Top 30 villains in television history

Photo Credit: HBO

11. Tywin Lannister 

Game of Thrones is known for its many fantastic villains and it’s hard to choose the best ones to keep on this list of best bad guys. Tywin never reaches the murderous depths of some of the other antagonists (unless of course, you count the fact he orchestrated the whole Red Wedding) but he’s definitely one of the more cunning villains.

The mastermind behind the most heartbreaking moment in Game of Thrones history, there’s no bridge that Tywin won’t burn down if it means the Lannisters gain more power. In death he has even managed to turn all of his children against one another, with Jamie eventually siding with the North by the end of season 7, Tyrion joining Daenerys, and Cersei finally in power but plotting her revenge against both her brothers.

The Red Wedding is probably the most shocking moment in the series when a massacre occurs at Robb Stark’s wedding. It cements the character as one of the best villains on the show simply because the Red Wedding was a time before viewers were desensitized to the constant death that characters faced on the show.

The ruthless father was more than happy to force his daughter into a marriage she didn’t want and seduce his son’s girlfriend to have an affair. When Tyrion finally confronts his oppressive father, it’s hard not to cheer for him to finally get some revenge.

Despite being dead, Tywin proved to be quite the strategist and he passed those qualities onto his most hated son, which Tyrion decided to use in the name of good (for now) compared to his evil father. It’s almost sad to imagine how the Lannister family could have been so different if they had a father who was more caring than Tywin…like Ned Stark for instance. Too soon?