A great hero captures our attention, but a chilling villain keeps us coming back for more!
In hindsight, the '90s were among the more rewarding decades for children and cartoon aficionados. Following a chiefly frustrating period of around 15 years, Disney temporarily recaptured its glory days and enjoyed a renaissance period. Admittedly, Mickey Mouse's grip loosened towards the end of the century, but Beauty and the Beast instigated a brief era of cinematic brilliance for the studio. Shifting away from the silver screen, Nickelodeon started to produce its own cartoons with Rugrats, Doug, and The Ren & Stimpy Show. Refusing to just accept defeat, Cartoon Network produced some of its strongest work during the '90s. Nowadays, the Disney Channel might be primarily known for shaping the modern pop-music landscape, but the network used to have a rather respectable lineup of cartoons. The '90s coincided with a golden age of animation!
With a heavy focus on comedy and slice-of-life, traditional heroes and villains were not all that common. For the most part, characters possessed a bit of nuance. As a result, the decade's most iconic personas tend to be protagonists or minor players. In some cases, the central character was essentially written to act as the villain, although the greatest of the bunch could still be relatable. Even though these upcoming icons are undoubtedly awesome, everyone looks better in black! Here are 30 cartoon characters from the '90s reimagined as villains!
28 Power Puff Green
Back in 2009, Cartoon Network teamed up with Grigon Entertainment to create an MMO set in a multiverse consolidating various beloved series from the network's extensive catalog. We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the servers were shut down a long time ago; however, a small team of passionate developers brought the experience back in the form of FusionFall Legacy. Why is this game worth mentioning? Besides sounding unbelievably awesome, the MMO helped inspire waterbaloon's rendition of the Power Puff Girls.
27 Arnold, Arnold, Arnold!
In a match made in heaven, DoubleM combined Beetlejuice with Hey Arnold! to create a fitting tribute to both properties. Despite being only a static picture and starring an unrelated cast, DoubleM's art piece is a far superior adaptation of Tim Burton's film than that entirely forgettable Beetlejuice cartoon. Hey Arnold! was no stranger to creepy scenes or episodes, but fans had to wait until 2017 for the couple to officially become canon. As a consequence, the series features practically no truly romantic moments between Helga and Arnold.
26 Yu-Gi-Oh!
Yami-No-Spirit-luver's photo seems to be referencing episode 158 of the anime. Occurring during the fourth main arc, Yami Yugi is pushed to the limit by Rafael, a wicked dueler seeking to steal the Pharaoh's soul. Such a feat would only be possible if the protagonist was dumb enough to activate The Seal of Orichalcos, a card that allows the player to increase their strength by sacrificing cards. Arrogant to a fault, Yugi embraces the dark side and plays right into Rafael's hand. Evil Yugi may look cool, but the dude is a bona fide idiot.
25 Dark Warrior Duck
Toonbaboon was not the first to picture a sinister alternate version of Darkwing Duck's heroic vigilante. Appearing in only a single episode, Time and Punishment starts with Gosalyn being sent to a future that saw Darkwing fall into a depression due to Gosalyn sudden disappearance. Vicious to the core, DarkWarrior lords over St. Canard with an iron fist and an unforgiving outlook on crime. Willing to punish insubordination with a swift missile strike, DarkWarrior represents a future that could actually come to pass for Darkwing Duck.
24 Maybe, Avoid Catching This Mewtwo...
Blending elements from the legendary Pokémon's three evolutionary forms, Vaporeon249's Mewtwo is a culmination of the dangerous creature's best and worst characteristics. Introduced as Pokémon: The First Movie's antagonist, the clone sought to eradicate Mew to establish himself as the real deal. By the end of the film, Mewtwo experiences a change of heart and flies off into the sunset to begin a new chapter in the history of cloned pokémon; since then, he has chiefly been presented as an anti-hero. While this might just be the nostalgia speaking, Mewtwo's short stint as a villain coincided with the clone's peak period.
