From the Evil Queen to Bellwether, Disney has always been a powerhouse when it comes to classic villains. Although times have changed since the wicked witches and talking tigers of Walt's day, the studio has still produced a bumper crop of baddies for fans to love and hate alike.
The same can certainly be said for Disney's magical streaming platform. With titles like The Mandalorian, What If...? and Loki, viewers certainly have their pick of both villains and heroes to keep themselves occupied. But whether they're a threat from the multiverse or a monster from a galaxy far, far away, Disney+ has played host to a variety of modern classics when it comes to villainy.
The Client (The Mandalorian)
It's not an unknown fact that Werner Herzog is a pretty scary actor, regardless of how he's cast. There's just something unsettling about that calm, raspy voice and thick accent that just screams perfect bad guy material, and he was practically tailor-made to play the mysterious Client in The Mandalorian.
Not much is known about the robed figure who brought Din Djarin and Grogu together, only that he is a supporter of the fallen Galactic Empire and he wishes to experiment on The Child. He doesn't need much to make a great entry-level villain to warm the viewers up.
Arn (Star Wars: Visions)
Star Wars: Visions gives a new, anime-fueled perspective on the galaxy far, far away. With the presence of the light side of the Force, so comes the infamous dark side of the Sith. To quote Master Yoda, always two there are. In this case, it's a pair of Force-sensitive twins born from Sith experiments.
While Karre defects to the light side, his sister Arn goes full Sith Lord and dons a power suit worthy of Second Sister from Fallen Order. In her lust for power, she harnesses the power of a Kyber Crystal which nearly destroys her and her brother. The display of pure Sith strength is certainly one Palpatine himself would be proud of.
Doctor Strange (What If…?)
Broken hearts will make even the best and brightest turn to the dark side. Doctor Strange lost more than his heart in this chapter of the Multiverse and indeed suffered for it. Drawing power from the Dark Dimension is one thing, but meddling with demons, forbidden spells, and much worse will definitely garner the attention of The Watcher.
Fans of the MCU are in for a twisted treat as they watch the beloved Master of the Mystic arts tunnel his way deeper and deeper down a rabbit hole of dark rituals and forbidden rites in his search for the ability to turn back time.
The Zombies (What If…?)
If there's one thing Marvel fans were waiting for with the premiere of What If...?, it was the zombies episode. Zombified versions of famous Marvel heroes like Iron Man, Captain America, and Scarlet Witch have been around for a while in the comic books, but to finally have them acknowledged in MCU-related media is a healthy dose of fan service.
These aren't just zombies clad in the rotting flesh of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, but zombies with their powers and abilities as well. Even the forces of Thanos fall victim to this horrifying horde, making it quite possibly one of the deadliest zombie plagues in recent years.
Moff Gideon (The Mandalorian)
Half of Moff Gideon's presence and persona comes from the performance of Giancarlo Esposito, but the other half comes from seriously good writing from The Mandalorian. The Moff not only kills members of his own troops, commands the Dark Troopers, but also wields the legendary Darksaber, definitely meeting more than a few criteria for a solid Star Wars villain.
He might not have the mask and power of someone like Vader, but Moff Gideon is certainly a force to be reckoned with, even without a connection to the Force itself. Hopefully, fans of the Empire will see him return in future series.
Agatha Harkness (WandaVision)
Much to the surprise of WandaVision fans, it was Agatha all along. Agatha Harkness is practically the marriage of two different fandoms. She's as deadly and devious as any supervillain from the MCU might be, but she's also got a healthy dose of personality and even her own villain song that would fit right at home with a Disney production.
Easily one of the most entertaining villains on Disney+, Agatha is a real showstopper in terms of power, character, and presence. With any luck, fans will be treated to a cameo from her in the upcoming Doctor Strange sequel before she gets her own well-deserved series.
Infinity Ultron (What If…?)
Ultron is one of the Avengers' most powerful and deadly adversaries, but when given the power of the Infinity Stones, he becomes a Multiverse-level threat that even Uatu can't ignore. This variation of the character is a superhero's worst nightmare and likely one for MCU fans as well.
It's not enough that Ultron desires to wipe out all life on one planet, but in every single infinite universe imaginable. Easily one of the most overpowered characters Marvel has ever created, it's a miracle the Guardians of the Multiverse were able to take him down.
All The Loki Variants (Loki)
Infinity Ultron might have been the most powerful villain from Disney+, but the most beloved has to be the Lord of Mischief himself, Loki.
If variety is the spice of life, Loki and his variants are some of the most well-seasoned villains the streaming service has to offer. Ranging in size, age, and species, the variants of the character all bring something unique to the table, but to call them heroes would certainly be a stretch.