The Yugioh series has a large array of characters, each with their own motive and personalities. Among these characters are the antagonists, the ‘baddies’ who want to defeat the ‘goodies’ for their own gain. Some of them have justifiable actions while others are just crazy. Here are the 10 best antagonists spanning the original series & GX!
10. Kagemaru
Hailing from the GX story, Kagemaru was a powerful opponent, arguably one of the toughest that Jaden had faced. He was among the first to create Duel Academy but, as happens to everyone, he eventually grew old and in poor health. With the aim to use duel spirits to return to his youth, Kagemaru used his shadow riders to revive the powerful Sacred Beast cards. This caused a lot of hard-times for everyone at Duel Academy until the final face off with Jaden. Despite wielding some of the most powerful cards in the game, he lost to Jaden. After he was defeated, he expressed regret and asked forgiveness. Jaden complied before breaking his spine with a bear hug (totally not accidental).
9. Dr Crowler
Dr Vellian Crowler is a high ranking duel professor at Duel Academy. Appearing in the first episode of GX, Crowler immediately showed his intolerance for Jaden Yuki, the main character. He would devise a large number of plots to thwart Jaden’s attempt at a duelling education, but would ultimately grow to like the boy. Crowler provided a much needed comedic antagonist, he is arrogant but his failures are hilarious.
8. Weevil Underwood
This little worm (pun intended) is fueled by jealousy and anger. After being knocked into non-existence by the emergence of Yugi Moto in the original series, Weevil makes it his life’s work to prevent Yugi from reaching greatness. He was aboard the ship that was taking skilled duellists to Duellist Kingdom and threw Yugi’s Exodia set into the sea. Ever since that moment he’s done nothing to redeem himself, instead proving even further that he’s a scumbag. He’s a bad duellist but he gets so high in this list because of every Yugioh fan’s hatred.
7. Sartorius
Sartorius is an incredibly powerful antagonist with a multitude of supernatural abilities. Some of these abilities include mind control, telekinesis and the ability to see the future. Though this power could be used for good, the source has other ideas. This Light of Destruction power seeks to eradicate the world of darkness and start a-fresh. Sartorius believed recruiting Jaden Yuki was key to this. He developed a foothold on Duel Academy, even creating his own dorm. He would eventually come to a final duel with Jaden, it was a long and harsh duel but Jaden came out victorious. The Light of Destruction was then sealed away and Sartorius was finally free.
6. Maximillion Pegasus
The creator of duel monsters himself, Maximillion Pegasus orchestrated the rise of Yugi’s stature. His primary objective was to obtain all of the millenium items to revive his deceased lover. A noble quest for sure but no man should ever have this power. As Yugi owned one of the millenium items, the puzzle, Pegasus sought him first. He invited Yugi to the Duellist Kingdom tournament and they faced off in an epic battle. Pegasus with his millenium eye against Yugi and his puzzle, it was truly a great battle. Yugi’s intellect came out on top and Pegasus gave up his quest. His antagonist demeanor waned after this but his presence throughout season 1 make him viable on this list.
5. Noah Kaiba
Noah’s tale is a tragic one, he was once a bright young kid with the world at his feet, his father was a powerful businessman who wanted Noah to take over when he came of age. This did not come to pass however as Noah was involved in an accident which left him vegetated. In an attempt to save his son, his father uploaded Noah’s mind into a virtual world for him to live in. Seto Kaiba was adopted shortly after. His father eventually abandoned Noah to focus on Seto. Noah kidnapped Seto, Yugi and the rest of the gang with the help of the Big 5, former chairmen of KaibaCorp. After a myriad of duels and heartbreak, Noah finally saw the error of his ways and helped the protagonists leave the virtual world before it, and Noah himself, was destroyed.
4. Yubel
Yubel was a card owned by Jaden Yuki in his early youth. Yubel would watch over Jaden but anyone he duelled would fall into a coma. Jaden won a card-design competition and had Yubel sent off to space. The Light of Destruction (used by Sartorius) found its way to Yubel who warped and changed her, driving her insane. She would eventually return to earth and started a chain of events that would lead to (seemingly) Jaden’s friends death. She is madly fueled by the idea of her and Jaden ruling over every dimension. Eventually her and Jaden duel and she realises he doesn’t want her because of the pain she’s brought. She begs forgiveness, Jaden accepts and they fuse together using the method Yubel would have used to destroy the 12 dimensions.
3. Yami Bakura
An ever-present antagonist throughout the entirety of the original Yugioh series, Yami Bakura was plotting his world domination from season 1. He is brought to life by a shared of a powerful dark beast’s soul being locked in the Millenium Ring, owned by Bakura Ryou. Over the coming seasons, Bakura would devise many schemes and would be defeated each time. Eventually he is defeated for good but he was an enemy of Yami Yugi from Atem’s reign as Pharaoh.
2. Dartz
Dartz was once a King of the great kingdom of Atlantis. This kingdom was hit by an Orichalcos meteor shower which bestowed upon them untold knowledge and power. They grew and they grew quickly, becoming more advanced than any modern day civilisation. However, the Orichalcos would make anyone who is evil on the inside, visibly ugly and scarred on the outside. This happened to his wife and a multitude of others. He spoke to the Orichalcos once more, which commanded him to spawn the Great Leviathan. Dartz became corrupted from that point.
Dartz’s daughter and others fled Atlantis and returned with a great army. A massive battle ensued with neither side emerging victorious, although Dartz survived. For the next 10,000 years, Dartz would collect souls to resurrect the Great Leviathan and return the world to as it was before, he believed that this was the ‘good’ side. After causing countless horrors to thousands of innocent people, he sacrificed his own soul to resurrect the Great Leviathan which, supposedly the strongest creature ever (yes, even stronger than the Egyptian Gods), was defeated by Yugi.
1. Yami Marik
The leader of the Rare Hunters has to be top of the list. Marik provided Yugi and his friends with a ton of duelling experience, powerful cards and even introduced them to the Egyptian Gods. Marik’s pain and suffering in his youth caused him to spawn his dark Yami version. This version killed Marik’s father but was sealed away by his friend. He was told it was someone else who brought such a tragedy upon him, he mistakenly believed it was the Pharoah who did this. His goal was to defeat the Pharoah and take his power for himself.
Throughout the Battle City finals, the ‘real’ Marik learned of his true past. He reformed, eventually taking back control of his body and forfeited his duel with Yugi, destroying the Yami version.