Despite the 1980s being buried so deeply in the past, the glorious movies that came out of this decade still manage to retain their impact. Everyone has their list of favorite '80s classics, whether we enjoy them for their retro quality or their unmatched tendency to make us cringe audibly. Today, let's leave that satisfying cringe worthiness aside so we can focus on the strongest villains from a variety of '80s movies, analyzing their power levels and ranking them accordingly. Not all '80s movie villains are made equally; some seek dominion by tormenting the kids in their neighborhood, others are born to be nigh omnipotent rulers of alternate universes we can hardly imagine. Any villain can seem like a legitimate threat if set in the right story, but it's interesting to see how these baddies stack up against one another.
What resources would the Terminator use in a battle against Darth Vader? Is it even possible for a Predator to pose a threat to The Thing without the help of a miracle? Also, where exactly does little Chucky play into all of this, not to mention those gremlins? Let's go for a wicked ride down memory lane, and don't worry: trapped within the binding pixels of this list, these villains will never harm us. Though, of course, there's nothing stopping them from duking it out among themselves to climb up the ranking ladder. Here's our list of the strongest movie villains from the cheesiest -- and tastiest -- decade, officially ranked in power.
25 BIFF TANNEN
Raising the stakes a bit is Biff Tannen, the tenacious antagonist from Back to the Future. The archetypal '80s bully, this guy is not to be underestimated. Biff's power level raises considerably when something gets in the way of his bullying spree (like when he crashes into a manure truck), making him way too much for the average person to handle.
Thankfully, Marty McFly is no average person. As strong as the following villains are, we suspect that even they wouldn't appreciate a hero sandwich being rubbed into their faces.
24 JOHNNY LAWRENCE
In The Karate Kid, Johnny Lawrence was set up as quite the obstacle for young Daniel-san. Being a skilled practitioner of the Cobra Kai fighting style, Johnny made quick work of Daniel at the beginning of the movie, which was the prelude to our hero's epic journey of self-improvement.
There's no denying that this villain can produce some mean kicks, which is why we're including him in this list. However, the sheer, overwhelming power of the villains to follow is why he fits snugly in second to last place.
23 MAMA FRATELLI
As strong as young Johnny thinks he is, it would be wise for him not to seek a quarrel with Mama Fratelli from The Goonies. Decent proficiency in martial arts doesn't count for much when faced with the meanest mug of the '80s.
All Mama needs to do is send her most lifeless stare in Johnny's direction, and if the kid is smart, he'll go back to sparring with his Cobra Kai underlings. As intimidating as Mama looks, she can also back her bark up with some bite.
22 LORD HUMUNGUS
Whether Lord Humungus is inside his hellish vehicle or not, facing him in battle is no fun prospect (though it would definitely be easier for the opposition if his beloved truck is nowhere near the fight). His intimidation factor alone is high to start.
Only a steadfast warrior would even enter the ring with him, and we're not sure how long their resolve would last once they see what Humungus can do with a spear. This villain wreaked havoc in Max 2: The Road Warrior, and the demonstration of power in his performance earns him a place here.
21 CHUCKY
Despite Chuckie being a wee doll, he's proven time and time again that his strength goes vastly beyond his size, even transcending that of a full grown adult. What's scarier than that, though, is the fact that Chucky has been cheating the reaper for decades now.
He somehow always manages to come back despite what was done to him in previous movies. If we ever happen to notice this little guy latching onto our leg, the ensuing paralysis wouldn't even allow us time to wave a white flag.
20 GREMLINS
Oh, no! Just look at that horrifying little gremlin over there. It's pretty off-putting on its own, but imagine being swarmed by a troupe of these creatures. When set in a world where gremlins run about, the key to survival is a sense of courage, since they don't usually mess with humans who aren't afraid of them.
Really, that's a would-be survivor's best and only bet, since gremlins are known to suddenly flip into a super playful, mega lethal mood once they smell some tasty fear.
19 ROY BATTY
In Blade Runner, rebel Replicants are considered top level threats to global security. Being head of the renegade Nexus-6 Replicant group, it's safe to assume that Roy Batty can rank among the strongest Replicants. Bio-engineered to rise far above human limitations, Roy is far from being a pushover.
In fact, in an epic battle between him and another '80s villain, the opposition's best bet might be to appeal to the Replicant's sense of mercy, and hope that he happens to be in a good mood that day.
18 KHAN
KHAAAAN! Emerging from the frame of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is Khan Noonien Singh, a superhuman being who wants nothing but to see everything in his path destroyed. He possesses overwhelming physical speed. strength and stamina, and his smarts are no joke, either!
Khan is a master strategist, with tons of experience in combat. If his abilities seem inordinate for a regular bloke, that's because he's anything but! As it turns out, Khan is an Augment, genetically engineered on Earth to be the perfect human being.
17 EDDIE QUIST
Eddie Quist from The Howling would provide a serious challenge even to the '80s villains that rank above him if they aren't equipped to take the werewolf out with a silver bullet. He's a real creeper in his human form, but his opposition should welcome that, rather than face the superhuman speed and strength that comes with his transformation.
If anyone can survive a barrage of bullets from highly trained police officers -- not to mention being severely burned -- we'll gladly pass up on the opportunity to spar with them, thanks very much.
