# Evil Character You Can't Help Liking **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 19, 2005, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-character-you-cant-help-liking/285470 "2005-01-19T00:53:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-character-you-cant-help-liking/285470/81 "2005-01-20T20:29:13Z")
Has anyone yet mentioned the Cigarette-Smoking Man from “X-Files”? the Legion of Doom from “Challenge of the Super-Friends.” or Nnnnneeeeewman!! or The bra-less, twix candy bar heiress - Sue Ellen Mishke! ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-character-you-cant-help-liking/285470/82 "2005-01-20T20:38:13Z")
> [@Art Vandelay](#): > > The bra-less, twix candy bar heiress - Sue Ellen Mishke! Wasn’t she the O’Henry candy bar heiress? ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-character-you-cant-help-liking/285470/83 "2005-01-20T20:49:57Z")
> [@](#): > > I don’t know what it is about women and Professor Snape, but that character has become such an unlikely sex symbol for every woman I know who reads Harry Potter or watches the movies. Not me. I’ve always had a soft spot for Peter Pettigrew and Avery The Obscure Death Eater Who’s Always Getting Tortured, though. And I second Richard III, and would like to add Edmund from _King Lear_ and Bosola from _The Duchess of Malfi_ to the list. (Actually, I had a sudden revelation that Bosola WAS Peter Pettigrew the last time I taught _The Duchess_, but this is probably obsessed fannishness at work.) ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-character-you-cant-help-liking/285470/84 "2005-01-20T20:59:37Z")
Forgot one (three) The Wickersham Brothers ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-character-you-cant-help-liking/285470/85 "2005-01-20T21:05:29Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > Wasn’t she the O’Henry candy bar heiress? Oops. You’re right. My bad. Let me also add Susan’s parents from “Seinfeld.” Granted, their vindictive attitude toward George was understandable, but still…they were pretty conniving. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-character-you-cant-help-liking/285470/86 "2005-01-20T21:21:49Z")
JR Ewing, from _Dallas_. The man had style. _Eeeeevil_ style. ---
**Author:** ![Try\_As\_I\_Might](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea666f/32.png) [@Try\_As\_I\_Might](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try_As_I_Might)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-character-you-cant-help-liking/285470/87 "2005-01-20T21:37:14Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > My #1 would also be Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber in Die Hard. Possibly my favorite movie villain of all time. > > Christopher Walken in Suicide Kings. A notorious gangster that a bunch of prep school friends kidnap and ransom, we like him a lot more than any of them. How can you not like Walken, even when he’s in super-creepy mode? Really quickly, totally agree, but exactly when is Christopher Walken not in super-creepy mode? 🙂 He is the only reason to ever even consider watching the Prophecy. Best line ever from Rickman (and that’s tough because there are so many): “You’re just a petty thief!” ::slap!:: “No! I am an EXCELLENT thief!” I would also include: Gary Oldman in the Professional… possibly the creepiest cop gone bad Whoever played the clown on Spawn Scarface (he’s his own villian, the little “cock-a-roach”) Gold standards, though, have to go to Hannibal in Silence of the Lambs and Darth. I mean, who didn’t love Darth in new hope and empire? ---
**Author:** ![lizardling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f4b2a3/32.png) [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-character-you-cant-help-liking/285470/88 "2005-01-20T21:53:45Z")
> [@dotchan](#): > > :dubious: He’s a super deformed sprite. The [character designs](http://www.rpgland.com/ffmythology/kefka.jpg) of him aren’t that hot-looking, and the new CG version of him is just plain [creepy](http://www.ffcompendium.com/chara/6kefka-s.jpg) Can’t sleep. Clowns will get me. :eek: (And I don’t even have a clown phobia, but dang.) ---
**Author:** ![Amok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f17d59/32.png) [@Amok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amok)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-character-you-cant-help-liking/285470/89 "2005-01-20T21:54:21Z")
> [@Fretful Porpentine](#): > > And I second Richard III, and would like to add Edmund from _King Lear_ and Bosola from _The Duchess of Malfi_ to the list. I saw a production of _The Duchess of Malfi_ a few months ago. I had never read it and knew only very generally what it was about before seeing it, and I found Bosola to be a pretty interesting character. He seems to feel a lot of sympathy for the Duchess and Antonio, and is very likable in spots, yet he still does what he does. The Duchess’s brother Ferdinand is also an interesting character, though not at all likable. Anyways, for my own choices: The Devil and his cohorts in _The Master and Margarita_: A character who does evil to disrupt a corrupt system. Tywin Lannister in _A Song of Ice and Fire_: Not a character who is evil for evil’s sake, but just a cold, hard man, who “does what needs to be done”. Hmm, and would Jayne from Firefly count? Characterizing him as evil is probably overly harsh, but he’s certainly not good either. ---
