10 Best Horror Movie Villains With Absolutely No Motive

2. Pazuzu - The Exorcist (1973)

The Strangers
Warner Bros. Pictures

If there’s one breed of horror villain that doesn’t need a reason to be evil, it’s demons. They’re the literal personifications of evil. Being evil is their entire purpose, and it’s what they do best. From the Red-Faced creature in Insidious to Valak of The Conjuring 2 and The Nun fame, there are dozens of devilish demons who could qualify for this list. However, the one who tops them all is Pazuzu from The Exorcist.

Derived from Mesopotamian mythology, Pazuzu is the demon king of the southwest winds responsible for causing famine and spreading locusts. He’s certainly a nasty piece of work, however none of that compares to the torment he inflicts on young Regan (Linda Blair) and those around her in the two-time Oscar-winning film.

When the youngster is possessed by the demon after using a Ouija Board, the entity gradually begins to take over her body, turning her into a deformed, self-mutilating and foul-mouthed shell of her former self.

And while seeing the youngster rotate her head 360 degrees and stab herself with a crucifix is distressing enough, Pazuzu also delights in psychologically tormenting anyone else in their vicinity.

Contributor
Contributor

Glasgow-based cinephile who earned a Masters degree in film studies to spend their time writing about cinema, video games, and horror.