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Superman has faced some of the most dangerous and unforgettable villains in comic book history. From classic enemies like Lex Luthor to powerful beings like Darkseid, these villains have tested the Man of Steel time and again. 🦸♂️⚡
In this countdown, we look at the Top 20 greatest Superman villains who challenged the Last Son of Krypton in comics, movies, and TV shows.
🌟 Do you agree with our picks? Who’s your favorite Superman villain? Let us know in the comments!
🔔 Stay tuned for more superhero countdowns only on WatchMojo.World
In this countdown, we look at the Top 20 greatest Superman villains who challenged the Last Son of Krypton in comics, movies, and TV shows.
🌟 Do you agree with our picks? Who’s your favorite Superman villain? Let us know in the comments!
🔔 Stay tuned for more superhero countdowns only on WatchMojo.World
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Short filmTranscript
00:00The radiation from the approaching meteor is affecting Superman's mind.
00:06He's a danger to us all now, and himself as well.
00:10In accordance with that, I am announcing a bounty on him, in the amount of one billion dollars.
00:16Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the strongest, most famous, and evilest baddies
00:24that Superman has ever faced in the comics, TV shows, and films.
00:30I'm incredible.
00:37Number 20.
00:39Gog.
00:39Villains getting the upper hand on Superman is very rare, yet Gog broke the mold multiple times.
00:45In the 1998 comic story The Kingdom, which was a sequel to the iconic Kingdom Come,
00:51William was the sole survivor of the nuclear disaster in Kansas.
00:54After getting powered by the Quintessence and becoming Gog, he snapped, believing Superman
00:59to be evil.
01:00So, he used his exceptional powers to kill Superman, go back in time, and do it repeatedly.
01:05However, when he did time travel, Gog was going to other timelines by mistake and slaying various
01:11Clarks.
01:12It took a battalion of superheroes to finally stop Gog.
01:15The character has also turned up in the main comic universe, nearly killing Clark there too.
01:20Number 19.
01:21Conduit.
01:22It takes some doing to get under Superman's skin.
01:25Kenny Braverman, who debuted in 1994, was sick a lot as a child after being exposed to
01:29radiation from Clark's ship landing in Kansas.
01:32Then, when they were both at school, Clark constantly beat Braverman in athletics.
01:37Later, he realized he could channel the kryptonite radiation, causing him to create armor and become
01:42Conduit.
01:43After stalking Clark, Braverman discovered he was Superman.
01:46So, he mentally tormented Clark, who went into hiding.
01:50However, Conduit wouldn't stop.
01:52He killed the woman and knocked Supes out.
01:54When he awoke, he was in a fake Smallville, where the robot residents despised and attacked
01:59him.
02:00This led to a big fight between Supes and Conduit, with the latter perishing.
02:04Number 18.
02:05Superboy Prime.
02:06Imagine all the powers of Superman and more, yet none of the moral compass.
02:10That's what you get with Superboy Prime.
02:12Debuting in the comics in 1985, Clark Kent was a normal chap in the real world as DC's
02:18heroes were fictional.
02:19However, he wasn't from that universe.
02:21His powers later came to him as a teenager, resulting in him becoming a hero as he appeared
02:26in Crisis on Infinite Earths.
02:28During the Infinite Crisis story, Superboy Prime's sanity snapped as he laid siege to the main
02:33continuity.
02:34As well as killing several heroes, including Connor Kent, older Superman Kal-El, several
02:39Teen Titans, and many Green Lanterns, Prime even injured Crypto, which alone makes him
02:44one of the nastiest villains ever.
02:46Number 17.
02:47The Anti-Monitor.
02:48Concentrate your firepower on the center of the Anti-Monitor's shielding.
02:52We've got to give Supergirl a shot at the creature itself, not its armor.
02:56Speaking of Infinite Crisis, this 1985 story that resulted in the removal of DC's multiverse
03:01and only one Earth left standing would need a pretty big hitter to get this deed done.
03:06So, in comes the Anti-Monitor.
03:08The embodiment of evil and antimatter, the cosmic being goes on a tirade, looking to obliterate
03:14the multiverse until it's the ruler of the last one.
03:17Heroes from several Earths take on the tyrant, including multiple Supermans, even ours.
03:22At one point, the Anti-Monitor offs Supergirl after she saves Superman, devastating Clark.
03:27It took many heroes and villains teaming together, attacking the Anti-Monitor's equipment and
03:31finally turning him into a flaming head.
03:34Earth 2's Superman punched it into a star to end the beam.
03:44Number 16.
03:45Silver Banshee.
