100 GREATEST MOVIE VILLAINS

Pt. 5  21-25

THULSA DOOM

Who's he?: In the distant past of the Hyborian Age rose a warlord who started out as your typical conqueror but then realised that organised religion was the real deal. He soon set up his snake cult across civilisation enthralling his victims with his magnetic personality.
How bad is he?: Thulsa Doom commands a powerful army, and his fanatical followers are quite willing and able to do exactly whatever he orders them to. What's more, Doom is a sorcerer with snakes and serpents bound to his will. He also had shape changing abilities, and hypnotic powers.
What happened?: Thulsa Doom ran afoul of Conan of Cimmeria, a young barbarian whose tribe he exterminated almost down to the last man and woman. Conan spent years and years looking for revenge and, eventually, he found it.
Appearance: Conan the Barbarian (1981)

GENERAL ZOD

Who's he?: Back on Krypton, Gen. Zod was the commander in chief of the kryptonian army, responsible for the security of the planet itself. Along with his two associates Ursa and Non, Zod was tried and convicted of treason by the High Council and sentenced to eternal incarceration inside the Phantom Zone. They were able to break out eventually, and attempted (successfully, I might add) to take over the Earth.
How bad is he?: On his homeworld, Zod was your typical power mad military officer hellbent on establishing his own little dictatorship. Back on Earth, he was all that but now had the powers and abilities of his fellow countryman Kal-El (better known as Superman). Plus he was accompanied by his similarly powered up friends. For a time, he was indeed the absolute master of the world. That's how bad he was.
What happened?: Since Kal-El was the son of his long-dead jailer, he obviously had some bone to pick with him. Fortunately, Superman was more than able to deal with him and permanently removed him from office.
Appearance: Superman the Movie (1978), Superman II (1982), Man of Steel (2013)

THE CEMETERY GHOUL

Who's he?: Who knows? What he was and what he did as a living, breathing human being remains forever unknown. He was one of the first undead ghoul witnessed by Johnny and Barbara as they were visiting their father's grave in rural Pennsylvania. He killed Johnny and then followed Barbara down to an abandoned house where he gathered a herd of other zombies trapping Barbara and her cohorts inside.
How bad is he?: He's a flesh eating ghoul. And he's not alone. And they're all impervious to pain or crippling injuries, relentless in their search of human flesh to devour. The only way to kill them is to hit the brain, either with a bullet or a blunt instrument. Aynone they bite become a flesh eating ghoul. You can see where this is going.
What happened?: He was shot by Sheriff McLellan's posse. His own posse got bigger and bigger.
Appearance: Night of the Living Dead (1968)

DICK JONES

Who's he?: At the time of his death, Dick Jones was CEO of OCP (OmniConsumer Product), a major multinational corporation controlling anything and everything under the sun, including the Detroit Police Department and the military.
How bad is he?: A resume like Jones' would be enough to satsify the ambitions of just about anybody, but Jones wanted more. He associated himself with underworld thug Clarence Boddicker to control Detroit's gangland thus making profits not only from legitimate enterprises but illegal ones as well. Getting "fired" by Jones usually meant a visit by Boddicker, which meant you probably had to forgo any severance bonuses. Plus, Jones was perfectly willing and able to supply murderously defective law enforcement robots as long as the bottom line swung his way.
What happened?: A pet project by one of Jones' boardroom rivals ended his tenure at OCP, he was unceremoniously fired without severance pay. Not that he would have needed it as his bullet-riddled body fell off the OCP building.
Appearances: Robocop (1987)

SAURON

Who's he?: Sauron was the absolute ruler of Mordor, a land of evil South West of Middle Earth. He had vast armies of Orcs, Goblins and Rignwraiths at his disposal. Long ago, Sauron attempted to take control of Middle Earth but was defeated by an Elf-Human alliance. Defeated, but not destroyed.
How bad is he?: This quote should sums it up: "Three rings for the Elven-kings under the sky. Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone. Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die. One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne. In the Land of Mordor where the shadows lie. One ring to rule them all. One ring to find them. One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. In the Land of Mordor where the shadows lie."
What happened?: Thanks to his One Ring, Sauron's life force was preserved even if his body was killed. 3000 years later he attempted to get his ring back and start another reign of terror. Thanks to some Hobbits, he didn't make it.
Appearances: The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-2003)