The 10 Best Batman Beyond Villains, Ranked

After redefining how audiences perceived the DC Universe and Batman's mythos, "Batman: The Animated Series" debuted its sequel series "Batman Beyond" in 1999 on The WB. The show jumped decades into the future of the DC Animated Universe, running for three seasons. "Batman Beyond" followed high schooler Terry McGinnis (Will Friedle), mentored by an elderly Bruce Wayne (Kevin Conroy). Terry soon becomes the new Batman to defend the cyberpunk world of Neo Gotham City.

Venturing into outright science fiction, "Batman Beyond" pits Terry against several supervillains. The fate of Neo Gotham hangs in the balance as he learns the superhero ropes. Featuring a mix of familiar foes that menaced Bruce's Batman and a host of new and unique antagonists, "Batman Beyond" boasts an imaginatively packed rogues' gallery. Here are the 10 greatest villains to appear in "Batman Beyond," giving Terry's Dark Knight the ultimate challenge to prove himself worthy of being a superhero.

Big Time

Unlike Bruce, Terry doesn't come from a world of pampered privilege. He grew up on Neo Gotham's mean streets as his family struggled to make ends meet. Terry used to be a petty thief, and his older friend Charlie Bigelow (Stephen Baldwin) helped lead him down that path, and Charlie went to jail for a crime he and Terry committed. Upon his release, Charlie and Terry become estranged due to Terry's newfound purpose as Batman. Charlie maintains his criminal tendencies, transforming into the supervillain Big Time (Clancy Brown).

Charlie is a painful reminder of what Terry could have become if he didn't have a positive influence like Bruce in his life. Terry blames himself for not being able to help his friend from falling into bad habits and for the accident that transformed Charlie into Big Time. Every rematch reminds Terry of his failure. Several of Terry's enemies have connections to his personal life outside of being Batman, but few have as much of an emotional investment as Big Time, making him particularly effective. However, what ultimately holds Big Time from having a higher spot on this list is his relatively uninspired design and power set, given how imaginative "Batman Beyond" could be.

Starro The Conqueror

Like "Batman: The Animated Series," "Batman Beyond" exists in its autonomous corner of the DCAU. There are only passing references to other DC properties. However, the main exception to this occurred in the final season's two-part episode, "The Call." In the episode, Superman (Christopher McDonald) enlists Terry's help to identify a traitor within this time's Justice League. Terry's investigation revealed a far more sinister presence at work with the Justice League's extraterrestrial enemy, Starro the Conqueror, behind the twisted betrayal.

The inclusion of Starro in "Batman Beyond" underscores how much Terry has developed into a superhero; it wouldn't work nearly as well in an early episode of the series. Due to Starro's telepathic abilities, Terry fights against the Justice League, including Superman. This fight proves him worthy of the Batman mantle and equally talented as the Justice League. By the end, Terry not only passes this informal initiation with flying colors but realizes how, like his mentor, he doesn't mesh with the Justice League and operates better alone. Starro is a villain capable of taking down the entire Justice League, making this alien particularly formidable. But Starro never feels like a Batman-centric villain. Still, the opportunity to see Terry take on the Justice League is a standout moment.

Curaré

The most mysterious figure in Batman's rogues' gallery is Curaré (Melissa Disney), a shrouded assassin with cyan skin that evokes similar vibes as the classic Batman villain Ra's al Ghul. Though Terry briefly catches a glimpse of Curaré's face, the audience never witnesses her appearance. In a world full of garish antagonists that often broadcast their identities in bold defiance of authority, Curaré remains an enigma by the end of "Batman Beyond."

Curaré makes two appearances throughout the series, targeting Gotham District Attorney Sam Young (Paul Winfield), which leads to her first showdown with Batman. Wisely bringing her back while maintaining her shadowy nature, the animated series pit Curaré and Batman in a vicious rematch after she wiped out the rest of her assassin order. As coolly lethal as "Batman Beyond" gets, Curaré's silent demeanor makes her a terrifying force of nature that shuts up the normally wise-cracking Terry and a standout among his rogues.