03:52When a supervillain makes their comic debut, leaving a big impression is vital.
03:56Luckily for Silver Banshee in 1987, she did just that.
04:00Seemingly, as she walked along the streets, she offed one civilian after another with a
04:04touch.
04:05However, when Superman arrived, believing his powers would shield him, he didn't realize
04:09it was Banshee's voice doing the slaying.
04:11So, she seemingly kills him too.
04:13After all, Banshee's powers are magic-based, one of Clark's weaknesses.
04:17While it was a ruse and he survived, her powerful vocals can really be a problem for her, whether
04:22she's Siobhan McDougal or Siobhan Smythe.
04:26It grew worse in 2023 when Banshee got a temporary power upgrade from the Phantom Zone.
04:41Number 15.
04:42Toy Man.
04:43You bet.
04:44This'll be fun.
04:46Uh-oh.
04:48Wrong rat.
04:49Most people think Toy Man is a silly nerd who likes inventions too much and is of little
04:54threat to Superman.
04:55However, the Man of Steel disagrees, calling him incredibly deadly.
04:59To get that title from him, the villain has to be a threat, which Winslow's shot definitely
05:05is.
05:06With expertise in robotics and in-depth knowledge of biological weapons, Toy Man can create all
05:11sorts of problems for Superman, and has done so since his comic debut in 1943.
05:16The Justice League cartoon showcased its ingenuity by seemingly killing Superman with a disintegrator
05:20beam.
05:21Instead, it sent them 30,000 years into the future.
05:31The fact that Toy Man has the time-traveling know-how, albeit accidentally, is terrifying.
05:36Number 14.
05:37Lobo.
05:38You two little candy-eyes ain't well nothing yet.
05:42Hi.
05:44The main man is almost the antithesis of Superman.
05:47He's mean, dressed as a grungy biker, and has no issue with offing his opponent.
05:52Yet Lobo and Clark also share a lot of similarities, being the last of their kind and super OP.
05:58As such, it's always epic when the duo clash.
06:01One of their best battles was one of their first.
06:03In 1990, the duo met in Adventures of Superman number 464.
06:08After being knocked about by Lobo and being weakened by Kryptonite, Clark slipped inside
06:12Kryptonian battle armor.
06:13So Lobo used rockets from his space hog to seemingly obliterate the Kryptonian.
06:18However, Supes used a projector to fake his demise, allowing these two behemoths to fight
06:23more over the decades.
06:24You were right.
06:31This was the fun way.
06:36Number 13 Ultra Humanite
06:48In 1939, a bald, maniacal white man who dreamed of world domination became a thorn in the side
06:53of Superman.
06:54Nope, it's not Lex Luthor.
06:56Before he came along and took over the spotlight, we had the mad scientist and wheelchair user
07:01the Ultra Humanite.
07:02With Superman a lot more reckless in those days, Ultra seemingly perished several times
07:07when the duo fought.
07:08However, he showcased the knowledge to transfer his brain and later his consciousness into another
07:13body.
07:14By 1940, Ultra was replaced by Luthor as Supes' nemesis.
07:18Decades later, Ultra would appear in his most famous form, a large head of bino gorilla from
07:23Gorilla City, which gave him super strength, telekinesis, and other superpowers, making him more
07:28of a problem for Superman.
07:35Number 12 Ultraman
07:51While there have been various iterations of Superman who have sided with evil in DC, none
07:56have left as much of an impression as Ultraman.
07:58First debuting in the comics in 1964, the Clark Kent variant from Earth-3 is a leading figure
08:04of the crime syndicate, which is an evil Justice League that essentially controls their planet
08:08for dastardly deeds.
08:09One of his biggest differences from Superman is that, rather than go weak and perish from
08:13green kryptonite, Ultraman's powers increases when he consumes the glowing rock, leading to
08:18him abusing it.
08:19As ruthless as Superman is a boy scout, Ultraman is an iconic force to be reckoned with.
08:30You think you can come to my place of business and call me out?
08:35Number 11 Mongul
08:38Now Kryptonian, it's just you and me.
08:49Whether it's Mongul1 aka MongulMDCCXEI or his son Mongul2 aka MongulMDCCXEII, the leader
08:57tyrant of War World has a real problem with Superman.
09:00Making his debut in the comics in 1980, in his early appearances he was equal if not more
09:05powerful than Clark.
09:06It's not just Mongul's strength that Superman needs to watch out for.
09:10Instead, it's the tyrant scientific genius that led to him creating the Black Mercy.
