1. The Villain
This is the big one. Before Into Darkness, Montalban's Khan sat atop the pile of Star Trek villains without much of a challenge from any direction - there have been other, notable villains and villainous species, but none could challenge Khan in terms of enduring appeal and downright menace. That was until Benedict Cumberbatch arrived and made Star Trek Into Darkness his own. He is a bristling, cold villain with classical impact and the kind of presence that makes the very best villains so irresistible. And most importantly of all, his snarling outward appearance is matched by a hugely powerful physical threat, that breaks out with stunning effect through the cool, seemingly detached surface. Harrison is perversely likable, thanks to his professed agenda, and the very personal note to his quest for vengeance, and he definitely skirts the line between anti-hero and villain, just as Hannibal Lecter and Darth Vader did before him. And that is his most enduring and endearing quality, just as it was with Khan before him. Montalban's Khan was exceptional, but he was never quite the caged animal, nor the one-man threat that Harrison is, and his plan didn't quite match Harrison's for scope and boldness. Star Trek Into Darkness is released next week.