Villains have been a crucial part of any good film or TV show for decades, wreaking havoc on your favorite characters and attempting—and sometimes succeeding—at destroying their lives and anyone who stands in their way.
From a barb-wired bat-swinging murderer to a twisted karate sensei to a few slashers who always tend to take it one step too far, some fictional villains are so evil you can't help but love to hate them.
Negan ('The Walking Dead')
Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) has to be the most loaded character on The Walking Dead: he started as the villain who brutally murdered Glenn and slowly but surely became a beloved member of the group who often looks out for youngsters like Judith and Hershel.
When you think Negan has redeemed himself, he always says or does something to change both the characters' and viewers' minds and simultaneously remains one of the most hated but most loved characters on the show.
Sam ('Trick 'R Treat')
When Trick 'R Treat premiered in 2007, the little pumpkin-lollipop-holding villain Sam (Quinn Lord) easily became the star of the slasher. Despite telling numerous stories within one film, Sam always appeared in the distance of every conclusion.
But if his cutesy costume doesn't fool you, Sam is revealed to be a pretty terrifying villain, often using Halloween candy like a jagged lollipop and a razor-infused chocolate bar as his weapons when he takes out several victims throughout the film.
Billy Hargrove ('Stranger Things')
Stranger Things villains usually consist of evil doctors and monstrous creatures, but one character fans have always loved to hate since season 2 was Dacre Montgomery's Billy Hargrove.
Billy remained a misunderstood antagonist on the show for two seasons, often mistreating his younger step-sister Max before finally receiving some redemption when it was too late. After being possessed by the Mind Flayer, Billy sacrificed himself to the Upside Down entity to save Max and her friends.
Jigsaw ('Saw')
When Saw premiered in 2004, the only clue of the film's sick and twisted antagonist was a creepy, clown-faced ventriloquist dummy on a tricycle called Jigsaw. And while Jigsaw's human counterpart has since been revealed, this villain is especially loved in doll form.
A doll dressed in a bowtie and riding a tricycle may sound like the opposite of terrifying, but Jigsaw has always pulled off the horror by trapping people in spine-chilling scenarios, their only way out being to play his gruesome games.
Tate Langdon ('American Horror Story: Murder House')
Of all 10 seasons of American Horror Story, the series debut titled Murder House will always be a favorite among viewers. This season introduced everyone to a much darker side of Evan Peters, whose character, Tate Langdon, is among the many fan favorites he's played.
Tate is revealed to be one of the antagonists of the season, the son of the infamous Constance, who resides in the Murder House as a ghost and haunts the new family who has just moved in, in sadistic and terrifying ways.
Oogie Boogie ('The Nightmare Before Christmas')
Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas stars a slew of beloved characters like the spooky, scary Jack Skellington, his beautiful love interest Sally, and his ghostly pup Zero. But one character will always be a fan favorite despite being the film's antagonist.
Oogie Boogie (Ken Page) acts as the holiday movie's villain, a Boogeyman-esque character who appears as a ghastly sack of bugs that's sole purpose in life is to take over Halloween Town from the Pumpkin King, Jack Skellington.
Pennywise ('It')
Of all the horrifying Stephen King characters, Pennywise has become a notable horror icon after the 2017 remake of It. Arguably the creepiest of all King's creations, Pennywise goes from grim to full-on gruesome between the 1990 miniseries and 2017's revival.
Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård)—or It for short—is said to be a paranormal being who arises every 27 years to feast on children, starting the film by chomping off Georgie's arm before devouring the child altogether. This killer clown seeks out children's biggest fears to lure them into tasty traps, yet somehow remains a favorable villain.
John Kreese ('The Karate Kid', 'Cobra Kai')
John Kreese (Martin Kove) proves that you don't always have to star in a horror to be considered a scary villain. Since snaking his way into the lives of Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Miyagi in 1984's The Karate Kid, all Kreese has done is leave pain and trouble in his path.
When Kreese made his return to the dojo in Netflix's Cobra Kai with a motto like "no mercy," it didn't take long for him to make Johnny Lawrence's life a living Hell while battling his former rival Daniel in an attempt to have the best dojo in the valley.
Thanos ('Avengers')
You can't have the Marvel superhero group The Avengers without the supervillain Thanos (Josh Brolin). While multiple antagonists appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thanos is considered the franchise's ultimate villain.
But even after he killed beloved characters like Loki, Gamora, and Iron Man, Thanos somehow remains a villain whose action figure every child still wants in their own Marvel universes.
Michael Myers ('Halloween')
Of all the slasher villains in horror movie history, no one compares to the infamous Michael Myers. From his first kill in a clown costume in 1978's Halloween to his upcoming battle with Laurie Strode in Halloween Ends, this killer will always be a fan favorite.
Whether offing all of Haddonfield, stalking his way into the lives of family members or entering an all-out war with his one true rival Laurie, Michael Myers remains one of the most loved villains despite his laundry list of kills.