10 Best Resident Evil Villains

If there's one thing that Resident Evil has been committed to since it first launched on the original PlayStation back in 1996, it was cultivating a roster of insidious villains for the heroes to contend with. Great villains have been a staple of the franchise since day one, and that methodology has continued to this day.

Due to Resident Evil's madcap world of bioterrorism and science gone wrong, the variety of villains the franchise has introduced is also stellar. Ranging from savage monsters to scheming masterminds, the villains of Resident Evil come from all walks of life and circumstances.

That variety is exactly what has kept Resident Evil relevant for over thirty years. This is a franchise that's not ashamed to reinvent itself, and the antagonists of Resident Evil often go along for the ride. Some of these villains are timeless enemies that never die, but all of them have made for some pretty great threats to the heroes of Resident Evil.

10 Ada Wong

God Forbid Women Have Hobbies

Though Ada Wong has sometimes done things that might very slightly edge her towards the side of good, her actions throughout the course of the entire franchise range from bad to downright atrocious. Driven by her own ambitions, with absolutely no loyalty to anyone, Ada is a dominant force in the Resident Evil villain catalog.

So many of the viruses and pathogens that have mutated the world of Resident Evil passed through her hands before reaching their buyers. She was instrumental in getting the G-Virus to Wesker and also handed Las Plagas to him. So much of the danger that Wesker unleashed can be tied back to her.

That being said, Ada is still an absolutely brilliant wild card in the Resident Evil universe that never ceases to entertain. This stylish superspy is a Capcom icon through and through.

9 William Birkin

You'll Never Get the G-Virus!

No matter which version of Resident Evil 2's William Birkin you're talking about, be it the 1998 original or the 2019 remake, Birkin is one of the franchise's most formidable foes. Though he starts as a scientist with good intentions, Birkin's obsession becomes his undoing.

The G-Virus was so incredibly deadly that it unleashed exactly what was lurking in Birkin all along. He was a miserable father who didn't care about his daughter, Sherry, and his experiments with Wesker were heinous.

Birkin's role in the larger world of Resident Evil also can't be understated. He played a major role in the outbreak becoming more global, as well as the ultimate destruction of Raccoon City.

8 Nemesis

STAAAARS

Growing up as a Jill Valentine superfan has been rather difficult. Though she's one of the franchise's best heroines, Capcom hasn't quite gotten the memo on that. What makes Jill so cool is that while everybody hates Wesker, Jill is one of the few Resident Evil characters to have her own self-appointed arch rival that is uniquely linked to her.

Designed to eradicate Jill and any surviving STARS members, Nemesis was first introduced in Resident Evil 3 and, despite his limited appearances, has become one of the most recognizable villains in the entire franchise. He doesn't say much, but this ruthless destroyer is an absolute delight.

Nemesis is the kind of raw, unfiltered rage that can make for an utterly terrifying villain. He wasn't born out of tragedy or trauma, but was simply designed to hunt and kill. That sort of unprovoked violence is horrifying, but it makes for one of Resident Evil's most memorable villains.

7 The Baker Family

Not a Family I Want to Be a Part Of

I personally have quite a bit of love for Resident Evil 6 and its attempt to expand the outbreak into a global, worldwide event. That being said, I believe there are also valid criticisms of it, and Capcom's decision to give Resident Evil a break in order to find a new voice for it was warranted.

Going back to the harsh, inhuman horror roots of Resident Evil was exactly what the doctor ordered. Anchoring this return to form in Resident Evil 7: Biohazard was the nightmarish Baker family, led by their sinister patriarch Jack. I don't think I've ever felt the same level of revulsion mixed with fascination for video game villains in my life.

Surviving their farmhouse of horrors, witnessing exactly what it was that led them to become the monsters we see, was one of the best parts of RE7. This twisted brood will be some of the most memorable RE villains for quite a long time.

6 Bitores Mendez

Unpleasant to Our Eyes

Leon Kennedy's journey through rural Spain in Resident Evil 4 is loaded with some pretty awesome villains, many of whom are a part of the Los Illuminados. Battling against this cult, Leon comes into contact with a senior member known as Bitores Mendez.

