While a movie villain might be judged primarily on the power of his actions, or the lunacy of his motivations, arguably the most important thing in the framing of such characters is the final farewell. As important as making a big first impression - consider Heath Ledger's Joker heist, or Hannibal Lecter's brilliantly muted reveal - the final scene acts as the pay-off to the long, usually tense build-up of the villain's story arc. And God help any film-maker who manages to fudge the full-stop, as Hell hath no fury like a fandom scorned, and despite aspirations of complexity and desires for uniqueness, nothing is quite as satisfying for an audience as a bad guy getting their come-uppance. But just as crucial as the hero landing the killer blow, and Justice prevailing (or not) is the villain's part in his final moments: there's no place in the annals of the greatest dying scenes for disposable silliness, or cheap tricks, and it takes a strong performance, and just the right words to bring a character, and an entire collection of evil ideas to a satisfying end. And though there are infinite examples of greatness, one thing that is abundantly clear from the very best is that there is no one quick way to sell a villain's death...
22. Gunnery Sergeant Hartman - Full Metal Jacket
The Line: "What is your major malfunction, numbnuts?!? Didn't mommy and daddy show you enough attention when you were a child?!?" How He Dies: He gets precisely what has been coming to him. In the grand history of villainous caricatures, Hartman ranks highly for his near cartoonish malevolence and wonderfully inventive use of expletives and insults, which ultimately backfire rather spectacularly when the most tragic and susceptible of his victims, Pvt. Leonard 'Gomer Pyle' Lawrence, puts a bullet in him and then himself. The lesson? Never push someone you're training to be a weapon to their limit.
