomes more compelling as the series progresses into Alien: Covenant, with the film introducing David’s counterpart in Walter One.
7
Jobu Tupaki
Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)
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Deeply thoughtful in its execution of interpersonal and familial drama, Everything Everywhere All at Once takes the very real problems that many families face and juxtaposes them against an elaborate world built on the multiverse. Everything is possible in this movie as any reality is possible. This would supposedly mean that it should be difficult for a villain to stand out amongst the chaos, but instead Jobu Tupaki embraces it.
Everything Everywhere All at Once was nominated for 11 different Academy Awards. It won 7 of them.
Existing as an alternate universe version of Evenlyn Quan Wang’s daughter, Jobu Tupaki is able to bend the multiverse to her will. Not only does this result in beautiful moments that boggle the mind, but it also invites the viewer to consider this chaos in a different light. She is a sympathetic villain, one whose family connection with Evelyn is a highlight of the film.
6
Minister Mason
Snowpiercer (2013)
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Originally based on a graphic novel, Bong Joon-ho’s Snowpiercer is a unique take on a chilling post-apocalyptic world in which the last of humanity lives on an ever-running train. Steeped in both political uprising and the reflective horrors of the human condition, this film never fails to terrify the viewer, even if the situation is purely hypothetical. This is made even more apparent by the villainous Minister Mason, played to perfection by actress Tilda Swinton.
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Mason exists as an example of all the worst that authority has to offer, using her power in a way that almost assures the suffering of those at her command. Her monstrous personality is what makes her rise and fall so interesting to watch. She is compelling solely for her ruthlessness, a horrific personality trait that is something many characters cannot come close to matching.
5
T-800
The Terminator (1984)
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The original The Terminator film is an explosion of action and heavy weaponry, serving as a genuine spectacle for the eyes. Taking place in the 80s, the film follows college student Sarah Connor and her desperate struggle against a robotic threat from the future. She is hunted down by T-800, a Terminator sent by Skynet to kill her so that her son will not lead a revolution sometime in the future.
The Terminator is on several “Best Of” lists for the year 1984, but only received a B+ rating on CinemaScore.
Both menacing and fun to watch, T-800’s presence is the entire draw of watching The Terminator in the first place. Not only is the film named after his character, but the threat he poses feels so visceral that without him the film would fall apart. T-800 stands as one of the greatest sci-fi villains, complete with famous quips and deadly fights.
4
HAL 9000
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
2001: A Space Odyssey is an iconic film that takes a harsh look at humanity through the lens of AI and science fiction. Originally released all the way back in 1968, the film catalogs a manned expedition to Jupiter, set to explore a mysterious alien structure. The crew is guided there by a supercomputer named HAL 9000, which serves as both their guide and their inevitable doom.
Paranoid and always watching, HAL 9000 quickly turns into what might be a modern audience’s worst nightmare. The supercomputer holds the life of much of the crew in his hands, using this to his advantage and snuffing out their lives as he sees fit. Despite the fact that HAL 9000 is a supercomputer, there is something deeply human about the intelligence and the way it begs to continue on, even as the protagonists threaten to shut him off for good.
3
Darth Vader
The Star Wars Franchise
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Darth Vader is one of the most recognizable villains ever created, not just in science fiction but across all sorts of different mediums. Serving as one of the main villains of the original Star Wars trilogy, Darth Vader is a Sith Lord capable of striking hearts into both protagonists and viewers alike. He was so popular with fans that he has appeared in a variety of different Star Wars projects, ranging from comics to video games and an entire prequel trilogy revolving around his origins.
Star Wars
Created by
George Lucas
First Film
Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope
Cast
Mark Hamill, James Earl Jones, David Prowse, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Ian McDiarmid, Ewan McGregor, Rosario Dawson, Lars Mikkelsen, Rupert Friend, Moses Ingram, Frank Oz, Pedro Pascal
TV Show(s)
The Mandalorian, Andor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, The Acolyte, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Lando, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, Star Wars: Resistance, Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures, Star Wars: Visions
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With a unique design that has been emblazoned on the hearts of an entire generation of fans, Darth Vader stands out as one of the most visually iconic characters to ever come out of the franchise. Even his voice is easily recognizable, standing out thanks to the efforts of James Earl Jones. In a series full of heavy hitters like Luke Skywalker and Han Solo, Darth Vader still manages to stand on top as a character that steals every scene he is in.
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Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg
The Fifth Element (1997)
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The Fifth Element is a sci-fi film with an entire cast of wacky characters, ranging from people with interesting designs to over-the-top personalities. These characters are only emphasized by the film’s outrageous but inherently interesting plot, exploring the existence of a “fifth element” as well as a great evil that threatens to uproot life as these characters know it. Somehow, amidst an entire cast of unique characters, the villain Jean-Baptiste Emmanuel Zorg manages to outshine them all.
Played by film icon Gary Oldman, Zorg is an industrialist working alongside this great evil, known for his blatantly off-the-wall personality and a character design that insinuates that Zorg will not be the stoic villain that so many expect from these kinds of movies. He is violent and playful, dancing around and savoring the pain he causes others. What is really so surprising is that, so many years later, The Fifth Element is one of many sci-fi classics with no sequel.
1
Roy Batty
Blade Runner (1982)
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Showing a cyberpunk future filled with rainy streets and neon lights, Blade Runner is another sci-fi film that dares to ask what it truly means to be human. The plot of the film follows Rick Deckard in his quest to hunt down replicants, or rather androids, that seem so human-like that it is difficult to truly tell whether they are man or machine. Deckard eventually discovers that it is not only their looks that make them human, but their lived experiences and personalities as well.
Roy is one of the most deeply human characters in the entire cast, reciting a beautiful speech about his life and memories once the end of his life draws near.
Roy Batty, one of the replicants, is set up throughout the film to be its main villain. However, Roy is one of the most deeply human characters in the entire cast, reciting a beautiful speech about his life and memories once the end of his life draws near. He holds a truly special place as a sci-fi villain, allowing the viewer to empathize with a point of view that many wouldn’t have thought possible.
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