**Author:** ![MacSpon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@MacSpon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacSpon)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-character-you-cant-help-liking/285470/90 "2005-01-21T00:12:34Z")
All three of the _Dirty Rotten Scoundrels_. ---
**Author:** ![Dubious\_Weasle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b782af/32.png) [@Dubious\_Weasle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dubious_Weasle)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-character-you-cant-help-liking/285470/91 "2005-01-21T03:44:05Z")
Wow, someone beat me to it. Second Tyrin Lanister from “Game of Thrones” Second Walken in Prophesy [or heck, anything he’s done] Arvin Sloan from Alias Mr. Gutman from Maltese Falcon Ghost from Ginger Snaps 2 James Belushi in Angel’s Dance The General in Doctor Strangelove [Sterling Hayden, don’t remember the character’s name ---
**Author:** ![Dubious\_Weasle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b782af/32.png) [@Dubious\_Weasle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dubious_Weasle)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-character-you-cant-help-liking/285470/92 "2005-01-21T03:45:31Z")
DOH! The spoiler above is for Ginger Snaps 2 ---
**Author:** ![Manatee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/50afbb/32.png) [@Manatee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manatee)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-character-you-cant-help-liking/285470/93 "2005-01-21T05:34:51Z")
Maleficent from Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty.” ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-character-you-cant-help-liking/285470/94 "2005-01-21T10:32:40Z")
> [@enigmatic](#): > > No one’s mentioned Flashman yet ? Flashy’s not exactly _evil_ , though: he’s a liar, a lecher, a scoundrel, a bully, a coward, occasionally a murderer, and frequently a thief, and he cheerfully admits to breaking all of the Commandments except worshipping graven images, but most of his mischief-making arises when he’s thrown kicking and screaming into situations not of his own making: left to his own devices, he’d happily be philandering peacefully in London and sponging off his wife’s fortune. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-character-you-cant-help-liking/285470/95 "2005-01-21T11:19:16Z")
> [@Try As I Might...](#): > > Really quickly, totally agree, but exactly when is Christopher Walken not in super-creepy mode? 🙂 He is the only reason to ever even consider watching the Prophecy. So, didn’t like Vigo’s Lucifer, ehh? I did. > [@Try As I Might...](#): > > Whoever played the clown on Spawn John Leguizamo My vote goes to Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin. Doc Oc was quite good in Spidey2, but I guess he was more tragic than evil? ---
**Author:** ![Paladud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Paladud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paladud)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-character-you-cant-help-liking/285470/96 "2005-01-21T11:39:33Z")
Arcturus Mengsk from Starcraft Infested Kerrigan from Starcraft Peter Wiggin (in Ender’s Game - he sucks in the Shadow series) ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-character-you-cant-help-liking/285470/97 "2005-01-21T12:58:30Z")
Shego, from Disney’s _Kim Possible_. I love the smart mouth that girl’s got! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-character-you-cant-help-liking/285470/98 "2005-01-21T13:09:22Z")
Some great suggestions! Kerrigan from Starcraft is probably the most compelling character I’ve ever seen in a computer game: the moment in-play where she succumbs to evil is a real, “Holy fuck!” moment, and man, you gotta sympathize with her after that. And I think Jayne counts, not because he’s always evil, but because it’s precisely his villainy that makes him so cute and cuddly. He kind of vaguely wants to be good, but he’s fundamentally a bastard, and he’s constantly doing these awful little things that are wonderful and endearing. Like offering to trade Mal his favorite gun in exchange for Mal’s wife. Good stuff! Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-character-you-cant-help-liking/285470/99 "2005-01-21T14:29:36Z")
Darth Vader. The man just rocks. Ursula, from _The Little Mermaid_. Scar, from _The Lion King_, and Hades, from _Hercules_. I loves me some Disney villians. ---
**Author:** ![Try\_As\_I\_Might](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea666f/32.png) [@Try\_As\_I\_Might](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try_As_I_Might)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-character-you-cant-help-liking/285470/100 "2005-01-21T17:06:23Z")
[QUOTE=MrDibble] So, didn’t like Vigo’s Lucifer, ehh? I did. QUOTE] I totally forgot. He was great and really disturbing at the end when he tries to get them to join him. As far as computer games, I really like the suit guy in Halflife. I haven’t played HL 2, so I don’t know if he keeps that cool, agent smith-like attitude. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-character-you-cant-help-liking/285470.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-character-you-cant-help-liking/285470.md?page=6)