Let’s be real—heroes might save the day, but they’re not always the most interesting people on screen. More often than not, it’s the villains and antiheroes who steal the spotlight with their charisma, complexity, or sheer unpredictability. Whether they’re wickedly funny, terrifyingly unhinged, or strangely sympathetic, these characters often overshadow the “good guys” we’re supposed to be rooting for. Here are 10 villains who overpowered their tales—sometimes to the point of making the hero a secondary character.
10. Stewie Griffin (Family Guy)
Despite all his hijinks, Peter Griffin was never Family Guy’s breakout character. That distinction belongs to his diabolical, murderous, football-headed infant. Stewie, with his English accent, world-conquering plans, and acid-tongued sarcasm, soon became the show’s central figure, relegating Peter to his humorous secondary status.
9. Dolores Umbridge (Harry Potter)
Voldemort might have been the big bad, but ask any fan which character they despised most, and the answer is usually Dolores Umbridge. Her sugary smiles, obsession with pink, and cruel punishments made her chilling in a way Voldemort never quite managed. She turned Hogwarts into her dictatorship—and made Harry feel like a guest star in his own story.
8. Ramsay Bolton (Game of Thrones)
On a show already saturated with bad guys, Ramsay did have one up on them. He was the epitome of sadism, his unpredictability chilling, and yet… viewers couldn’t help but tune in. Any time he showed up, the tension reached new heights, demonstrating that sometimes the most horrific characters are the most watchable.
7. Agent Smith (The Matrix)
Neo can be The One, but Agent Smith is the one people quote. His deadpan delivery, contempt for humanity, and monologues on philosophy made him an ideal adversary for the hero. Smith’s deliberate menace provided the trilogy with some of its most memorable lines and scenes.
6. Annie Wilkes (Misery)
Kathy Bates’s performance as Annie Wilkes is unforgettable. Initially, she’s a sweet, overbearing fan—until her facade wears off. Her creepy combination of adoration and brutality brought Bates an Oscar and guaranteed Annie a place among horror’s greatest villains. By contrast with her terrifying presence, the so-called hero makes a secondary impression.
5. Freddy Krueger (A Nightmare on Elm Street)
The Elm Street teens might have been the heroes, but face it: everyone showed up to see Freddy. With his claw glove, disfigured face, and warped sense of humor, Krueger became the franchise star. His blend of horror and black humor made him a much more memorable figure than the heroes who were attempting to stop him.
4. Roy Batty (Blade Runner)
Deckard may have played the lead, but it’s Rutger Hauer as Roy Batty who provides the emotional center of Blade Runner. His poetic musings on mortality and life provided the film with its heart, particularly his iconic “tears in rain” monologue. At the end, it’s difficult not to feel that Blade Runner is essentially his tale.
3. Loki (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
Thor might wield the hammer, but Loki wields the charm. Tom Hiddleston’s trickster god exuded charm and vulnerability, winning over fans in short order. His combination of mischief, tragedy, and cleverness provided him with a longevity far beyond Thor’s simple heroics—so much so that he got his series.
2. Darth Vader (Star Wars)
Luke’s hero’s journey is legendary, but Vader’s shadow is so large that he became the franchise’s face. From his intimidating arrival in A New Hope to his tragic origin shown later, Vader’s journey overshadowed Luke’s, providing the series with its most lasting figure.
1. The Joker (The Dark Knight)
Heath Ledger’s Joker did not steal the show from Batman—He transformed the art of playing a villain. Unpredictable, chaotic, and gruesomely charismatic, Ledger’s performance became the lifeblood of The Dark Knight. His presence in every scene electrified, making Batman himself appear to be the secondary character.
So why do villains and antiheroes consistently overshadow heroes? It’s charisma, nuance, and the risk of not knowing what they’re going to do next. They’re not simply “evil,” per se—these characters have motives, philosophies, and even sometimes tragic histories that make them interesting to observe.
And as audiences grow more fascinated with antiheroes—from Loki to Joker to Walter White—it’s clear we’re drawn to characters who blur the line between good and bad. After all, rooting for the villain doesn’t always feel wrong—it often feels like the most fun part of the story.