9. The Evil Queen/Regina - Once Upon A Time
Once Upon A Time has created its own unique brand of fairy tale magic, re-inventing the likes of Snow White, Prince Charming and many more to come. Characters that may have had a limited back story are now a soap opera in their own right, with complex tales of treachery and lies. Though it sometimes errs on the off-kilter side of common sense, Once has built a fantastic villain in the form of Regina, the Evil Queen, as played by Lana Parilla. Though the archetype of the Evil Queen is not anything new, the Once writers have instead portrayed a villain that has a very unique sense of drive, which Parilla has been playing expertly for the past three seasons. She's a mother, a very real and personal thing that gives her a stronger feeling of fidelity. Regina has been going on a very interesting arc for the past three seasons, from villain to powerful practitioner of light magic. There's something fascinating about seeing a villain that has lost their empire to see how far you can push them, and it's clear that Regina isn't finished yet.