The caliber of a villain can make or break a story. If the villain is lame, then the hero's struggle becomes unbelievable or uninspired. If the villain is too cool then fans begin to root for the villain at the expense of the hero, which jeopardizes the validity of the hero's journey.

The villains in Attack on Titan range from pathetic to charismatic, and their motives run the gamut from sadistic pleasure to world domination. As the final season reaches its conclusion, and former friends become formidable foes, it's important to consider what makes a cool villain that fans find hard to root against.

Updated on August 1st, 2022 by Jom Elauria: The final episodes of Attack on Titan is set to hit TV screens in 2023. The long-running show about the struggle of the Eldians against the terrifying Titans is revealed to have an incredibly complex story, with various characters and villains who are drivven by their own agendas. The show has some of the vilest villains in the world of anime, but some fans can't help but extend empathy to them, especially if they've done something impressive and cool in the series. 

Rod Reiss

10 - Rod Reiss

Other than being the true king behind the Walls, Rod Reiss didn't have many cool qualities. He frequently acted detached and aloof, which caused his manipulations to have a sinister tone that gave him an inhuman, disturbing persona.

His manipulation of Historia to further his goal of coalescing power into the hands of the Reiss family was distasteful even by villain standards. Reiss fell even further after he was rebuked by Historia and ended up using the Titan serum in a sad attempt to maintain power.

King Fritz

King Fritz from the manga

Some consider the Eldian King to be the msot heartless and cruel character on the show. As a dictator, King Fritz used Ymir Fritz's powers to crush his enemies and gain more power in the Attack on Titan world. Even as Ymir sacrificed herself to save him, King Fritz's first thought was to have his daughters eat Ymir's body to gain Titan powers.

The main conflict in the show wouldn't have happened if King Fritz was out of the picture. His selfish personality and lack of power certainly makes him a pathetic individual.

Dhalis Zachary

9 - Dhalis Zachary

When he was first introduced, Dhalis Zachary had all the makings of a cool villain. He had a powerful, commanding aura and appeared intelligent and composed. However, Zachary soon revealed that he was anything but cool.

He admitted that he only cared about himself and was only motivated by his hatred of the monarchy and his desire to save his own skin. His penchant for torturing his enemies only further highlighted how lame he was, as only bullies could derive pleasures from such senseless suffering.

Willy Tybur

Willy Tybur from Attack on Titan stares straight into camera lens

Willy Tybur was suave, sophisticated, and well-spoken. In addition to being highly charismatic, he also had a great sense of humor, as seen when he joked with Theo Magath that the General would be hard-pressed to find the holder of the War Hammer Titan amongst Tybur's family members.

As the head of the Tybur family, he secretly ran the government of Marley from the shadow and helped to conceal the truth behind the history of the Titans. Tybur eventually revealed that truth to the world, and while his motive was to start a war of annihilation, it's hard not to give him credit for telling the truth.

Titans

titan

The primary villains of the first and second seasons, the Titans will go down as one of the most terrifying and gruesome villains in anime history. Their bulging eyes and blank expressions make them truly horrifying to witness, and those features coupled with their desire for human flesh add up to make a truly awesome villain.

The Titans are neither good nor bad, they are simply a manifestation of mindless violence. To date, the massive Titan battles in the first and second seasons remain some of the most memorable scenes in the series, as they set the bar for every horrifying moment to come.

Anti-Personnel Control Squad

6 - Anti Personnel Control Squad

The introduction of the Anti-Personnel Control Squad commanded by Kenny Ackerman added a new element of cool to Attack on Titan in the form of aerial gunfights. The members of the squad all served Ackerman without question, and as such became an extension of his will.

Their actions led to the death of many scouts and almost led to Eren being eaten alive by Historia and the return of the Founding Titan into the clutches of the Reiss family. While their hands were stained with blood, their style and combat prowess made for awesome action sequences.

Floch Forster

Floch Forster doing the silence sign in Attack On Titan

Floch Forster was a member of the Survey Corps who was lucky enough to survive the Battle of Shiganshina. Due to the experiences he had as an Eldian, Floch devolved into a cold and villainous person who believed in Eren's skewed views.

Floch eventually joined and became the leader of the Yeagerist movement, just so he can keep the peopel of Paradis safe. His support for Eren's genocidal plans and betrayal of his former teammates make him one of the worst characters in the whole Attack on Titan series.

