Children’s shows often need to keep dangers and ideas at a certain level, usually for the sake of censorship or to match the often goofy tone and aesthetic that accompanies them. As a result, many kids’ shows tend to have somewhat goofy villains that, while providing a threat, don’t often have much of a real edge to them.
But when villains on kids’ shows are allowed to be creepy, sadistic, and even violent, it can enhance specific themes and leave an irrefutable impact on its young audience. They may push the limits of what's acceptable on children’s television, but their impression is felt to this day.
Mumm-Ra — 'Thundercats' (1985-89)
This mummy’s initial appearance is already creepy, giving off Emperor Palpatine vibes. But with the power of the Ancient Spirits of Evil, he can shed his wretched form to transform into Mumm-Ra the Ever Living (Earl Hammond) — and his strength grows tenfold.
Having the appearance of a mummy crossed with a supervillain, he ruled his world for an unknown period before the titular Thundercats arrived, and now he will do whatever it takes to maintain control. However, he cannot be killed because as a self-described embodiment of evil, as long as evil exists, so does he.
Bill Cipher – Gravity Falls (2012-16)
Despite this sentient triangle’s goofy demeanor, the power he wields and how he uses it to make him terrifying to consider. Bill Cipher (Alex Hirsch) is something of a god from the second dimension. He promptly destroyed said dimension and is more than happy to conquer our own.
He loves a good joke — mainly if the trick includes grievous bodily harm. He loves it even more if that body belongs to someone he’s possessing. In the series finale, his full power is unleashed, allowing him to merge his idea of reality with ours, resulting in horrifying (if still somewhat silly) results.
Toffee — 'Star vs. the Forces of Evil' (2015-19)
Toffee (Michael C. Hall) is an immortal being who first appeared as a new member of Ludo’s underlings. He began to offer some much-needed advice for his leader’s plans. But soon, he began to exhibit enough confidence and faith in his fellow members he was able to launch a successful coup and expel Ludo (Alan Tudyk) from his own castle.
He executes everything in a relaxed, confident, and usually quiet tone that contrasts heavily with villains like Ludo’s bombastic and maniacal demeanor. This makes him the least emotional villain and ultimately creepiest of Star Butterfly’s (Eden Sher) enemies.
Combustion Man — 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' (2005-08)
Combustion Man (Greg Baldwin) may have been someone who only appeared for a few episodes in Book 3, but he remains a well-discussed character to this day. While he reportedly has a real name, it’s never mentioned on-screen, and the man himself is a cold, emotionless killing machine who is infamous enough for Zuko (Dante Basco) to hire him.
He never talks (save for a few grunts), and if it weren’t for his brief moments of pain and eventual death, one would be forgiven for thinking he wasn’t human. His most distinctive feature is a tattoo on his head, through which he can shoot explosions that make the biggest of impacts.
Slappy the Dummy — 'Goosebumps' (1995-98)
Goosebumps had many creative creatures and monsters, but none were more infamous than Slappy (Cathal J. Dodd). Initially a cameo appearance at the end of a book, the sentient ventriloquist dummy managed to become the face of the franchise. Sadistic, snarky, and desiring little more than to enslave humans and frame his owners for his misdemeanors.
He never likes the idea of being called a dummy, so he transforms humans into dummies for his own sick amusement. He may not entirely be as violent (or foul-mouthed) as Chucky, but he still managed to inspire a fear of dolls and dummies for generations of kids.
Airachnid — 'Transformers: Prime' (2010-13)
The Decepticons may be the villains of the Transformers universe, but not even Megatron (Frank Welker) is quite as bloodthirsty as she is. As her name implies, Airachnid (Gina Torres) is a spider-like transformer who fought with the Decepticons during the Cybertronian war.
After it ended, she left them for the rest of the universe, where she acquired a new hobby: trapping, torturing, and killing species she took as trophies. She is ruthless, cutthroat, and gleefully sadistic. Even more than Starscream (Steve Blum), she will kill all who stand in her way – even those working under her command.
HIM – 'The Powerpuff Girls' (1998 - 2005)
While at first HIM’s (Tom Kane) appearance could be somewhat silly, looking like a demon in drag, his personality is creepy enough to send a chill up anyone’s spine. He has a permanent grin on his face, talks in a high-pitched voice that calls Pennywise the clown to mind, and has a sadistic attitude to match.
Nobody knows how he came to exist or why he has a particular focus on defeating The Powerpuff Girls. Even his name only describes his gender and nothing else about where he came from. He does what he does because he loves to cause pain and create chaos.
The Beast – 'Over the Garden Wall' (2014)
This beloved Halloween miniseries had whimsical and creepy creatures, but none more evil and scary than The Beast (Samuel Ramey). He is a mysterious, malevolent entity that initially only appears as a silhouette with glowing eyes and horns. Serving his demon-like appearance well, he takes the souls of those who fall into his path to fuel his lantern while turning their bodies into trees.
Manipulative, soft-spoken, and dangerous, he seeks for his influence to grow and keep those whom he trapped under his influence. But, before his destruction, his proper form is shown for the briefest of glimpses – a collection of wooden faces frozen in terror.
The Lich — 'Adventure Time' (2010-18)
The Land of Ooo is home to many strange, silly, and somewhat weird creatures. But its most dangerous inhabit is no laughing matter: the Lich (Ron Perlman) is a rotting corpse who is the un-living embodiment of inevitable death.
He had no physical form until he possessed a man whose body was mutated by nuclear waste due to the "Mushroom War," a devastating nuclear war that occurred before the series' events. He uses his magic to further his plans for one single goal: erase all life in existence. What makes him scary is that he doesn’t have underlings, quips, or even a sense of humor. He exists for his end goal and will not waste time achieving it.
The Corpse – 'Are You Afraid of the Dark?' (1990-96)
Are You Afraid of the Dark? is one of the darkest shows Nickelodeon ever aired, delivering some of the most legitimately scary creatures and monsters on children’s television. Even still, it’s a miracle this character made it past the censors.
In "The Tale of the Dead Man’s Float," the legend is told of a ghost that haunts a pool and drowns whoever enters it — even kids. When we finally see the spirit that haunts the water, it’s not a pretty sight — a rotting zombie corpse (portrayed by Marcel Jeannin) drenched in what appears to be its own blood. It will certainly make a kid think twice about swimming in certain areas.