I’ve made no secret of my love of music, and the majority of that love (or, if you prefer, obsession) comes from my fascination with leitmotifs and repeated musical themes. Across all media entertainment, those leitmotifs are most frequently found in protagonist themes, central themes, and, of course, villainous themes. Well, to start off, why don’t we take a look at my Top 10 Favorite Villain Music Themes in media? Whether it’s video games, movies, or television shows, we’re going to be covering it all!
Grab your headphones (I’ll of course provide links to each track), and let’s get started!
(Also, rest assured that I’ve surely forgotten some great themes out there that I’ll be kicking myself over not including later!)
10) Halo ~ The Covenant Council (LINK)
This one’s a bit of a deep cut, especially as this theme plays about six or seven times in Halo 2, once in Halo 3, and then never again. Still, even thinking about this theme brings me back to my younger days of obsessively scrubbing through the Halo 2 soundtrack trying to find each instance of this droning, haunting, vaguely-regal leitmotif. I couldn’t tell you why it clicked so much with me back then, but it sure did!
9) Fairy Tail ~ Jellal Fernandes (LINK)
I haven’t found too many anime that have consistent leitmotifs for villains, but Fairy Tail is one of the few outliers that eschews this trend. Among the greatest of these (Silver, Ultear, Zeref), Jellal’s darkly elegant piece stands the tallest. From the first moment I heard it I fell in love with it, and it only gets better each time it’s played. It even goes on to be twisted into a melancholic rendition for parts of his backstory, and a more upbeat variation when he eventually switches to being a protagonist. The very first note just screams “smug anime villain”, and I love it.
8) Star Trek Into Darkness ~ Khan (LINK)
While bombastic orchestral/rocking tunes might be my bread and butter in the music world, I always have a soft spot in my hearts for quieter tunes…or even better, songs that can be both! Through the course of this film, Khan’s theme morphs from a somber piano piece to a high-stakes epic chase to decide the fate of the world, and yet the shifting tones of the music always reflect the man himself and his own changing allegiances and true motivations. It’s humble when it needs to be, and pulse-pounding when it doesn’t. Great stuff.
7) Spider-Man Spiderverse ~ The Spot (LINK)
There’s no getting around it: from an auditory musical standpoint, this is one of the creepiest and most unique sounding leitmotifs ever. I don’t think I could even begin to describe the off-putting instruments, the way the audio keeps scratching and distorting, and the theater-rumbling bass droning that wails on and on. It’s a simple but haunting melody, made even better in that it was much more jovial in tone earlier in the movie when Spot was a silly forgettable foe. Not so forgettable anymore, huh?
6) Kingdom Hearts ~ Forze del Male (LINK)
Kingdom Hearts is no stranger to incredible music (it’d definitely have a spot on a list of the best gaming series soundtracks of all time), but I always come back to this dark, edgy theme when thinking of my favorite tracks. It started off in the first game as boss theme main villain, Ansem, though it would later be adapted into a more cinematic version for use in cutscenes. Then, owing to Ansem’s numerous appearances through the series, the song went on to be remixed and repurposed more than five times (as in, five completely different remixes) across this crazy, kooky series. Each time I hear those opening organ notes I get goosebumps!
5) Agents of SHIELD ~ Sinara (LINK)
In the grand scheme of things, Sinara is a relatively minor character who serves as a major antagonist for a single ten episode arc. That didn’t stop the composer from going way overboard on crafting her amazing theme, however! In what might be the simplest but also most ruthlessly effective villain theme on this entire list, the loud and oppressive droning of Sinara’s theme plays (almost to comedic effect) every single time this terrifying woman walks into frame. There’s even a dramatic variant for her final fight with Daisy, and a soft but vaguely creepy rendition for her quiet scenes with her villainous lover, Kasius.
4) Jurassic World ~ The Indominus Rex (LINK)
Man, I love this leitmotif so much! It’s about the exact opposite thing you’d expect a bombastic mass-murdering dinosaur to have, but that’s almost part of the appeal! In stark contrast with the albino dino and its ceaseless murdering, this theme is slow, nefarious, and chills-inducing. It’s the sort of theme I’d love to hear in a concert, especially the version that ramps up in intensity during the Indominus’ last stand. Apparently, I’m not the only one who loves this theme either, as it plays when the divers find the Indominus skeleton in the sequel, and when the Indominus is name-dropped in the third installment. In fact, it’s even the very first song you hear in the entirety of Jurassic World, setting the movie’s tone right out of the gate.
3) Spider-Man Homecoming ~ The Vulture (LINK)
The dramatic reprise of the hero’s theme is what’s supposed to hype you up in the superhero genre, and yet every time I watch this movie I can’t help but get excited when this incredible villainous tune plays instead! This also might be the most spotlight I’ve ever heard given to a villainous theme in a mainstream movie before, especially a pulpy MCU flick. Across multiple action scenes and dramatic encounters, this them blares its droning horns and heavy drums loud and proud, making me even more eager for some Vulture epicness rather than Spidey saving the day. It goes crazy during the credits too, proving my tried-and-true argument that you always, ALWAYS stay until the end of the credits for that sweet, sweet music.
2) Cobra Kai ~ Tory Nichols (LINK)
This shouldn’t come as a shock, considering my very-well-documented love of Cobra Kai, the show’s unbelievable soundtrack, and Tory herself. Put the three together, and well…here we are!
Cobra Kai is already a show that has an almost insurmountable knowledge of how to masterfully balance and execute the implementation of character themes and leitmotifs. It’s crazy that an already stacked show even had space in the soundtrack for another character theme, but the composer’s made it work wonderfully. From the almost unhinged beginnings in Season Two, to the hard rock reprises in Season Three, to the empowering and nearly heroic rendition in Season Four, and the contemplative slowness of Season Five, Tory’s entire villain to anti-hero to protagonist journey is painted through her theme…and I love it!
1) RWBY ~ Roman Torchwick (LINK)
Placing Torchwick up here at the top spot was perhaps the easiest decision I’ve ever had to make for one of these Contrarian Corner Top 10s. Coming right at the tie period where I was beginning to seriously evaluate my love (or obsession with music), it’s not an exaggeration to say that Torchwick’s theme played a big role in my love of analyzing musical themes and leitmotifs.
It’s not even that complicated of a theme. In essence, it’s only a group of seven notes repeated twice, and capped off with a five-note denouement. Somehow, RWBY‘s prodigal composing talents whipped this simplicity into something unforgettable. Whether it’s the cool and suave piano opening in the first episode of the show, the orchestral craziness of the Volume One finale, the techno remix in the Volume Two highway showdown, the oppressive haunting strings of the Volume Two finale, or the choir-led grand apex in the climactic Volume Three airship battle, Torchwick’s theme never disappoints, and I could probably listen to it on loop all day.
I really need to get around to learning how to play it on the piano some day!
But hey, that’s just my opinion!
The Contrarian Corner 