Fans were disappointed upon hearing that season 4 of the Netflix supernatural drama Stranger Things would be split up into two parts. However, this worked in the way of building up the latest villain, which was Vecna. A villain’s introduction is something that requires meticulous planning in the form of buildup.
Having character buildup is necessary, but it is imperative upon the confirmation of a villain. Some villains start out as protagonists, pulling the rug out from underneath the surrounding characters. Other villains are in plain sight with their motives out on the table. s of Reddit voice their opinions on which television villains had the best buildup.
The Night King - Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones had some iconic villains throughout its eight-season run. Whether they were revealed later on or immediately established, they all played an integral part in the story, especially The Night King.
Reddit Agwku felt that The Night King had a great buildup “despite it being a let-down when he actually arrived”. From his introduction, The Night King was always presented as an untouchable figure. While seeing Arya kill The Night King was indeed a fantastic sight to see, it also came with disappointment that such a frosty villain could be eliminated so swiftly.
Whiterose - Mr. Robot
USA’s Mr. Robot was a confusing show, but it was also a compelling combination of techno-thriller and psychological mind game. The show further catapulted the career of future Academy Award winner Rami Malek. Malek's character Elliot encountered many faces in his journey, one of which being Whiterose (B.D. Wong).
Whiterose, also known as Zhi Zhang, was d with The Dark Army hacker group. Her buildup throughout the first season was cloaked in mystique and intelligence, making Whiterose a rather intriguing figure in Mr. Robot’s universe.
Maryann Forrester - True Blood
In the way of supernatural dramas, True Blood reboot were occurring at HBO. Many fans wonder if one of the original series antagonists, Mary Forrester (Michelle Forbes), will return to the revival.
Maryann started out being an empath to gain trust from those who would later become her followers when she emerged as a powerful Maenad in Season 2. Redditor _Hello_my_name_is felt that it was truly terrifying “to watch any and all attempts to stop her fail”. Luckily, Maryann was brought down.
Katherine - The Vampire Diaries
Another supernatural romance that is a favorite amongst millennials was The Vampire Diaries, revolving around the love triangle between teenager Elena (Nina Dobrev) and vampire brothers Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder). According to Redditor Ixixan, “Katherine on TVD” had a memorable villain buildup.
Long before meeting Elena in the present day, the brothers were originally vying for Katherine (also played by Dobrev) in the 1800s. After turning Stefan and Damon into vampires, Katherine broke Damon’s heart by choosing Stefan. Believed to have calcified in a tomb, Katherine’s arrival in the Season 1 finale had Damon’s head spinning.
Gus Fring - Breaking Bad
Walter “Heisenberg” White is one of television’s most intense villains, deriving from an equally intense show, Breaking Bad. However, a few characters tried to give him a run for his money. Redditor Xijoodiex thinks “Gus Fring in Breaking Bad” is one villain who had a great buildup.
Similar to True Blood’s Maryann, Gus Fring’s buildup wasn’t necessarily evil. He was first introduced as intelligent but overall having a keen sense of business in and out of the drug underworld. Fring’s villainous evolution was meticulously planned. His biggest mistake was attempting to double-cross Heisenberg, which resulted in Gus’ explosive end.
Negan - The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead’s biggest villain Negan had a significant buildup. In a post-apocalyptic world, enemies and villains are ripe for the picking. Negan was seamlessly adapted from the comics in a standout performance from Jeffrey Dean Morgan.
Negan came into The Walking Dead universe swinging his barbed-wire bat Lucille and having a taste for blood. After holding the core group hostage, he murdered two prominent . Over time, the audience has witnessed a metamorphosis of Negan, seeing him demonstrate humanizing traits.
Moriarty - Sherlock
The detective series Sherlock Holmes has been adapted across multiple mediums, from radio plays to feature films. One popular adaptation has been BBC’s Sherlock. Redditor Potatotallycool thinks “Andrew Scott's Moriarty” deserves some love in the way of a villainous buildup.
Moriarity was the main villain throughout the series, known for being a consulting criminal. While he does have a camaraderie with the titular protagonist, his antagonistic ways and obsession with Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch) only increased as the show continued. Alas, not even Moriarity was enough to save Sherlock from a bad series finale.
Errol William Childress - True Detective
HBO’s anthology series True Detective is intriguing in both its storylines and characters. The series antagonists are equally frightening to the strength of the protagonists. Reddit Tigers1122 feels in the way of villain buildup, “Errol William Childress from True Detective Season 1” is worth a mention.
Childress (Glenn Fisher) served as the debut season’s main antagonist, being a psychopathic murderer whose victims included women and children. The buildup was something of a cat and mouse game, with some fans thinking it was done a little too well. By season’s end, Childress’s murderous ways were forever halted by his death.
The Man in Black - Lost
Long before HBO’s television adaptation Lost had a character with the same title. The show followed a group of plane crash survivors stranded on a desert island, coming into with other island inhabitants. One such enemy is The Man in Black, played by Titus Welliver.
The Man in Black was presented as a thick cloud of black smoke, which granted him shape-shifting abilities to possess other bodies, including his original human form. Reddit Wrainedaxx found it intriguing that it took “5 seasons until we actually saw his face”.
The Shadow King - Legion
FX’s Legion was a faithful adaptation of Marvel’s eponymous character, also known as David Haller (played by Dan Stevens). David is somebody with schizophrenia in addition to having mutant powers, which means he is constantly in harm’s way. One enemy was the show’s main antagonist, The Shadow King.
The Shadow King, also known as Amahl Farouk and The Devil with Yellow Eyes, had the ability to possess any human mind to execute his schemes. In his approach, The Shadow King was sinister and aggressive. Reddit Dinosaurfondue thought The Devil with Yellow Eyes “was f**k*ng terrifying”.