The 7 best (and 6 worst) Arrowverse villains

Arrow — “Lian Yu” — Image AR523a_0609b.jpg — Pictured (L-R): Deathstroke and Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen/The Green Arrow — Photo: Jack Rowand/The CW — © 2017 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

The Arrowverse has presented us with plenty of villains over the years, but which of its big bads stole the show and which ones fell a little short?

No superheroes forget their first major villain. It’s their first real test that pushes them to their limits and ultimately sets the stage for their career-defining victory that saves those who need them.

The CW’s legendary Arrowverse showcased that well. For the Green Arrow, his first challenge was the Dark Archer, The Flash found himself up against the Reverse-Flash, Supergirl and Batwoman took on family, and the Legends battled an immortal tyrant across time. All of these great heroes overcame insurmountable odds to save the day.

But the Arrowverse told a long story, and with that came plenty of villains. Yes, across Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, and Batwoman, there were countless great villains and threats for our heroes to take on. But not all of them were up for the challenge.

With that in mind, and the unfortunate end of the Arrowverse having come and gone, let’s reflect on all of the shared universe’s major villains and figure out which of them were the best (and which were the worst).

Note: While there were countless villains across Arrowverse shows, this list will take a look at the major season villains. It also won’t include shows that spent the majority of their runs as Arrowverse-adjacent (such as Black Lightning, DC’s Stargirl, or Superman and Lois).

If you’re a fan of the Arrowverse, listen to The CW Spiral Podcast for news and updates about the future of DC TV. Subscribe to their YouTube Channel here.