25 Most Sinister Childhood Villains Of All Time

Posted by , Updated on December 1, 2023

You might think the world would be a better place if villains didn’t exist, but without the stories of the heroes who fight against them, life would be downright boring.
As much as we’ve rooted against them, villains are a vital component to every fairytale. Deep down, all they want is a bit of the same admiration the heroes receive.
In honor of these under-appreciated evildoers, here are the 25 Most Sinister Childhood Villains Of All Time!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwesVFUslgs
25

The Grinch

grinch

The Grinch stole more than just Christmas – he captured the hearts of many a tyke in Dr. Seuss’ charming holiday tale. But once he learned the true meaning of family, friends, and the holiday spirit, this misunderstood rascal changed his thieving ways.

24

The Big Bad Wolf

big bad wolf

He huffed and he puffed and he blew their first two houses down. Fortunately for the three little pigs, the wolf wasn’t the brightest crayon in the box, and they outsmarted him in the end.

23

The Hunter from Bambi

bambi

He’s not necessarily the first person you might associate with the word villain, but thinking about all the pain and emotional trauma he caused children everywhere, I think he definitely fits the description.

22

Wile E. Coyote

Wile E. Coyote
Although The Road Runner did provoke him sometimes, Wile E. Coyote wasted his time chasing the little guy through the desert. Anytime he did almost catch him, an anvil to the head thwarted his efforts.
21

Angelica Pickles

angelica pickles

She may have been bossy, spoiled, and mean to the Rugrats, but she rushed to their defense if anyone else messed with them. Maybe Angelica had a soft spot in her heart for those “dumb babies” after all.

20

Ebenezer Scrooge

christmas carol

This miserly scoundrel only cared about his fortune until he realized money’s true value lies in sharing it with the ones you love.

19

The Fratelli Brothers

fratelli brothers

Sloth looked like the scary one, but his brothers win the award for most malevolent. At least Chunk was able to free Sloth so they could catch up to the rest of the gang and stop the bad guys from pilfering the treasure.

18

Miss Hannigan

miss hannigan

Miss Hannigan’s obvious distaste for little girls combined with her passion for gin made her one disgruntled, hot mess of an orphanage matron.

17

Shere Khan

Shere Khan

Always carry man’s gun and be able to produce man’s fire if you ever go to the jungle. Those are the only two things this cunning antagonist fears.

16

Ursula the Sea Witch

ursula the sea witch

She’s part human, part octopus, and part pure evil. As if stealing Ariel’s voice wasn’t enough, she had to try and steal her true love, too.

15

Cinderella’s Stepmother

cinderella's stepmother

Not even an evil stepmother like Lady Tremaine could get in the way of true love. Cinderella and Prince Charming found each other despite the numerous obstacles she put in their way, instilling unrealistic expectations and an unwavering hope in true love in little girls everywhere.

14

Captain Hook

captain hook

Whether you saw him in Disney’s Peter Pan, the 1991 film Hook, or a live performance based on J.M. Barrie’s classic play, this pernicious pirate was determined to defeat Peter Pan once and for all. Despite his determination, he proved no match for Peter and the Lost Boys – or that hungry crocodile.

13

Cruella de Vil

cruella de vil

What kind of person would skin innocent puppies for their fur? Cruella De Vil, that’s who. Like the song says: If she doesn’t scare you, no evil thing will.

12

The Evil Queen from Snow White

snow white witch

The evil queen’s desire to be “the fairest of them all” led her to demand Snow White’s death, demonstrating the dangers of extreme jealousy.

11

Sid Phillips

sid phillips

Andy’s evil neighbor exhibited the tendencies of a future serial killer and frightened tots (and their toys) in Pixar’s first feature film. If you look closely, some say he makes an appearance as a garbage man in Toy Story 3. Even 10 years later, he still wears his signature skull and crossbones shirt.

10

The Wicked Witch of the West

wicked witch of the west

Is any pair of shoes worth a life-threatening vendetta? Whether she wrote threats in the sky, threw fireballs at the Scarecrow, or sent her army of flying monkeys to attack Dorothy and her friends, the Wicked Witch of the West never stopped trying to retrieve those Ruby Slippers.

9

Aunt Spiker and Aunt Sponge

aunt spiker

Their appearance wasn’t the only hideous things about them. Aunt Spiker and Aunt Sponge bullied James, made him sleep on a bare, wooden floor, and never allowed him to play with other children. Luckily, his luck changed when a giant peach appeared in their yard and the aunts got what they deserved.

8

Miss Trunchbull

trunchbull

You’d better not upset the Trunchbull if you don’t want to end up in the chokey! As Principal of Crunchem Hall Elementary, this dastardly villain didn’t make learning fun for anyone.

7

Prince Humperdinck

humperdink

Not only was Prince Humperdinck an enemy of true love, his life-sucking machine was enough to give any kid nightmares. But with a little help from their friends, good triumphed over evil and Wesley and Buttercup were free to live “as they wished.”

6

The Queen of Hearts

queen of hearts
Do what she says or it’s off with your head. The Queen of Hearts’ love of croquet, hats, and sentencing people to death make her one of most merciless villains of all time.
5

Lord Farquaad

farquaad

This pint-sized profligate tried talking Princess Fiona into become his queen and wouldn’t take no for an answer. Known throughout the land for his cruelty to fairy tale creatures and disliked by most of his subjects, everyone cheered when the dragon swallowed him whole.

4

Maleficent

Maleficent

This half-dragon, half-witch is arguably the darkest Disney villain of all time. Her exclusion from Aurora’s christening disappointed her. After all, not even the evilest among us enjoys being rejected. However, punishing the princess with death by spindle needle was a little extreme.

3

Scar

scar

Scar wanted to be king no matter what the cost. He killed his own brother and tricked his nephew so he could rule over the Pride Lands.

2

The White Witch

white witch

Worming her way into children’s affections with gifts of hot cocoa and Turkish delight, the White Witch charmed her young victims before revealing her truly wicked nature.

1

Lord Voldemort

Lordvoldemort

Whether you know him as He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, The Dark Lord, or – dare we say it?! – Lord Voldermort, he was the darkest wizard who ever lived.   Want more villains? Then you have to read 25 Diabolical Fantasy Villains That May Cause You To Shiver In The Night



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