10 DC Villains Improved by the Arrowverse, Ranked

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The Arrowverse adapts dozens and dozens of notable bad guys from DC Comics, including heavyweights like Lex Luthor. But providing a unique take on Superman’s greatest enemy is a challenge, as he already has several successful live-action iterations. Fortunately, not every evildoer is in that same boat. Here’s a ranking of 10 DC villains improved by the Arrowverse.

10) Nyssa al Ghul

Any time that Ra’s al Ghul appears in a DC Comics story, his daughter, Talia, probably isn’t far behind. Well, Arrow decides to give Ra’s’ forgotten daughter, Nyssa, a chance in the spotlight, making her a major part of its League of Assassins storyline. Rather than playing second fiddle to someone else, the Arrowverse’s Nyssa gets to kick plenty of butt and find love with Sara Lance.

9) Malcolm Merlyn

Merlyn is the Green Arrow’s archenemy in the comics, but he isn’t all that interesting, serving as a mercenary who sometimes aims his bow at major DC figures like Batman. The Arrowverse kicks things up a notch by giving Malcolm Merlyn a tragic backstory that pushes him into a life of crime. After learning the error of his ways, he becomes an anti-hero who does anything he can to protect his daughter, Thea Queen.

8) Bloodwork

Ramsey Rosso, aka Bloodwork, hasn’t been around in DC Comics very long, which gives the Arrowverse an advantage. When he shows up on The Flash, all he wants to do is cure a disease that’s threatening the life of his mother and himself. Team Flash isn’t quick enough to help, so he seeks revenge once he gains superhuman abilities. Bloodwork becomes so powerful that he threatens to take over the entire multiverse, which is more than his comic book counterpart has ever done.

7) Damien Darhk

DC Comics’ Damien Darhk is a major member of the H.I.V.E. organization, just like the version of him in the Arrowverse, but that’s where the similarities stop. After flaming out on Arrow, Darhk takes his magical abilities and begins messing with the Legends of Tomorrow. Removing the villain from an overly serious environment allows him to embrace his goofy side, which is his best one.

6) Captain Cold

When the evil speedsters aren’t around, Captain Cold is the one ruining The Flash’s days. His cold gun can neutralize the Scarlet Speedster’s powers and even cause serious damage to his body. The Flash‘s titular hero learns all about that in Season 1, but Captain Cold doesn’t stay on the dark side forever. Joining the Legends helps Leonard Snart learn about the power of friendship, which leads to a memorable team-up with The Flash.

5) Zoom

Hunter Zolomon is best known as the second man to take on the Reverse-Flash mantle in DC Comics. However, the Arrowverse gives him his own identity as Zoom, the psychotic speedster who kills countless people on Earth-2 before traveling to Earth-1. Making Zoom an avatar for darkness makes him stand out from the version of the character that appears in the comic.

4) Promethus

Peacemaker‘s version of Adrian Chase is taking the world by storm, but he’s not even the best version of the character. As Prometheus in the Arrowverse, Adrian pushes Oliver Queen to his limits, even going as far as to blow up the island the hero trained on for years. The comic version of Vigilante can’t hold a candle to Arrow’s menacing version.

3) Tobias Whale

Black Lightning doesn’t get the love he deserves on the page or the screen. One of the best parts of his solo show is the rivalry with Tobias Whale, a crime boss who wants nothing more than to gain more power. While Whale has his moments in the comics, they are nothing compared to what he gets done during his time in the Arrowverse.

2) Reverse-Flash

Eobard Thawne is The Flash’s greatest villain in all forms of media, but that doesn’t disqualify him from appearing on this list. The Flash‘s version of the villain is menacing, sadistic, and downright evil, taunting Barry Allen at every turn because he hates him that much. While some of Thawne’s appearances in later seasons leave a lot to be desired, there’s no doubt that the character is at his best in the Arrowverse.

1) Deathstroke

Deathstroke isn’t on the level of the Joker or Luthor. Being primarily a Teen Titans villain will do that to a bad guy. However, the Arrowverse provides emotional depth to Slade Wilson that’s missing from the comics. He goes after Oliver Queen because he blames him for the death of his beloved, Shado, kicking off an epic rivalry. The Arrowverse cooks up something with Slade that neither the movies nor the comics have been able to replicate.

The Arrowverse shows are streaming on Netflix.

Do you think the Arrowverse improved the villains on this list? Who else fits the description? Let us know in the comments below!

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