Jules Adrienn
Few things elevate movie watching or novel reading more than a bad guy. Stakes heighten. Tension escalates. The plot narrows. And the protagonist is challenged inunimaginable ways. Which is why, in my estimation, the bad guy is one of the most important elements separating great fiction from good fiction. So, who are worst of the worst when it comes to bad guys? Here are the top five that guarantee a truly horrifying, and exciting, experience.
5. Walter White (AMC Television Series, Breaking Bad: 2008–2013)
Walter starts out as an everyman, fighting against troubles that could happen to any of us. He has cancer. His son has special needs. Money troubles loom large. And his so-called friends have used his ideas to become rich and powerful while he plods along, teaching high school chemistry. This is why we root for him. It’s also why his transformation into a king of the methamphetamine business, murdering and destroyinganyone who opposes him, makes Breaking Bad one of the most powerful arcs in fiction. It’s a cautionary tale. Watch and see how evil takes root in, and takes over, a man’s life.
4. Thomas Ripley (Five Novels by Patricia Highsmith: 1955–1991)
Who hasn’t watched a photo of a serial killer flash onto the nightly news and thought, “But he looks so normal?” That is the chilling truth of the monsters among us—they canlook just like us. But they are nothing like us. Thomas Ripley is exhibit one. Ripley watches. He calculates. And then he acts, taking on all the normal mannerisms of those around him while he pursues his self-interest in the most heinous of ways. Whether it’s a desire for money, lifestyle, or relationships, Ripley glides through life like a shark to get what he wants. And, in some cases, you’re actually pulling for him. Written by the strange author, Patricia Highsmith, Ripley is the blackest of psychopathic antiheroes.
3. Anton Chigurh (No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy: 2005)
A coin flip. That’s how simple a life-altering choice can happen with Anton Chigurh. Heads you live. Tails you die. Or vice-versa—it’s your choice. To the relentless hitman Anton, people deserve the violence or disinterest he visits on them because of their choices. There is no fair. There is no law. There is only the force of nature, Anton. And with a man like Anton, you can be sure—nothing will change his mind or his focus once he’s targeted you. So choose carefully my friend.
2. Tony Soprano (HBO Series, The Sopranos: 1999–2007)
In an attempt to catch psychopaths and the criminally insane, FBI profilers do their very best to understand and think like them. Unfortunately, if they’re not careful it’s easy to develop empathy for the monsters they hunt. Fortunately, that’s exactly what 86 episodes of The Sopranos did for us. It allowed us to understand and think like themafia boss, Tony Soprano. We’re with Tony as he goes to his psychiatrist. We begin to understand why he lies, cheats, steals, and murders. And little by little, we empathize with him. It’s the danger and the delight of The Sopranos. We live vicariously and unrepentantly through Tony Soprano, which is why he’s one of the best bad guys of all time. But remember, once you start to think like Tony, it’s easy to confuse right andwrong. And that’s just the way Tony likes it.
1. Hannibal Lecter (Four Novels by Thomas Harris: 1981–2006)
Few things are as frightening as watching the care that is taken to transport Hannibal Lecter in the outstanding movie adaptation of the novel “Silence of the Lambs.” The man is in a straitjacket, he has a mask tightly fitted over his mouth, and he’s strapped down on a dolly better used for moving refrigerators. You’re instantly afraid of this man. What powers does he have to warrant being treated in such a fashion? The mind reels with the possibilities. But a normal mind cannot fathom the dark thoughts of Hannibal Lecter. Evil is scary. Highly intelligent evil that understands the strengths and weaknesses of the human psyche is another matter altogether. As a former forensic psychiatrist, Hannibal Lecter is the boogeyman for adults. He knows how to take advantage of us. Scare us. Kill us. And even eat us. Pray that you never meet a humanlike Hannibal Lecter.
Honorable Mention. Joe Cracker Jones (Nest of Thieves by Jules Adrienn: 2025)
Methodical. Brutal. Honest. Which of these words is not like the others? Of course, it’s ‘honest’ which is exactly what sets Joe Cracker Jones apart from most bad guys. Cracker is out of place in a world where people lie, cheat, and steal to get what they want. Yes, he is methodical and brutal. And yet, he is the most honest, matter-of-factman you’ll ever meet. His honesty, however, is nothing more than a clue to the savagery of his worldview. What need is there to lie, cheat, or steal to get what you want? If you want it, take it. And, if someone protests, cripple them. Or kill them. There’s no need for deceit. It’s a dog-eat-dog world. And Cracker is the alpha wolf. Just ask him. He won’t lie.
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