23 Man Of Steel
Fueled by the success of Batman: The Animated Series, DC greenlit a solo cartoon for their flagship superhero. Despite falling short of its predecessor's lofty heights, Superman: The Animated Series was a solid adaptation of the comics in its own right. Unlike Bat-Brain's fondness of shadows, the Man of Steel prefers to patrol Metropolis during the day; consequentially, Superman: The Animated Series felt less atmospheric or mature. Regardless of these minor criticisms, the show handled the whole "Superman turns evil" concept far better than Superman III. Honestly, Habjan81's picture is an improvement over that mess of a film.
22 Where Is Carmen Sandiego?
Previously, we briefly touched upon a dated and bland educational program from the '90s, but there were several cartoons that managed to teach and entertain kids. Based on a video game series from the decade of hair metal, Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego? centers around two agents' continuous efforts to capture the international eponymous thief. As the show progressed, Carmen steadily evolved into more of an anti-hero than a traditional antagonist, but SeanRM's criminal gives off a rather authoritarian vibe.
21 Out Of The Sewer
Turtle power persisted well into the '90s, although the franchise's magnetism started to wane after the release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III. The animated series lasted for ten seasons and almost 200 episodes, so there was more than enough content to satisfy most fans. 2003's cartoon played around with the idea of introducing villainous incarnations of the four main heroes, but the franchise seldom dips into this particular well for inspiration. While hardly an innovative twist, Ishida1694's piece could make for an interesting arc.
20 No More Mr. Nice Ed
Fealasy's cul-de-sac must be quite a creepy place to visit. Assuming the Eds are merely a by-product of their upbringing, then the neighborhood has truly gone down the toilet. Always scheming and contriving new ways to earn a quick buck; Ed, Edd n Eddy's eponymous boys were hardly the greatest role models to ever grace the small screen; nevertheless, the trio's antics seldom failed to be entertaining. Considering they were essentially con artists, Fealasy's comic rendition compliments the source material's subject matter rather splendidly.
19 Wo-Boo!
Welcome to the Negaverse! On the off chance that a couple of our readers are not intimately familiar with Sailor Moon's English Dub, the Negaverse was a dark dimension ruled by Queen Beryl and home to some of the Sailor Scouts' worst foes. While capable of experiencing bouts of grumpiness, Scrooge McDuck was a cheery enough mentor in Disney's classic DuckTales series. Yearning to see a different side of the richest duck in the world, SkyPirateDash corrupted Scrooge's soul and produced a dictatorial animal with plans for world domination! Disney needs to write a new theme song...
18 Beauty AND The Beast
SteamboatLyssie's Belle seems ready to enjoy Halloween to the fullest! Loosely based on Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont's fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast represents a rare example of Disney darkening the original characters. In the novel, the Beast was a hapless victim of a vengeful fairy, while Disney's prince was a far more arrogant person. In comparison to the book, the film develops the couple's relationship in a more natural way. Both versions have a gothic element to them, so this tribute is somewhat accurate.
17 Treehouse Of Homer
Perfectly capturing the legendary cartoon's art style, Grincha's Homer could effortlessly slot into one of the show's more time;ess Treehouse of Horror episodes. Currently airing its 30th season, The Simpsons has done it all. Regardless of whether someone appreciates the later content, The Simpsons revolutionized Western animation and few series compare to the cartoon's golden era. With the exception of the first season, FOX's series has always celebrated Halloween with a Treehouse of Horror. Like the standard weekly stories, the quality of these segments has gradually declined, but they continue to be among the more entertaining segments.
16 Who Needs Heart?
The early '90s coincided with a rise in environmental awareness. Coincidentally, a number of cartoons attempted to educate children on the importance of preserving mother nature. Educational and entertaining programs are not mutually exclusive, but they can also be Captain Planet and the Planeteers. A product of its time, this superhero-flavored cure for insomnia lasted for six years and has aged like a glass of milk left out in the sun for a quarter of a century. If a reboot were to ever happen, the studio should ask Doomsplosion for a couple of pointers.
