Top 30 villains in television history

Photo Credit: The CW

27. Deathstroke

While Slade Wilson made his big screen debut in Justice League, he made a big impression in Arrow a few years before. Deathstroke has been a notorious Batman villain for a long time but Arrow really allowed the character’s backstory to be explored. He’s incredibly sympathetic and for a while, he is someone unable to be saved.

Before becoming one of the series’ most beloved villains, Wilson was actually a friend and mentor to Oliver Queen. Taking the young playboy under his wing, Oliver learned all of his combat and survival skills from the former Australian Secret Intelligence Service Agent. However, he gets injected with Mirakuru, which heightens all of his abilities and his mental instability. Slowly growing resentful of his friend, Oliver is forced to “kill” the man by shoving an arrow through his right eye.

Of course, fans of Arrow know that Deathstroke’s story only begins there. He returns in Season Two and becomes one of the best antagonists the show has ever had. Slade takes the cake for effectively upping the stakes for the entire series run. While the death of Tommy Merlyn was tragic, he died in a falling building in a sad accident which haunts his friends. However, Slade forces Oliver to pick between saving either his mother or sister, a decision he refuses to make.

Sobbing for his friend to kill him instead, Moira Queen stands up knowing that it’s a mother’s job to sacrifice anything for her children. It’s one of the most shocking moments in Arrow‘s history and cements his place on this top villain’s list.