Gotham: 10 Most Terrifying Villains So Far

Holy horrifying characters, Batman!

By Laura Hurley /

After 22 episodes following the highs and lows of idealistic detective Jim Gordon’s attempt to enact law and order from within a corrupt justice system, Fox’s Batman-inspired Gotham finished its first season with a bang. The highest-rated of the three primetime series based on DC Comics source material to premiere in Fall 2014, Gotham relied on a big franchise and some familiar heroes to keep audiences engaged. The plot may not exactly jive with Christopher Nolan’s trilogy of Dark Knight films, but it’s still the Batman universe. Who doesn’t love Batman?

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Despite the appearances of Jim Gordon and Alfred Pennyworth and a prepubescent Bruce Wayne among the cast of good guys, the most entertaining pool of characters was undoubtedly that occupied by the bad guys.

The gallery of villains ranged from the laughably ridiculous to the morbidly memorable. A few of the ne’er-do-wells managed to be a little bit of both. There were even appearances of some future rogues who had yet to embrace the dark side, as with young catlike Selina Kyle and her friend Ivy with a mop of ginger hair and fondness for plants. Even a one-faced Harvey Dent made a few appearances. Still, some of the bad guys were far more frightening than others. So, here is a look at the 10 most terrifying villains of Gotham so far.

Spoiler alert: Balloonman didn’t make the cut.

10. Richard Sionis

Who He Is: Richard Sionis was a successful businessman, owning a competitive financial firm in Gotham so prestigious that prospective workers would do just about anything to secure a job. A creative man of means and with bizarre interest in historical masks, Sionis develops a rather unique system of managing his employees. Instead of arranging for corporate retreats and icebreakers…well, Sionis forces them to participate in an underground fighting ring to keep their jobs.

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What He Did: After the death of one of the participants in his fight club draws the attention of Detective Gordon, Sionis abducts Gordon and forces him into his corporate arena to fight for his life. After Gordon easily defeats a handful of goons, Sionis dons a black mask and enters the fray himself.

Current Status: Jail. Sionis is put under arrest after Gordon bests him in battle and the SCPD comes to the rescue. 

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