Everyone loves a good villain and the Arrowverse has seen their fair share. Who could forget Slade Wilson, Lex Luthor, Vandal Savage, or even Captain Cold? Our beloved Team Arrow was terrorized every season with a new big bad that tied back to Oliver Queen’s time on the island. The Flash was taken on by villains from his future who always thought taking on his past self would be easier. Supergirl could never escape the shadow of her cousin and that includes the villains he took on. The Legends traveled through time fighting evil in any time period while also fixing time whenever they would inevitably break it.
The ultimate big bads in the Arrowverse got their well-deserved screen time, while others should have gotten more. Fans of the Arrowverse saw secondary villains who helped move the main villain’s agenda along also get shafted in the season. Other bad guys start off as evil, but their story lines lead them to becoming heroes. Here are Arrowverse characters that deserved longer villain arcs ranked.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
7 Sebastian Blood
The CW
Sebastian Blood was an ally to Slade Wilson in Arrow season two. What Culture called him charismatic and influential in his community, making him almost as dangerous as Slade himself. Although he was a secondary villain, Sebastian pushed along Slade’s agenda by recruiting soldiers to his ever-growing army. Sebastian’s own ambitions truly did come from good intentions as he wanted to help the poor of his community, so he ran for mayor against Oliver Queen’s mother Moira. With the backing of Slade, Sebastian was going to be Mayor of Starling City if Slade had anything to do with it. Sebastian’s storyline was cut short after a mercenary killed him, but fans of Arrow would have loved to see how he would rule the city.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
6 Reign
Reign used her apocalyptic powers to push Supergirl and her allies to their limits in season three of Supergirl. She was created by an ancient coven called Children of Juru, who believed that it was their sacred duty to purify Krypton of its sin. The Juru cult called Reign and her siblings Worldkillers who were Kryptonians sent to Earth to be raised by humans. They were then called upon when the Juru needed them the most. Samantha Arias was Reign’s human counterpart and was a kind single mother that ultimately lost the inner battle against Reign. Audiences loved watching Supergirl battle a villain who was just as strong as she was.
5 King Shark
King Shark was first introduced in season two of The Flash as he was recruited by Hunter Zolomon aka Zoom. Shay Lamden turned into King Shark after the particle accelerator went off in Central City on Earth-2. His transformation gave him superhuman speed, strength, toughness, underwater adaptation, and electrocution. After a few run-ins with the Flash, King Shark was turned into ARGUS. In later seasons, fans of King Shark learn that they made a cure for him, which he declined in order to take down Gorilla Grodd. King Shark’s time on The Flash was short-lived and audiences are champing at the bit that he may have a comeback in the final season.
4 Lillian Luthor
Lillian Luthor is one of Supergirl’s most dangerous recurring foes. Lillian along with a Cadmus scientist plan to eradicate all aliens from Earth, which, according to EW, puts a strain on her relationship with her daughter Lena who’s been trying to reform her family’s public image. The Luthor matriarch is just as conniving and dangerous as her son, and she has almost come on top a few times as she went head-to-head against Kara. Her time in the light was short-lived and Lillian has returned to her criminal ways after the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths. Supergirl fans enjoyed how dubious the mother of the Luthor’s was and wished she would appear on their TV screens more.
3 China White
China White was a thorn in Oliver Queen’s side very early on in his vigilante days. As an assassin and top Triad member, she went across the globe lending her talents to anyone who would pay, which also included a few enemies of the Arrow. Her combat skills and physical training tested the likes of the Arrow, Black Canary, and Spartan. China was even recruited by Amanda Waller for Task Force X. Her ruthless and efficient persona made watching her fun and entertaining especially against the Arrow. Avid Arrow watchers wanted to see more interactions between China White and Oliver specifically the five years before he returned to Starling City.
2 Black Siren
Black Siren was the Earth-2 version of Laurel Lance/Black Canary that was first introduced in The Flash and later brought back to Arrow in season five. IGN calls this version of Laurel as darker, edgier with an all-around more villainous attitude. Black Siren came with way less baggage than the Earth-1 version, and fans of Laurel loved watching her go to the dark-side. Evil Laurel had more room to play within the Arrowverse and much more interesting to watch as she worked alongside other villains like Zoom and Ricardo Diaz. She even was able to get a story-line within season seven of Arrow, but fans of Black Siren wished she would have made an appearance on the show much sooner.
1 Pied Piper
Hartley Rathaway is Harrison Wells’ first protégée in season one of The Flash. After the particle accelerator went off, Hartley develops the power to control sound waves and becomes the Pied Piper. He comes after Team Flash to get revenge on Dr. Wells and becomes a major threat not only to the Flash but Wells himself as he harbors a secret against him. The Flash does defeat him and locks him in the S.T.A.R. Labs prison, but Hartley warns the team not to trust Wells as he will ultimately stab them in the back. Hartley escapes his imprisonment through small bombs hidden in his hearing aids. The Pied Piper comes back in season two after the Flash alters the timeline and becomes a friend to the team. Pied Piper fans wish they could have seen a longer villain arc for Hartley as his redemption arc came quickly in season two. The Flash watchers were hoping to have a battle between the Pied Piper and Vibe since their powers were similar.
