The Walking Dead has been pretty hit or miss over the years. However, the one thing that has remained consistently good throughout The Walking Dead's long run is the villains.
Robert Kirkman is a master at coming up with despicable villians who are also very cool and easy to root for. While the villains in The Walking Dead tend to be incredibly evil, Kirkman and the team of writers find a way to make them likable, no matter how evil they become.
Which Walking Dead villains are the coolest? Which ones had us rooting for them to defeat Rick and the rest of the crew?
6. Merle Dixon
Merle is nothing but a badass. He's a simple man who's willing to do what needs to be done to survive (even cutting off his own hand). As is the case with many characters of this sort, he ends up being going against the group. While his time as a proper villain isn't long, he manages to create a compelling ark that ends in an incredibly satisfying way.
5. Shane
Shane Walsh, played by Jon Bernthal, goes through quite the character progression over the course of his short time on the show. He starts as Rick's best friend and ends up being his worst enemy. The one thing that remains consistent about his character is the fact that he's a badass who gets things done. Sure, his methods might be questionable, but the shades of gray in his character make him truly interesting.
4. Simon
Steven Ogg, who you may know from his role as psychopath Trevor in Grand Theft Auto V, does a masterful job of playing Negan's right-hand man. Some of his lines are tremendously entertaining. It's his wisecracks and quips that make him stand out because he's absolutely despicable otherwise. He's let the power go to his head in the best way possible.
3. Gareth
Gareth's time on The Walking Dead isn't long, but while he's on the show, he's overwhelmingly creepy. As the leader of a cannibal group at Terminis, he comes across so evil and unlikable that he actually ends up being cool. Even before he introduces himself as a friendly individual, you can tell something is off from minute one. And once he reveals himself as a villain, he truly becomes something to behold.
2. Negan
Negan has been one of the longest-running villains on The Walking Dead, and he's basically a living breathing badass line machine. From the very first moment he's introduced to Walking Dead viewers to his current position on the show, Negan never lets up. His body count is no joke, having removed some of the most beloved characters from existence.
1. The Governor
The Governor is not only my favorite villain from The Walking Dead, but he's my favorite character in the show, good or bad. There's just something about the way Philip Blake carries himself. The ark his character goes through as he battles it out with Rick, Glenn, and the rest is both interesting and surprising. David Morrissey truly finds a way to bring one of the most despicable villains to life in a way that makes him easy to root for.
Go, Bad Guys!
The Walking Dead is not nearly the show it once was, but the one thing the show has been able to consistently do is to create compelling villains. From the early days to the newer episodes, the evil characters in The Walking Dead have been some of the most entertaining and enjoyable.
Also, I was tempted to include The Whisperers on the list, but because their story as villains is still very much developing, it's hard to know where they will end up. Additionally, there isn't one particular villain from the group that stands out above the rest.