Batman Officially Names DC’s 3 Most Evil Villains

The DC Universe is filled with dangerous villains of all kinds, but there’s a number of foes so evil that Batman himself considers them completely irredeemable. Bruce Wayne’s no-kill rule comes from his traumatic experience in the infamous alley where the legend of the Batman was born. As a result, the Dark Knight has repeatedly discarded the idea of killing dangerous criminals like Ra’s al Ghul and Victor Zsasz, to mixed results.

Superman also respects the principle of life and vows to protect even the harshest criminals’ lives at all costs, but given the colossal nature of his battles, he’s willing to use deadly force when it’s necessary. If an extraterrestrial enemy truly intends to wipe out a civilization, the Man of Steel won’t hesitate to kill the villain as a last resort. This is something Batman won’t do, as he vehemently refuses to cause mortal damage to any opponent, at least directly.

Despite their different approaches to crime-fighting and their vastly different power levels, Batman and Superman like to work together as the World’s Finest, given that Bruce Wayne’s intellect and detective skills perfectly complement Clark Kent’s might and optimism.

Batman Considers The Joker, Nezha, And Eclipso Irredeemable Villains

Batman / Superman: World’s Finest #50; Written by Mark Waid; Art by Dan Mora & Tamra Bonvillain

While fighting the nightmare-inducing Destiny in his own dream realm, Batman freezes when he sees Catwoman sporting her iconic purple bodysuit and long hair combo. Superman calls out Batman’s softness when it comes to facing Selina Kyle, as Catwoman is a criminal like most other Gotham villains, and giving her better treatment sets a bad example to Batman’s vigilante apprentices. Batman argues that there are different levels of criminals, and therefore priorities also vary.

Superman believes “there’s always a chance at redemption,” whereas Batman recognizes that some villains are beyond rehabilitation. According to Batman, the Joker, the demon Nezha, and Eclipso are completely irredeemable, as they have no soul and therefore lack the very ability to change their ways. The Joker has proved this time and again, lacking any hint of a human trait that allows him to feel empathy or remorse.

Batman and Superman recently traveled to the Crime Syndicate’s universe, where they met several classic foes who oppose Ultraman and Owlman’s villainy.

Among the mortals and gods who haunt the DC Universe, The Joker remains the quintessential example of an irredeemable mind due to his rejection of any coherent ideology or motivation beyond annihilation. While many villains seek power or wealth, the Clown Prince of Crime only wants to prove that everyone is as broken as he is. His history is a relentless catalog of atrocities, ranging from the paralysis of Barbara Gordon to the brutal murder of Jason Todd. Any attempt at rehabilitation is merely another setup for a twisted punchline.

The ancient Chinese prince turned demonic sorcerer Nezha views the entire multiverse as a collection of puppets to be enslaved through his mastery of the Fourth-Dimensional arts. His malice is born of an absolute, aristocratic sense of entitlement that sees individual will as a nuisance to be extinguished. Similarly, Eclipso is the original Spirit of Wrath, a fallen aspect of divinity who thrives on the corruption of the innocent. Eclipso is a cosmic force fueled by the darkest impulses of sentient beings, so there’s no humanity to appeal to.

There Are More Irredeemable Villains Than Batman Thinks

The DC Multiverse Is Brimming With Evil

Eobard Thawne a.k.a. Reverse-Flash is probably the pettiest villain in the DC Universe, as Thawne’s entire existence is dedicated to torturing Barry Allen across every point in the timeline. He has traveled back in time to kill Barry’s mother, push his childhood friends down stairs, and erase his best friends from existence, all while maintaining a fanatical, parasitic love for the man he torments. Likewise, Black Manta has pursued Aquaman and his family relentlessly throughout the years, and he has shown no hesitation when it comes to hurting his loved ones, including his baby son.

Ultraman is a literal inversion of Superman’s morality, so he actively thrives on the fear and subjugation of the weak to validate his own strength. Trigon, meanwhile, is an interdimensional demon whose essence is composed of the distilled suffering of billions of conquered souls. As a being of pure, sentient darkness, Trigon views sentient life as nothing more than fuel for his expansion. On a more grounded level, Doctor Psycho and Doctor Light are a more repulsive brand of evil, as they cross the line of abuse and misogyny that precludes any possibility of redemption.

Darkseid represents the Platonic ideal of tyranny and the total absence of empathy. As the embodiment of darkness and destruction, Darkseid evil personified. He’s the shadow cast by the light of the New Gods. To suggest that Darkseid could be saved is to misunderstand his purpose, as he’s the ultimate gravity of the universe, pulling all things toward a state of entropy.

Which DC villain do you think is the most evil?

Batman / Superman: World’s Finest #50 is now available from DC Comics.

• Created By

  Bob Kane, Bill Finger

  Alias

  Bruce Wayne

  Alliance

  Justice League, Outsiders, Batman Family

  Race

  Human

  Franchise

  D.C.

  
  

• 

  Created By

  Joe Shuster, Jerry Siegel

  First Appearance

  Action Comics

  Alias

  Kal-El, Clark Kent, Jonathan Kent

  Alliance

  Justice League, Superman Family

  Race

  Kryptonian

  Franchise

  D.C.