In his first appearance, Mendez chokes Leon out, throws him away, and tells him to stay in line. It's quite an impressive debut, and Mendez continues to torment Leon at every given opportunity. Of all the Los Illuminados members, Mendez is easily the most intimidating.

The boss fight against him in a burning slaughterhouse is also excellent. It features multiple stages, and the way he changes tactics depending on which level you're on is fantastic.

5 Lady Dimitrescu

The Lady of the House

Capcom became rather infatuated with the idea of immersive stalker enemies following the success of Mr. X in the remake of Resident Evil 2. It was a masterful bit of game design, and they would use that tech to power one of Resident Evil's most memorable recent villains with Lady Dimitrescu.

Serving as the lead villain of Resident Evil Village, Lady Dimitrescu is one of the most delightfully sinful and enjoyable villains in franchise history. Thanks in large part to the vocal performance by the spectacular Maggie Robertson, Lady Dimitrescu has solidified her place among RE villains.

Much like Mr. X before her, the fear and dread that she can create even when she's not on-screen is really special game design. The way Capcom uses sound and implies her presence is just wonderful. You've already grown fearful of her, so just the mere thought that she might be close is frightening.

4 Jack Krauser

Bringing a Knife to a Knife Fight

Over the course of nine mainline games, Resident Evil has introduced quite a wide variety of different villains. Resident Evil 4 might hold the record for the number of great villains in a single game, however.

One of them is Jack Krauser, Leon's old partner after the events of Resident Evil 2. Though Leon would continue his heroic pursuits in the face of horrific evil and the destruction of Raccoon City, Jack took a much darker path.

Ultimately, Jack believes everything he's doing is for the good of his country. Even if that means kidnapping a young girl and injecting himself with the Las Plagas virus. The two boss fights against him are some of the best in the franchise, as well.

3 Osmund Saddler

A Senior Moment Perhaps

Every fanatical cult needs a good leader, and the Los Illuminados certainly has one in Osmund Saddler. This charismatic figurehead leads the group against Leon in his quest to stop the spread of Las Plagas in Resident Evil 4, and does so with a lot of well-earned confidence.

Truly, it's the amusing back and forth between Saddler and Leon that makes him such a brilliant antagonist. The radio conversations between Leon and Saddler are fantastic, and it's that sense of sinister playfulness that makes him so enjoyable.

Saddler also has one of the best final boss fights in franchise history. The way you have to use the whole environment is superb, and his final transformation into a monster is brilliantly disgusting.

2 Oswell E. Spencer

The Architect of Evil

It's fair to say the entire Resident Evil franchise would not exist without the disturbing actions of one Oswell E. Spencer. One of the key founders of the Umbrella Corporation, alongside James Marcus and Edward Ashford, who would both go on to play vital roles in the franchise, Oswell is the eponymous evil inside the residence.

Everything exists and happens because of him. The betrayal and murder of nearly everyone in his inner circle only adds to his nefarious villainy, as this ghoulish man was willing to do literally anything in order to consolidate more power into Umbrella.

His turn in Resident Evil 5 is an exceptional highlight. It felt like the culmination of a lifetime of storytelling, and following it to this epic conclusion was quite a special thing back in the day.

1 Albert Wesker

It's the Shades

As if there was ever any doubt, there's absolutely no villain in Resident Evil with as much flair and signature charm as Albert Wesker. For as much of a Resident Evil mainstay as he is, it's safe to say that Albert Wesker is one of Capcom's greatest creations.

His debut in the original Resident Evil as a duplicitous double agent was just the start of one of the greatest runs for a video game villain of all time. He would continue to lurk in the shadows, pulling the strings and making each physical appearance even more meaningful. Finally getting to fight him properly in Resident Evil 5 was a cathartic experience.

His smooth, calm demeanor is often rather unsettling. It's quite frightening to see him commit so many horrible crimes with seemingly no concern about what will happen, all of it in service to what he wants. His complete disregard for human life is exactly what makes him such a detestable villain, yet so compelling at the same time.