16 PREDATOR
The Yautja were made to hunt, and they're among the best predators in the fictional multiverse. With its huge arsenal that comprises advanced projectiles as well as melee weapons, a Predator has a way of dealing with every opponent it can potentially encounter.
Of course, they don't tend to see the opposition as worthy combatants, preferring to view them as prey. While these hunters would likely become the hunted if faced with some of the following villains, seeing one of them is always a good indication to sprint away, though they'd probably enjoy that.
15 BOBA FETT
When fugitives across the galaxy see the head of the Slave 1 spacecraft tipping over the horizon, they invariably run for their lives, despite them knowing that escape is next to impossible. Bounty hunter Boba Fett is a true professional in his field, using an array of the Slave 1's projectiles (including seismic charges and laser cannons) to capture his bounty.
Should an opponent be lucky enough to separate Boba from his craft, they'll still have to find an answer to his exceptional combat skills and mastery over hand-held weapons.
14 THULSA DOOM
While Thulsa Doom's physical strength is nothing to write home about (though he does possess some wicked swordsmanship), his other attributes are off the charts. This is only to be expected, as it takes much more than the average villain to challenge Conan the Barbarian.
This magical tyrant has vast supernatural powers that include shape-shifting, hypnosis and even nigh immortality. Does he put these special abilities to any charitable use? Of course not! Like the worst of the antagonists in here, all Thulsa wants is to see the world burn.
13 MING THE MERCILESS
Emperor Ming the Merciless won't blow anyone out of the water with his physical abilities alone, but his unparalleled genius grants him direct access to his opponents’ weaknesses, and he has more than enough resources to exploit them.
If push does come to shove, however, Ming can bank on his expert swordsmanship, which he uses to exchange blows with Flash Gordon on several occasions. Outsmarting this bad guy isn't an option, so anyone who looks to stand a chance against him must bank on their might.
12 XENOMORPH
The scariest thing about Xenomorphs is their stealth mastery. This skill is best used under cover of night time, though they can also camouflage themselves to blend into their environment in daylight. A Xenomorph’s preferred route to victory is a single, decisive tail lash, though they're more than ready to duke it out with their sky high physical strength and agility.
If ever a lucky warrior does manage to defeat a Xenomorph, they'd better pray that the alien didn't implant an embryo into an unsuspecting victim via facehug prior to the battle, otherwise a second round might be looming ahead.
11 THE TERMINATOR
Skynet built The Terminator for one, essential purpose: to terminate, and terminate well. As we've seen on-screen (likely in several re-watches), this particular android model is adept at fulfilling his function.
If given the mission to hunt down any villain in this list, he'd use every weapon in his arsenal to get the job done. These include an array of firearms maximized in their function by his impeccable marksmanship. Let's also keep in mind his cybernetically enhanced physical attributes, which include super strength, speed and senses.
10 JOKER
It takes a whomper of a villain to keep the mighty Batman stressed out for so many decades, and that's exactly what the Joker is. What he lacks in physical attributes he more than makes up for with a genius -- albeit irreparably shattered -- mind.
His insanity is his greatest weapon, though let's not forget that he also has access to a legion of crazy goons willing to follow his every command at a moment's notice. Anyone who does get the upper hand on the Ace of Knaves better be ready for a last ditch spray of Joker Venom.
9 BEETLEJUICE
Don't be fooled by Michael Keaton's lethally charming portrayal of this formidable villain -- in an epic battle, Beetlejuice is no opponent to be laughed at. Indeed, he'll probably be doing all the laughing, and for good reason. His range of supernatural abilities (which include possession, shape-shifting, telekinesis and much more) enable him to dominate every setting he finds himself in.
Of course, his opponent can quickly make him disappear by saying his name three times, but if we were refereeing the fight, we'd call that cheating.
8 FREDDY KRUEGER
Those haunted by Freddy Krueger must be ready for a long, horrifying ordeal, especially if they happen to live on Elm Street. Falling asleep is no option whatsoever, since this villain rules over the dream world like a ruthless devil. Don't think that makes you safe from his claws in the waking world, though!
Despite what some of his victims have though, Freddy is also known to cross through plains from time to time. Freddy's slashing power alone would grant him a place here, but his dominion over the dream world boosts his ranking significantly.
7 JASON VOORHEES
While Jason doesn't have the same extra-dimensional access that Freddy does, he's done more than enough to establish his sheer dominance over the real world. Although he's far from being the fastest '80s villain out there, if he does catch up to one of his victims, it's most likely lights out.
This is true even for Freddy, as he proved in Freddy vs Jason, though Freddy did give us a little knowing wink there at the end, suggesting more of a tie than anything. His two Achilles' heels include a messed up emotional tie to his mother and a fear of water, but those aren't exactly easy to exploit all the time.
6 SKELETOR
Although Skeletor's strength is no match for He-Man's, there's a reason for his sky high ranking -- a few reasons, actually. This sorcerer is a lord of the dark arts, with supernatural abilities that include teleportation, telepathy and the ability to discharge energy from his body.
These skills are backed by his extreme intelligence and unending drive to conquer his foes. Skeletor has access to deep secrets concerning the fundamental nature of the universe, and any opponent that doesn't bring something of equal value to the fight is sure to lose.