15 Power Puff Punks
Yang-Mei's extreme rendition of the Power Puff Girls harbors back to Craig McCracken's initial pitch to Cartoon Network. Prior to injecting a touch of sugar to soften the cartoon's overall tone, Power Puff Girls made its debut as a short created by McCracken. Ignoring the recent reboot completely, the original series was a breath of fresh air! Lasting for six glorious seasons, Cartoon Network's superhero cartoon boasted fantastic protagonists, memorable villains, and countless creative storylines. Power Puff Girls is a timeless classic!
14 Gotham's Dark Knight
Initiating DC's animated universe, Batman: The Animated Series proved that a cartoon could balance mature storytelling with an adventurous tone appropriate for younger viewers. Bruce Wayne has been around since the late 1930s, but Fox Kids helped introduce a new generation to the Dark Knight. As one of the comic industry's most beloved characters, the Caped Crusader will continue to feature across various DC properties, but Kevin Conroy will forever be our Batman. YETI000's Bruce should consider taking a short rest...
13 Boy (Mad) Genius
Dexter's Laboratory can be divided into two eras: pre and post-Ego Trip. Created by Genndy Tartakovsky, the initial two seasons are comedic masterpieces that blend stylistic traditional animation with pulp fiction and great voice acting. As he was preoccupied with Samurai Jack, Tartakovsky did not return for Cartoon Network's revival in 2001. Coincidentally, the last two seasons squandered nearly all of the magic that defined Dexter's Laboratory. The change in animation did not help matters. Trifling with the dark side, rubtox's Dexter marks a new age for the boy genius!
12 Chaos Sonic
Unless someone was born in the '90s, it is near impossible to accurately visualize Sonic the Hedgehog's popularity. During the decade's first half, Sega's mascot was everywhere! There was no escaping the blue speedster. With an entire generation engrossed by the games, naturally, Sega capitalized by shipping Sonic to the highest bidder. The end result was a couple of cartoons with varying degrees of quality. 1993's Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog is barely comprehensible, but the darker Sonic the Hedgehog boasts some genuinely strong character development and storytelling. The cartoon held back from turning Sonic into a Sith Lord, but ss2sonic's creation suits the cartoon.
11 Naruto Is Doomed
Does Stewie qualify as a protagonist or a villain? In the '90s, the baby belonged to the latter category, but he has slowly blossomed into Family Guy's only tolerable character. Currently struggling through its 17th season, Seth MacFarlane's juggernaut never quite reached the same heights as The Simpsons, but its irreverent style of humor ushered in a new age of adult animation. Whether this shift should be regarded as a positive or negative depends on personal preference. Naruto's popularity peaked around the same time Family Guy was revived by Fox, and Mobis-New-Nest picked the perfect characters for a crossover.
10 SpongeBob Divided
Surprisingly enough, SpongeBob SquarePants debuted nearly two decades ago. Love or hate them, Nickelodeon knows how to milk a sponge for all its worth. Depending more and more on shock humor, SpongeBob and Patrick Star have been reduced to little more than caricatures of their former selves. Occasionally, a decent joke does land, and the last two seasons have corresponded with an upturn in quality; however, even the best modern episodes are just drops in the ocean when compared to the original five seasons. Considering SpongeBob has spent the last decade watching his name be dragged through the mud, sethmendozaDA's split is understandable.
9 Twisted Esmeralda
Putting aside the annoying gargoyles and most of the musical numbers, The Hunchback of Notre Dame ranks among Disney's darkest films. Quasimodo is a truly sympathetic protagonist, and the acclaimed studio created the perfect villain in Frollo. Stuck in the middle between a hunchback and a ruthless Minister, Esmeralda deviates the most from Victor Hugo's novel. Due to her status as a gypsy, Esmeralda embodied multiple mature themes that Disney could only tip-toe around. Leaving the streets of Paris behind, jeftoon01's ghoulish Esmeralda has switched both her exterior and interior.