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Movies taking place in the DC Universe usually take great care with the dialogue of their villains, resulting in some unforgettable lines that outdo the longevity of the films they come from. The best DC comic book movies have well-developed villains that are just as important as their heroes, giving the antagonist plenty of time to shine and develop rather than just being a generic opposing force. In the process, many of them have gotten some excellent lines that have continued to resonate with fans long after the release of the films they’re in.
These special lines of dialogue can be continuously famous for a variety of reasons, including philosophical value, meme-worthiness, the strength of their delivery, or even sheer ironic enjoyment. Admittedly, many of the best DC villain lines come from Batman’s memorable movie rouge’s gallery, but other bad guys are occasionally able to compete with the power of their own famous lines. Regardless of how high the quality of the movie they originate from is, these quotes have lasted for a long time in the pop culture zeitgeist for good reason.
11 “Why So Serious?”
Joker, The Dark Knight
Perhaps the most obvious choice for a memorable DC villain, Heath Ledger’s Joker is one of the most iconic antagonists in movie history, let alone among DC characters specifically. One of the few Oscar-winning performances for DC, Ledger’s Joker had a wide catalog of catchy lines, but none have perhaps been as impactful as the three simple words he makes his catchphrase throughout the film – “Why so serious?” Notably, he uses this line while intimidating a fellow criminal before killing him in front of his own men.
Used heavily throughout the advertising campaign for the film, “Why so serious?” has become an infamous line for a good reason. It’s at once arresting, intimidating, and a deadly portent of the chaos to come, doing much of the heavy lifting in cementing Ledger’s Joker as one of the greatest cinematic villains ever. While this entire list could be filled exclusively with quotes from The Dark Knight‘s Joker, this particular refrain stands out as the very best.
10 “Ever Dance With The Devil In The Pale Moonlight?”
Joker, Batman (1989)
Ubiquitous as one of the most famous comic book villains ever, it should be no surprise that the Joker provides many of DC’s most famous villain lines. Though it’s fallen by the wayside as time has gone on, Jack Nicholson’s portrayal of the character in Tim Burton’s Batman still stands with the greats as a chilling incarnation of everyone’s favorite Clown Prince of Crime. Like Heath Ledger, he has his own catchphrase, the poetic-sounding question “Ever dance with the Devil in the pale moonlight?”
Batman uses this line to realize that, in this timeline at least, Joker and the man who murdered his parents are one and the same. While Joker might not have intended the line to have any particularly deep meaning in either life, it’s a chilling refrain that leaves an undeniable impression. The quote has gone on to take on a life of its own in other properties, showing up in countless other Batman movies, TV shows, and video games.
9 “You Merely Adopted The Darkness. I Was Born In It, Molded By It.”
Bane, The Dark Knight Rises
The Dark Knight Rises may have had an uneven reception, but that didn’t stop its most iconic villain from firing off a few absolutely golden lines before the film’s runtime was up. While Tom Hardy’s Bane may have been plagued by Christopher Nolan’s infamous audio mixing issues, some genius quotes managed to make it past the silly voice and respirator. The best of these occurs when Batman and Bane fight hand-to-hand for the first time, as Bane comments on the futility of Batman’s attempts to use the darkness against him.
Raised in a brutal prison, Bane comments on the source of his strength being his corrosive upbringing, compared to the place of privilege Batman’s capabilities come from. While Batman may play at being a Dark Knight, Bane is truly a creature of darkness, existing far outside the boundaries of polite society. He makes sure Batman knows as much before mercilessly breaking his spine, echoing the infamous comic panel of the same scene.
8 “You Either Die A Hero, Or Live Long Enough To Become A Villain.”
Two-Face, The Dark Knight
One of the many brilliant lines to come out of The Dark Knight, the proposition that “You either die a hero, or live long enough to become a villain.” technically comes from Harvey Dent before he’s Two-Face. However, these words end up becoming a chilling portent of his own fate as a hero, spared from death as Gotham’s “White Knight” and darling District Attorney only to morph into the asymmetrical villain at the last moment. The words also foreshadow Batman’s fate in the next movie, sacrificing his hero persona once and for all.
Not only is this one of the best lines ever spoken by a DC villain in a movie, but it very well may be one of the greatest bits of dialogue of Nolan’s entire career. The quote has been endlessly parroted in conversation surrounding topics both in and outside the movie world, being a poignant observation on the nature of human belief. Despite how strong the Joker’s lines are in the film, this might be the quote that most surmises The Dark Knight‘s themes and narrative.
7 “I Triggered It 35 Minutes Ago.”
Ozymandias, Watchmen
It can’t be easy to forget that despite taking place in a timeline outside Batman, Superman, and the Justice League, Watchmen is indeed a DC property. No line might better sum up the IP’s difference in tone from the mainline DC Universe than Ozymandias’ final speech at the end of both the original Alan Moore comic series and the Zack Snyder film. When Rorschach promises Adrian that he won’t get away with his plan, the mastermind calmly assures him that he already has, or he would’ve never explained it to them in the first place.