The Stalker

Something is intriguing about an antagonist with a pronounced code of honor. While Bruce had Ra's al Ghul fill that role, Terry has the Stalker. Voiced by Carl Lumbly, the Stalker is a cybernetically enhanced big game hunter that feels like a cyberpunk Kraven the Hunter as he pursues Batman across Neo Gotham. As odd as the juxtaposition of Sub-Saharan African design with the futuristic superhero setting of "Batman Beyond" may seem, it is surprisingly effective.

A big part of what makes the Stalker work is his striking design and his unique perspective on Batman, viewing the Dark Knight as an ageless opponent worthy of his attention. The Stalker isn't a science experiment gone wrong or a cheap crook but a warrior whose cybernetic prosthetics gave him a new lease on life and a desire to push himself to his limits. The Stalker turns Gotham into an urban jungle to hunt Batman. Although villains like Kraven or the Predator have worn that trope out, he feels refreshingly unique among the enemies in "Batman Beyond." A noble warrior, the Stalker is just as likely to work with Batman against a common enemy as he is to try to kill him: Still, it's not enough to earn him a higher spot on this list.

Mr. Freeze

In "Batman: The Animated Series," Mr. Freeze (Michael Ansara) was brilliantly reimagined as a tragic figure who justified his criminal activity to rescue his terminally ill wife, Nora (Kristen Hager). While it seemed like Freeze died in "The New Batman Adventures," the villain's unique physiology allows him to survive decades into the future. He resurfaces in "Batman Beyond," with Ansara reprising his role. Given a cloned body that initially doesn't possess his cryogenic condition, Freeze appears to have a new lease on life, but manipulative forces steer him back to his old wicked ways.

Several DCAU stories revolve around various supervillains attempting to achieve redemption only to revert to evil schemes, underscoring that no one can escape their past sins. "Meltdown" handles this narrative formula the best, escalating the tragedy of Victor Fries, who genuinely attempts to atone for his past -- even as Bruce Wayne remains highly suspicious of his old enemy. By the end, Bruce and Freeze reach an understanding. Freeze decides he is better off dead, giving "Batman Beyond" one of its most heartbreaking endings. Freeze is one of the villains who gained emotional depth and tragic motivation in "Batman: The Animated Series," and "Batman Beyond" effectively builds on that character's legacy. Though Freeze never quite feels like a fully fleshed out villain for Terry, he provides closure for Bruce, and his arc ends on a high note.

Shriek

More than just hiring supervillains to retain his insidious control over Neo Gotham, megalomaniacal businessman Derek Powers (Sherman Howard) tends to corrupt those around him. Gifted sound engineer Walter Shreeve (Chris Mulkey) began working for Powers with the best intentions, but Powers gave Shreeve free rein to embrace the dark possibilities of tech. Shreeve created a suit that allowed him to manipulate sound waves, gaining the nickname Shriek as he battled against Batman.

In his debut episode, Batman impairs Shreeve's hearing. Shreeve holds Batman responsible for the injury -- giving Shriek a vendetta against the Dark Knight that further drives the supervillain rather than being a one-note antagonist with a single gimmick. Shriek represents the evil consequences of capitalism driving Neo Gotham, funded by Powers. With an ax to grind with Batman and a unique power set, Shriek is one of the show's more memorable antagonists. However, his character could have benefitted from more personal development beyond sensory deprivation.

Robert Vance

In "Batman Beyond," Terry's Batsuit is a futuristic marvel of sci-fi technology, constantly in sync with the Batcave's master computer. His suit allows him to enhance his crimefighting capabilities through its unique interface. The second season episode, "Lost Soul," introduces the unscrupulous businessman, Robert Vance (Stacy Keach), who uses his mastery over technology to take over the Batsuit. A literal ghost in the machine, Terry becomes forced to rely on his wits to outmaneuver his opponent.

