24 Once Upon a Time villains ranked worst to best

Captain Hook

Killian honestly probably has the best redemption arc from all the reformed villains, and I will stand by it. But we do have to remember that he started out a villain. He didn't care who got in his way, and the pirate had one thing on his mind - enact revenge on Rumpelstiltskin for killing Milah and taking his hand. What I think is unique about his story is that he was a villain whose enemy is another villain. His goal was never to get revenge on heroes like basically all of the other antagonists on the show. It was villain vs. villain, so I think that makes him stand out. He's suave, rocked the guyliner, and made our hearts melt. Even as Captain Hook. This bad boy has me under his spell!

Cora

We've reached the Top 5 best villains portion of the evening, and Cora definitely holds the No. 5 spot! The Queen of Hearts took out her own heart, believing love to be a weakness. This opened up the door for her character to do many unspeakable things, especially to her own daughter Reigna. Cora ends up being Regina's biggest enemy. But towards the other heroes? She was a quality villain that's for sure.

Zelena/Wicked Witch

"The queen may be evil, but I'm wicked. And wicked always wins!" This line is still so iconic. If right after season 3 you asked me who the best villain is, it may have been the Wicked Witch, aka Zelena. This gal who actually pulls green off very well was such a deliciously wicked antagonist to the hereos. And her plans - kidnapping baby Neal and wanting to go back in time was genius. The line delivery made by Rebecca Mader was amusing and perfect. The stakes were high with Zelena and that's why she was such a compelling villain, if not a bit deranged. Unfortunately after the third season and the whole Marian storyline, the character didn't have the appeal she once had. But still, Wicked Always Wins! Well, sometimes.