Back in 2016, there was a particular film from DC that was setting itself up to be, “The Dirty Dozen” of superhero films. Sadly, that film did not live up to that ambitious claim, delivering a hot mess of a film. David Ayer’s take on the Suicide Squad just didn’t mesh with audiences, with poor writing, an uninteresting plot, and a forgettable villain combined into one fusion of wasted potential. Thankfully, DC scored a massive win when they hired James Gunn, director of the Guardians of the Galaxy films, to replace Ayer as director. Reports suggest that Gunn is rather confident in his take on the Suicide Squad, which is probably a good thing, considering fans don’t want another train wreck movie like the last one. While Gunn has been rather tight-lipped on the plot and which characters his cast will be playing, it is pretty hard not to think about who the villain will be. Gunn has yet to confirm which villain the Suicide Squad will face in his film, but there are literally dozens of bad guys from the comics he can choose from. While the Squad isn’t exactly a team of heroes, there are plenty of worse villains out there that can pose a serious threat to them. Let’s just hope he didn’t pick someone who likes to do magic hula dancing. Here are five villains that would work well in The Suicide Squad.
5. Kobra
One thing that was very muddled about Enchantress, the main antagonist of the 2016 Suicide Squad film, was her lack of human qualities. An evil sorceress just felt out of place in a movie where the protagonists were all basically human. While a Suicide Squad villain doesn’t have to be completely human, he should have more human qualities to be a better physical match for the Squad. Hence, the cult leading villain known as Kobra would be a great choice to fulfill that role. Jeffery Burr, or just Kobra, leads a fanatical snake-worshipping cult, dedicated to bringing pass to the Kali Yuga. This is known in Hinduism as a cycle of chaos, something that many cults would want to usher in. All of Kobra’s followers are just like any deluded cult member, as they strongly believe in their leader’s cause and will fight to the death to make sure it becomes a reality. Cult fanatics that pretty much welcome death against the Suicide Squad? That sounds like a much more fitting antagonist. Kobra’s advanced skills in hand-to-hand combat, intelligence, and influence over his followers would make him a formidable foe for the Squad. His lack of any real powers only puts him on their level, making him even suitable.
4. Blockbuster
Every team needs their own Hulk. For the Suicide Squad, the brutish character known as Blockbuster filled that role when the team first debuted. Interesting enough, he was also the team’s first casualty. This reminded us that the team really does live up to their name and members were never safe. For the film version, however, the man/shark hybrid known as King Shark will be the team’s brawny member, making no use for Blockbuster’s place on the team. So instead of having Blockbuster being a member, why not have him go up against the Squad? He definitely wouldn’t fit as a main antagonist, but as a hulking henchman who could go toe to toe with King Shark? Now that’s a role that would suit him perfectly. Blockbuster has played these exact roles in several animated adaptations, so for Gunn to utilize him in that capacity would be very fun to see.
3. Count Vertigo
Unlike many other comic book teams, the Suicide Squad has a reputation for having untrustworthy members that would stab their teammates in the back given the opportunity. It’s more than likely that James Gunn has this history to be utilized in his film, but it’s only a question of which character will be the big traitor. A great candidate for that role would be Count Vertigo, who is one of the team’s oldest members. Count Vertigo suffers from an inner ear defect that affects his balance, prompting him to use a small electronic device to help counteract this flaw. While attempting to steal jewels that belonged to his family, Vertigo tampered with the device and learned he could affect the balance of others as well, causing dizziness and nausea (actual vertigo). What also makes him interesting is that he is the last descendant of a royal family that ruled the fictional eastern European country of Vlatava. This can be utilized in many ways, given his ability to disorientate others and bend them to his will, and his royal blood would probably give him a sense of superiority amongst his fellow Squad members. The 2018 animated film Hell to Pay gave a great example of how Vertigo can turn traitor, further supporting the idea that having him in Gunn’s movie would be a great opportunity to show a treacherous Squad member.
2. Deathstroke
Imagine a villain that can take on the whole Squad singlehandedly. There are several characters that come to mind but the one that would probably fit the part the best would have to be The Terminator himself, Deathstroke. The character has already made his debut in the DCEU when he had a small cameo in the post-credits scene of Justice League, played by Joe Manganiello. While the actor hasn’t been confirmed to be part of the cast, the idea of Deathstroke fighting the entire Suicide Squad by himself would be a sight to see, mostly because he is capable of winning. Considering that Deathstroke is essentially the anti-Batman, it would be fun to see how the unstable Squad would fair against an equally unstable Deathstroke, granted that he’s not afraid to take lives. While it’s not confirmed who Idris Elba will be playing, it’s highly possible that his character will be Bronze Tiger, a master martial artist and a perfect opponent for Deathstroke, who is also a master fighter. While Deathstroke may not be a strong enough villain to be a main antagonist on his own. He would be the greatest physical challenge the Squad can go up against.
1. Vandal Savage
There has been some rumors going around that Benicio Del Toro will play the main antagonist of Gunn’s film, but oddly enough, his name was absent from the cast list. This can mean that he is not involved in the film, or Gunn has chosen to keep his involvement as secret. Having Del Toro in the film would make sense, considering he worked with Gunn on Guardians of the Galaxy, but if he is indeed involved, there is only one character that is truly suitable for him. Probably one of the oldest villains to still be around, due to the fact that he was an actual caveman, Vandal Savage is an immortal, a power that was given to him by unusual radiation from a crashed meteor. Savage has spent over a millennium consolidating knowledge, technology, wealth, but above all else, he is history’s greatest conqueror. He has fought many superhero teams, including the Justice League and the Justice Society, making him one of DC’s most constant villains. So what would make him perfect for the main villain of The Suicide Squad? The fact that he’s immortal, making him almost impossible to kill. The members of the Suicide Squad can be killed at any time, but killing Savage would be a nearly impossible mission, especially since he’s backed up by insurmountable wealth and technology. He also has a daughter, Scandal Savage, a violent foe who can do most of his dirty work for him. Savage’s power isn’t the only thing that makes him immensely threatening; it’s also his access to unlimited resources that he has accumulated over the thousands of years he’s been alive, giving the Squad a big run for their money. He already served as a villain in the 2018 animated film Hell to Pay, but unfortunately his role was rather short. If the rumors of Del Toro’s casting are in fact true, then Savage is the part for him.
Final Thoughts
We still have a long way before we see Gunn’s film, but that won’t stop us from speculating. For now, we can only hope that Gunn has chosen a villain that will be a serious threat to the Squad, and much more memorable than Enchantress. No hula dancing please. What villains do you want to see in The Suicide Squad?
Follow Us