"Batman Beyond" has a bit of a wish-fulfillment angle to the Dark Knight mythos, implying that anyone can be Batman with the right tools and guidance. Vance challenges this notion by taking away those tools from Terry, forcing him to prove why he's worthy of the Batman mantle. With Vance's technology skills, he's one of the most powerful (and terrifyingly inescapable) enemies in Neo Gotham. He lives up to the show's sci-fi premise with memorable gusto but not as much as the villains to come on this list.

Blight

No other antagonist in "Batman Beyond" works on as many multi-faceted levels as Derek Powers (Sherman Howard), both in his civilian life and as the radioactive rogue Blight. As the head of Powers Technology, Powers was responsible for the death of Terry's father -- before transforming into a skeletal supervillain. Though Powers is initially able to pass himself off as "normal" in public, he drops the facade after the full extent of his villainy is exposed by Batman.

With Powers, Terry has his most personal villain but also one that puts up a formidable challenge, as his financial resources easily rival Bruce's. In a Gotham ruled by unchecked megacorporations, Powers personifies capitalistic corruption: He's Terry's version of Lex Luthor. Plus, at the end of the day, there's something inherently cool about a futuristic Batman fighting against an evil radioactive skeleton. Blight is Terry's true nemesis, pulling the strings behind so much misery in Gotham. However, he isn't quite the greatest villain in all of "Batman Beyond" when compared to two of his antagonistic counterparts.

The Joker

While the Joker doesn't appear in the "Batman Beyond" television series, his presence is the inspiration behind the vicious street gang, the Jokerz. It wasn't until the spinoff film "Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker" that the real deal resurfaced to torment Bruce in Neo Gotham, with Mark Hamill reprising his fan-favorite role. In sharp contrast to previous appearances throughout the DCAU, this iteration of the Clown Prince of Crime was the most twisted and sadistic.

Any time Hamill plays the Joker, he steals the show: This remains true for "Return of the Joker," foreshadowing his darker performances as the character in the "Batman: Arkham" video games. Resurrected decades after his final showdown with Bruce, the Joker is deadlier than ever and, frankly, at his scariest. He comes at the original Batman with a vengeance. Not only has the Joker not lost a step decades later, but his return perfectly illustrates how different Terry's Batman is, which ultimately keeps him alive. As more of a villain for Bruce than Terry, the Joker doesn't take the top spot -- but not for lack of trying.

Inque

With Terry boasting state-of-the-art technology, it stands to reason his antagonists should be just as technologically advanced to challenge him. The biggest recurring foe in Terry's rogues' gallery is Inque (Shannon Kenny), who has a shape-shifting, liquid-based physiology, not unlike Clayface or the T-1000 from "Terminator 2." Inque often uses her skills as a professional saboteur for Powers, putting her on a collision course with Batman on multiple occasions.

Inque provides Terry with a cunning enemy that challenges his mind more than his tech-boosted physical capabilities while perfectly epitomizing the creative possibilities offered by Neo Gotham. Whenever Inque is on the scene, the threat level rises significantly. The villain keeps Terry on his toes, forcing him to think fast to survive their skirmishes. Inque would've been too outlandishly sci-fi for a recurring Batman villain in the present-day DCAU. But for Terry, she's a character that fits right into the rogues' gallery tailored to his superhero sensibilities. Inque is also a villain that we get to learn a lot about personally across "Batman Beyond," with her estranged daughter drawn into her feud with Batman. This adds a human dimension to the character that most enemies in Batman's rogues' gallery lack, albeit without compromising her sheer, unrelenting villainy.

Terry's futuristic Batsuit sets him apart in the DCAU due to his capabilities and design. Inque is the perfect challenge that organically fits right into the cyberpunk world of Neo Gotham.

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