Who Are The Scariest Villains?

By Linda Lovely

October conjures up thoughts of Halloween ghosts, goblins, and all things scary. And that has me thinking about the villains that scare me the most. They are villains who have the ability to charm and distort, and they are relentless is pursuing their visions no matter the cost. Here’s what the villains in my published novels and work-in-progress tend to have in common:

Gender—I seem to believe in equal opportunity when it comes to villains. Females are the primary villains in half of my books/manuscripts. Gender may influence how the villains go about achieving their goals, but the evil women and men share many of the same personality traits.

Appearance—Most of my “major” villains tend to be attractive if not downright handsome/beautiful. Their good looks provide a mask for their frightening personalities and evil intentions. I have had some fun with their villainous sidekicks/henchmen, making their outward appearances a tip off to their frightening predilections.

Personality Traits—Whether male or female, my villains share certain personality traits. They are arrogant, greedy, self-centered, determined, smart, and ruthless.

Motives/Goals—I’ve worked hard to ensure my villains all consider themselves heroes/heroines of their own stories. They have reasons for doing what they do. Of course those reasons may not be rationale or socially acceptable but they’re valid in their minds. Their motives include power, money, promoting an idea/ideology, revenge, lust, and love. That last one “love” may prompt them to do unspeakable things to anyone they perceive as harming or posing a threat to their loved ones.   

Chilling Villains from Novels/Movies—

Here are some of the chilling villains who haunted me long after I read the book or saw the movie.

Hannibal Lecter, The Silence of the Lambs

Annie Wilkes, Misery

Dr. Christian Szell, Marathon Man

Eleanor Iselin, The Manchurian Candidate

Noah Cross, Chinatown

Nurse Ratched, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest

Norman Bates, Psycho

Practically the entire cast of Gone Girl (That doesn't mean I enjoyed that book. I only finished it because it was a book club pick. I want to have someone to root for.) 

Which villains give

you the biggest chills?