09:15This parasitic plant latches onto a person and makes them think they're living in a paradise
09:19reality while completely immobilized in the real world.
09:22When Superman was under its influence, he imagined a happy, merry life on Krypton.
09:27So when he escaped, you can imagine how furious Supes was with Mongul.
09:3110 – Cyborg Superman
09:32We may see it differently, but in the eyes of the law, Lex Luthor is not a criminal.
09:47The rule of law is a rule you never break, and real justice is everyone's right.
09:53Have you ever wondered what Superman would look like if he were a Terminator?
09:56Well then, do we have the terrifying villain for you.
09:59Debuting in the comics in 1990, Hank Henshaw's human form was destroyed, leading to him for
10:04some reason blaming Superman despite the hero's attempts to help.
10:08He was able to upload his consciousness into technology, allowing him to create a shiny
10:12cyborg body.
10:13After Clark kicked the bucket, Henshaw returned as Cyborg Superman, fooling the world that
10:18he was Clark reincarnated when he really wanted to destroy his legacy.
10:22After all, he aided Mongul in destroying Coast City.
10:25Henshaw can constantly upgrade his body, making him an ever-increasing problem for Superman
10:29whenever the duel clash.
10:30You won't kill me, and I won't stop until I kill you.
10:44Number 9 – Mr. Mick Spitalik
10:46Kara, sweeties, like I said, I'm your one true love, your soulmate, your one true
10:50parent, as the kids say.
10:51My name is Missy Spitalik, and I love you, Kara, so I am.
10:54Thankfully, whenever Ms. Spitalik appears, it's typically to create shenanigans for Superman.
10:58If he decided to go full evil, the DC Universe would never be the same again.
11:03Ms. Spitalik has shown signs of this, such as tormenting Phantom Zone prisoners who tried
11:07to steal his powers.
11:08Debuting in the comics in 1944, the fifth dimensional imp thinks of himself as Superman's
11:14friend.
11:15Armed with the power to warp reality and being a connoisseur of mischief, when he appears,
11:18Superman is always going to have a bad day.
11:21With all that power, how can Superman defeat Ms. Spitalik's We Hear You Think?
11:25Well, by tricking the impetus saying his name backwards, which will banish him to his dimension
11:30and reverse the reality tinkering he'd done.
11:32And now I'm gone.
11:34Gone forever!
11:36Gone forever!
11:37Gone.
11:38Gone forever!
11:39Gone.
11:40Rhyme and her.
11:41Gone.
11:42Gone.
11:43Gone.
11:44The End
11:45Gone.
11:46cap death.
11:47strange.
11:48Fair.
11:49Real life parasites are very gross.
11:51Using the living being for sustenance, weakening the hosts while strengthening themselves?
11:55Yikes!
11:56So imagine a super-villain just like that but more horrifying.
11:59And you have DC's Parasite.
12:01Continuing in the comics in 1966, several characters have had the Parasite moniker.
12:06This baddie absorbs power sources, often energy from other people with physical contact.
12:11Rudy Jones could even take on the abilities of those whom he fed on, including Superman.
12:16This understandably causes a lot of issues for Clark, since Parasite gets stronger as
12:20his strength drops.
12:21At one point, Jones helped the Man of Steel who was overloaded with solar energy by absorbing
12:26his heat vision.
12:27However, that power turned him into a more menacing looking Parasite.
12:47Number 7 – Matalo
12:48As everyone knows, Green Kryptonite is not great for Superman.
13:02He's super allergic to it.
13:04So when a villain comes along who's powered by the glowing stone, Clark has a big problem
13:08on his Kryptonian hands.
13:10Debuting in the comics in 1959, several characters have been Matalo, a cyborg powered by Kryptonite.
13:16Due to not needing to rest, possessing a metal body, being resistant to physical and energy
13:21attacks and several superhuman abilities, he can battle Superman toe to toe, weakening
13:26him further by showcasing his green heart.
13:28If it wasn't for Steel in Action Comics number 4 in 2011, Matalo would have obliterated Superman
13:34with a green Kryptonite blast.
13:36From me, to you.
13:41Number 6 – Bizarro
13:45Imagine walking down the street and bumping into a mirror version of yourself.
13:52They have all the abilities you have but maybe a little skewed and look like a zombie or
14:05cubic version of you.
14:07Sounds terrifying, right?
14:08Well, that's what Superman has to mentally endure every time Bizarro turns up.
14:12Since debuting in the comics in 1958, the duo has battled it typically due to a misunderstanding
14:18or manipulation from another character.
14:20Bizarro was created with a duplicating Rey and later he was an imperfect clone of Superman.