Gabi Braun

Gabi Braun in Attack on Titan Season 4 Part 2.

While she's still technically a child, a lot of the viewers of the show think that Gabi Braun is an evil villain due to her actions. Fueled by revenge, Gabi rode up the airship aiding the Survey Corps and shoots Sasha Braus dead.

This was an extremely wrong move on Gabi's part, as she killed one of the best characters in the series. While some viewers understand that Gabi was just acting on her feelings and is blinded by the ongoing war that's wrecking everything she knows, some still couldn't forgive her for killing Sasha.

Bertholdt Hoover

Bertholdt Hoover from Attack On Titan

At first glance, Bertholdt Hoover did not seem like a cool character. He started off the series as rather meek, and always deferred to Reiner and Annie. After his status as a Warrior was revealed, Bertholdt slowly came into himself, and his reasoning helped Reiner to stay on track and focus on the mission to recover the Founding Titan.

When Armin confronted Bertholdt and asked him why he betrayed the cadets, Bertholdt admitted that he was just doing what he thought was right and that he was not motivated by hatred. Bertholdt grew into a confident character who lived with the choices he'd made and embraced his role as the wielder of the destructive Colossal Titan.

Annie Leonhart

8 - Annie Leonhart

Annie Leonhart holds herself with an air of confidence even though deep down she struggles. She is an amazing hand-to-hand fighter, as demonstrated during her time as a cadet and in fights in her Titan form against Eren.

While Annie acts aloof, she is also dedicated to the mission to recover the Founding Titan and does not give in to despair without reason. Even when she is captured, she managed to avoid an interrogation by encasing herself in a cocoon made of her hardening material, a brilliant tactic that requires a serious amount of foresight and quick thinking. As a Titan, Annie introduced fans to a whole new dimension of villain in Attack on Titan, and for that, she will always be remembered.

Zeke Jaeger

Zeke Jaeger looking serious in Attack on Titan.

The wielder of the super-strong Beast Titan, Zeke Jaeger is more than just a talented warrior. He is also a natural leader and incredibly intelligent, as he possesses the ability to see several steps ahead of his opponents and anticipate their next moves. The only people who can outwit and outmaneuver Zeke are Levi, who is arguably the strongest soldier in existence, and Eren, who has the power to see into the future.

As the powerful Beast Titan, Zeke makes an indelible impression on the battlefield, but even outside of his Titan form, Zeke is surrounded by an aura of power and magnetism that is hard to ignore.

Reiner Braun

2 - Reiner Braun

Reiner Braun began the series as the coolest cadet in the 104th Training corps aside from Mikasa, and he continues his cool streak as the most interesting member of the Warrior Unit. Reiner emits an aura of confidence and power, and even though he is wracked by guilt and self-doubt for all the deaths he has caused, he does not give in to the darkness in his soul making him a likable character in the show.

He is a soldier who struggles to accept himself, and as such gains back some of the humanity that he has lost through his violent actions. His fights with Eren as the Armored Titan are the greatest Titan duels to date, and his growth into a complex and tortured character is one of the highlights of the series.

Eren Yeager

Eren Yeager

Eren Yeager is one of the most complex villains in the history of anime. While he started as the show's protagonist where he was seen training to become the best Survey Corps member and defeat the titans, his philosophies soon changed the more he learned about the titans and got involved with his brother Zeke.

In the show's final season, Eren successfully gained the power of the Founding Titan and has lead an army of Colossal Titans towards Marley. His vow to kill everyone outside the island is an unredeemable plan, but he still gets points for being one of the coolest villains in the series thanks to his complexity and emotional depth.

Kenny Ackermann

1 - Kenny Ackerman

Kenny Ackerman is the hands-down king of cool amongst the villains in Attack on Titan. In addition to having a great laugh, he was also stylish and possessed a wicked sense of humor. Kenny was a fearless fighter, and his skill with ODM gear was bested only by Levi. Kenny was sarcastic and nihilistic and had little respect for people who had not earned his esteem.

He craved power not so that he could wield it against others but so he could find a sense of inner peace and self-satisfaction. Kenny "the Reaper" Ackerman was a legend in more ways than one, and one of the most memorable villains in the series.

NEXT: 10 Best Episodes Of Attack On Titan So Far (According to IMDB)