Ozymandias would be defeated before he had a chance to enact his plot
This chilling subversion of expectations for a supervillain is one of the most memorable lines in comic book history, movie adaptation or not. Variations of this theme have since appeared in other media, no doubt influenced by the eerie gloat by Ozymandias that his horrible plan had already succeeded. In any other story, Ozymandias would be defeated before he had a chance to enact his plot, but in Watchmen‘s ending, the audience only truly learns of it after it’s a sure thing.
6 “If You Are Justice, Please Do Not Lie / What Is The Price For Your Blind Eye?”
The Riddler, The Batman
After Jim Carrey reduced him to a goofy maniac in question-mark-themed pajamas in Batman Forever, seeing Paul Dano give the character of the Riddler the respect he deserves with a terrifying villain performance is immensely satisfying. It’s even better that he actually tells riddles, one of which is featured front-and-center in the trailers leading up to the film’s release. With a bomb strapped to Colson’s neck, Batman must quickly deduce the answer to this question before the timer goes off.
It’s great to see the Riddler almost stumping Batman with this quote, very nearly causing another death as Colson struggles to reveal exactly how much he paid for the answer, a bribe. Tying into the overall narrative, this riddle also poses some internal questions for Batman himself as he struggles with his identity over the course of the film. Beyond all that, Paul Dano’s chilling delivery behind the Riddler’s voice modified is top-notch, as well.
5 “My Soul…That Is What You Have Taken From Me!”
General Zod, Man of Steel
Doing a redux of General Zod for Man of Steel was one of Zack Snyder’s better decisions in kickstarting the DCU, with Michael Shannon’s take on the Kryptonian tyrant being one of the best live-action Superman villains ever. During his final confrontation with Kal-El, Zod bemoans the death of their homeworld, expressing his frustration at his fellow Kryptonians’ refusal to allow him to build a new Krypton from the bones of the Earth. He accuses Superman of robbing him of his purpose, as expanding the legacy of Krypton was his literal soul.
Shannon’s incredible performance here hits hard as he delivers this line, and it’s hard not to form some level of sympathy for Zod. Power-hungry though he may be, he still lost his homeworld, and even Clark Kent can sympathize with that to a degree. While his means were obviously abhorrent and unjustified, Zod’s heartbreaking line here strikes a chord, echoing through the ages as one of the best movie lines to come out of a Superman villain’s mouth.
4 “If God Is All Powerful, He Cannot Be All Good.”
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
For as many issues as the DCEU had, especially Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Jesse Eisenberg’s performance as Lex Luthor at least managed to let out a few gems in his dialogue here and there. While Eisenberg’s nebbish take on the usually smooth-talking supervillain ruffled a few feathers, he had quite the mind for comparison. Many times throughout the film, he refers to Superman as a sort of God, using a classic paradox first penned by Scottish philosopher John Hume against him.
Luthor makes an interesting comparison here, questioning Superman’s usefulness as a hero through the lens of his inherent fallibility. With this line, it’s easier to understand why he would go to such lengths to take the Man of Steel down a few pegs with his devious plot. Even if the DCEU’s writers didn’t technically come up with this line, the application of it in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is certainly powerful.
3 “What Killed The Dinosaurs? The Ice Age!”
Mr. Freeze, Batman & Robin
Not every DC movie villain quote is famous for the right reasons. Sometimes, a line read is simply so baffling and obtusely bad that it can’t help but be charming, a description which could apply to the entirety of Batman & Robin. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s strange reduction of Mr. Freeze from a tragically sympathetic villain to a buff pun-spewing petty criminal is worthy of study, but one of his lines has continued to live on in infamy.
With a simple but hilarious question and answer, Mr. Freeze somehow manages to make a pun out of his liberal application of his freeze ray during the museum fight of Batman & Robin. This has lived on as one of Schwarzenegger’s most iconic lines due to the sheer audacity of it, and is a popular staying point for those who derive ironic enjoyment out of the disastrous Batman adaptation. Batman & Robin might easily be the worst live-action Batman film, but this line alone makes it almost worth watching.
2 “You Get What You ****ing Deserve!”
Arthur Fleck, Joker
2019’s Joker feels less like a traditional superhero and more like one of the Martin Scorsese dramas that clearly inspired it. However, that doesn’t stop the film from having one of the most cutting lines of any DC villain ever put to screen with the culmination of Joker’s rage right before his murder of the beloved talk show host, Murray. After asking “What do you get when you cross a mentally ill loner with a society that abandons him and treats him like trash?“, Joker provides the punchline, punctuated with a bullet.
One of the most iconic lines said by any movie villain in the DC Universe
The line is a shocking but natural conclusion to Arthur Fleck’s slow transformation into the Joker over the course of the film. It’s also memorable for its meme value, having been transformed into all kinds of humorous visual gags along with every other frame of Joker‘s runtime. Arresting in the moment and thought-provoking over time, “You get what you ****ing deserve” is one of the most iconic lines said by any movie villain in the DC Universe.
1 Upcoming DC Movie Releases
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