20 Video Game Villains You Couldn’t Wait To Kill

10. Black Hand of Sauron - Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (2014)

Monolith wrenched the Lord of the Rings game universe away from the films and known events, and carved out its own corner of Middle-Earth with Shadow of Mordor. The game combines the spirits of Gondorian Ranger Talion and legendary Elf Lord Celebrimbor (who, y’know, forged the rings of power), and sets them on a path to hit Sauron where it hurts and avenge the deaths of their loved ones.

With its Nemesis combat system, the game allows us to experience Middle-Earth in a whole new way, with enemies who remember us, and smaller rivalries and story elements that build from each encounter – and the combat itself is fluid, fun and inspired by Batman: Arkham City. Yet, while this throws us many characters we can’t wait to find and beat again, the real targets who get our bow fingers twitching are Sauron and his Black Númenórean captains: the Hammer, the Tower and the Hand.

The Hand in particular is a thorn from our side from the get, and the one primarily responsible for slaying and sacrificing Talion’s family in front of him. Each time we think we’ve found him, it’s one of his acolytes in his place, who we strike down and then begin the grind to find and slay the Hand all over again. But when we do finally get to take him down, he is possessed by Sauron himself, awarding us with a deeply satisfying twofer that the sequel never quite lives up to.