14:25He has perished several times, only for science to bring Bizarro back.
14:29While typically speaking with broken English and having the mind of a child, Bizarro is just
14:33as formidable as Superman.
14:57If you wondered what Superman would be like if he were a power-hungry dictator and didn't
15:01to dabble with injustice, then Drew Zod is the best answer.
15:05Debuting in the comics in 1961, he was a leading figure on Krypton who attempted to take the
15:10planet over as it approaches destruction.
15:12However, Zod's plan was foiled and he was sent to the Phantom Zone, which protected him
15:17from Krypton's annihilation.
15:19With a cult of personality and all the abilities of Superman with Earth's yellow sun, Zod is
15:23a megalomaniac desperate to turn Clark's adopted home into Krypton 2.0 for him to rule over.
15:29With his catchphrase of Neil before Zod, this has brought him into bruising conflict with
15:33Clark very often.
15:35If you love these people so much, you can mourn for them.
15:454.
15:46Doomsday
15:47Not many supervillains can take the life of the Man of Steel, but not everyone is like Doomsday.
15:525.
15:53Arribing in the comics in 1992, the genetically engineered primordial Kryptonian monster is
16:08more than a match for suits.
16:10Like the Hulk but with spiky bone-like protrusions, Doomsday evolves, making him more difficult
16:15to defeat and giving him new powers.
16:17In 1993's Superman No. 75, Doomsday and Clark went on a brutal battle throughout Metropolis.
16:23Technically, the fight ended in a draw as both seemingly perished from the fight.
16:27We say seemingly as Clark was technically put into a Kryptonian healing coma.
16:30In 2014, Doomsday evolved further, setting things ablaze in his vicinity, which wiped out
16:36one million animals in nearly Superman 2.
16:523.
16:53Darkseid
16:54Is there a bigger bad in comics that causes readers heartbeats to increase with the slightest
16:59mention of his name more so than Darkseid?
17:01Probably not.
17:025.
17:03I gave my word I would not come for the girl.
17:066.
17:07Your death, however, is long overdue, Superman.
17:106.
17:11Debuting in the comics in 1970, the ruler of Apocalypse, a new god, and the anti-life equation
17:24enthusiast is a force to be reckoned with.
17:27Armed with a planet's worth of minions and parademons, not only are they a problem, but
17:31so is Darkseid himself.
17:33More than a match, if not far stronger than the Man of Steel, Darkseid is the proud possessor
17:38of Omega demons.
17:39A versatile ability that uses cosmic energy to destroy, teleport, and more.
17:44Due to Darkseid wanting to rule the Earth, he and Superman have constantly clashed, which
17:48is always a sight to behold.
18:032.
18:04Brainiac
18:13Since Superman's beginnings, Brainiac has been there.
18:16He went to Krypton and shrink Kandor, turning it into a bottle city for his collection.
18:21Making his comics debut in 1958, due to DC rebooting its universe, Brainiac's origins
18:26have changed.
18:27Currently, he was previously known as Real Docs, a scientist who merged his consciousness
18:31into an AI.
18:33With a genius intellect allowing him to create many incredible weapons, he also has cybernetic
18:37enhancements, giving him several powers such as energy projections and mind control.
18:42With his passion for collecting cities, Brainiac can also make new bodies, meaning he can
18:46battle Superman with little regard for his health.
18:49However, rather than relying on overwhelming powers, he uses his smarts, making him more
18:54than a match for Superman.
18:55All of your efforts have been futile.
19:01Even if she catches the missile, I'll fire another.
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19:201.
19:21Nuclear Man
19:25The powerhouse of the Superman legend from the best comic film ever.
19:29No, not at all.
19:311.
19:32Lex Luthor
19:35Was there ever going to be anyone else in the top slot?
19:48After all, these characters have been intertwined since Lex debuted in the comics in 1940.
19:53Without the scheming corporate genius billionaire as his arch nemesis, would Superman have lasted
19:57as long as he has?
19:58Maybe not.
19:592.
20:00Lex Luthor
20:01With incredible resources and a strong xenophobic desire, Lex has made it his mission to prove
20:14to everyone that Superman is a massive fraud and a threat to humans.
20:17It's not always a fight Superman can battle with his hands, although he has to do that
20:22too when Lex dons his power suit, but it usually requires a battle of minds between the two.
20:27No other villain has challenged Superman as much as Luthor.
20:38Does Superman have the best rogues gallery in comics or is it another superhero?
20:42Let us know in the comments down below and don't forget to like and subscribe for more
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