Best Hero/Villain pairing?

Cafe Society
1

I dunno if this is really a CS thing, or a IMHO (since it’s kinda a poll), but I’ll go for broke in CS. So who do you all think is the best hero/villain pairing in all of…whatever.

Whilst thinking of this myself I had 2 pairs that really jumped into my head: Professor X/Magneto and Batman/Joker. Now, growing up I was always a much larger fan of X-men than I was Batman. Frankly, I could care less about Batman so my answer to this is a little biased, I’m gonna go with X/Magneto.

The two not only know each other, but have a cursory and advance knowledge of one another. They almost understand where the other is coming from. They are more rivals than they are hated and sworn enemies. I think it’s this dynamic that they have that puts them over the Batman/Joker pairing.

So everyone else…Who do you think is the best?

2

I don’t do comics, which I think is where you find most long-term Hero/Villain rivalries, so I can’t comment there, except that you picked up about the only two I might’ve thought of on my own.

Cinematic one-shots:

John McCLane (Bruce Willis) and Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman).

3

Yeah my examples were comics, but like you said, that’s where you’ll find most of them.

Any hero/villian pairs work though, so the above is just fine (although explanations would be helpful)

4

Clarice Starling and Hannibal Lecter

5

Sherlock Holmes and Professor John Moriarty

Ahab and Moby Dick

6

Batman and Luthor are a much better match than their usual dance partners.

7

Mister Fantastic and Doctor Doom.

8

I read the title as “Best Hero/Villain piercing?”

Never mind.

9

Kirk/KHAAAAAAAN!

10

Cary Grant and James Mason in North by North West.

“No Mr. Thornhill, I expect you to die”.

11

Jmaes Bond and Ernst Stavros Blofeld

12

Jim Phelps/Stefan Miklos

13

Ric Flair and Sting.

14

Seinfeld/Newman

15

Roadrunner & Coyote

16

Dr. Venture/The Monarch

Truly, a conflict for the ages.

17

I nominate Batman/Catwoman for the sexual tension alone. Add in the fact that they’re much more alike than Batman will ever admit, and it’s a great dynamic.

18

Léon/Stansfield

19

Captain America and the Red Skull.

One is a blonde haired, blue eyed super man… the other a Nazi.
The fact that the greatest enemy to the Nazis WAS their IDEAL really does make the Cap story great. The Red Skull doesn’t even have a face, is a conniving schemer and although a competent fighter is more of stand back and let the lackeys do the work kind of guy. Cap is an inspiring leader on the front lines.

20

I used to have a Marvel Trading Card with Red Skull. It was a lower angled shot (looking up) and he was just standing there in his military uniform, dressed to the absolute nines (medals and everything) just looking badass. I have no idea where that card is, but I so wish I had it (or could remember more about it) because it was one of my favorite cards.