# Best Hero/Villain pairing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 24, 2009, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-hero-villain-pairing/500888 "2009-06-24T23:26:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-hero-villain-pairing/500888/1 "2009-06-24T23:26:15Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-hero-villain-pairing/500888/2 "2009-06-24T23:52:17Z")
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). ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-hero-villain-pairing/500888/3 "2009-06-24T23:59:17Z")
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) ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-hero-villain-pairing/500888/4 "2009-06-25T00:00:51Z")
Clarice Starling and Hannibal Lecter ---
**Author:** ![Sefton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-hero-villain-pairing/500888/5 "2009-06-25T00:02:54Z")
Sherlock Holmes and Professor John Moriarty Ahab and Moby Dick ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-hero-villain-pairing/500888/6 "2009-06-25T00:56:04Z")
Batman and Luthor are a much better match than their usual dance partners. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-hero-villain-pairing/500888/7 "2009-06-25T01:38:08Z")
Mister Fantastic and Doctor Doom. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-hero-villain-pairing/500888/8 "2009-06-25T01:49:41Z")
I read the title as “Best Hero/Villain piercing?” Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-hero-villain-pairing/500888/9 "2009-06-25T01:54:28Z")
Kirk/KHAAAAAAAN! ---
**Author:** ![Estilicon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@Estilicon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Estilicon)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-hero-villain-pairing/500888/10 "2009-06-25T02:01:49Z")
Cary Grant and James Mason in North by North West. “No Mr. Thornhill, I expect you to die”. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-hero-villain-pairing/500888/11 "2009-06-25T02:09:54Z")
Jmaes Bond and Ernst Stavros Blofeld ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-hero-villain-pairing/500888/12 "2009-06-25T02:40:03Z")
Jim Phelps/Stefan Miklos ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-hero-villain-pairing/500888/13 "2009-06-25T02:56:17Z")
Ric Flair and Sting. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-hero-villain-pairing/500888/14 "2009-06-25T03:28:29Z")
Seinfeld/Newman ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-hero-villain-pairing/500888/15 "2009-06-25T04:51:32Z")
Roadrunner & Coyote ---
**Author:** ![filling\_pages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9bd4f/32.png) [@filling\_pages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filling_pages)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-hero-villain-pairing/500888/16 "2009-06-25T14:55:57Z")
Dr. Venture/The Monarch Truly, a conflict for the ages. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-hero-villain-pairing/500888/17 "2009-06-25T15:01:14Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-hero-villain-pairing/500888/18 "2009-06-25T16:17:08Z")
Léon/Stansfield ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-hero-villain-pairing/500888/19 "2009-06-25T16:31:28Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-hero-villain-pairing/500888/20 "2009-06-25T17:19:54Z")
> [@Push\_You\_Down](#): > > 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. 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. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-hero-villain-pairing/500888.md?page=2)