Sugar went on to become one of Glee‘s most lovable oddballs, given her complete tone deafness and eccentric fashion sense. Not to mention, she was the catalyst for the Troubletones, without whom we never would have heard such mash-ups as “Rumour Has It/Someone Like You” and “Survivor/I Will Survive.” Still, Sugar’s first scene on the show found her telling the New Directions they “sucked ass,” before launching into a monologue about her superiority. Her bark was ultimately worse than her bite, but Sugar was far from the sweetest of the bunch.
Becky had the misfortune of being Sue Sylvester’s right-hand woman throughout Glee‘s run, which was ultimately what landed her on this list. After all, how could you dislike someone who uses Helen Mirren’s voice for her inner monologue? But her time spent in Sue’s office, plotting ways to take down the New Directions, transformed Becky into a walking insult-generator.
Spencer came to McKinley High with an enormous chip on his shoulder and the phrase “post-modern gay” on the tip of his tongue at all times. Though he ultimately became a team player in New Directions — hence his low ranking — Spencer was slow to warm in Glee‘s sixth season, choosing to bully classmate Roderick for his weight instead of cheering him on in gym class.
Jacob was a rare breed of adversary for New Directions. He didn’t want to take the glee club down like Sue Sylvester did; he just wanted to get in all the girls’ pants. Still, his disturbing obsession with Rachel, his complete lack of journalistic integrity and his sexual, uh, awakening during the glee club’s performance of “Toxic” makes him one of Glee‘s creepiest antagonists.
Before you cite all the many instances in which Puck was an invaluable member of New Directions, allow me to remind you of his early Glee days, which were spent throwing Kurt into a dumpster, trapping Artie in a Porta-Potty and throwing Slushies in Rachel’s face.
Ah, Brody — the very definition of “too good to be true.” Even though Brody started out as nothing more than a (very hot) wrench in the Finn/Rachel relationship, he went on to become one of the show’s shadiest characters. Making out with Cassandra July, Rachel’s mortal enemy? Keeping his job as a male escort from Ms. Berry? With all the secrets he kept tucked away, Brody could never fully earn the trust of Rachel — or Glee fans, for that matter.
Neil Patrick Harris’ washed-up McKinley alum was one of Mr. Schuester’s rare rivals who didn’t wear a track suit 24/7. And even though Bryan ultimately decided not to get the glee club cut from his alma mater, he did do something truly evil: provided bedazzled jean jackets for the entire group.
Not many people could shatter the dreams of Rachel Berry and Kurt Hummel with a single performance. But Harmony did just that with her mash-up of “Anything Goes/Anything You Can Do,” which left Rachel and Kurt practically hyperventiliating with nerves about NYADA. Harmony never did return for the competitive “bloodbath” she promised would take place at the next Sectionals, but her fleeting appearance on the show was an unforgettable one.
Don’t let Quinn’s perfectly curled Cheerios ponytail fool you: Even though she was an early member of New Directions, Quinn was hardly friendly to most of her fellow glee clubbers. Plus, she had pretty messed-up priorities. Case in point: She anonymously wrote the Glist — a ranking of the New Directions members, based on their sexual promiscuity — and put herself on the top for a self-esteem boost. Here’s hoping Quinn is seeing a very good therapist.
The only reason Cooter ranks fairly low on our list is his lack of actual screen time. But his abusiveness toward Coach Beiste, when he claimed to “love” her, makes him the most despicable kind of villain.
If Carmen Tibideaux’s mere presence can cause Rachel to mess up the lyrics of “Don’t Rain on My Parade” — a song that we know she was born to slay — then you can be sure she’s not easy to impress. Fortunately, Carmen came around on more than one occasion for McKinley’s NYADA hopefuls, but she also had the power to dash the hopes of Glee‘s most talented performers.
Perhaps Santana’s abuela isn’t a villain in the traditional sense of the word. She doesn’t have evil motives, and she’s not seeking world domination. But Alma did stand in the way of something much bigger: her granddaughter’s happiness. Though Alma was able to swallow her pride and attend Santana’s wedding to Brittany, her willingness to disown one of her closest relatives was completely unsettling.
Sure, Bree may have been a poor man’s Santana. We all know that. But Bree was also able to throw a relationship-ending wrench in the Jake/Marley romance, mostly by shaking her money maker throughout the “Blurred Lines” performance of Season 5. Not the classiest way to get a man, but certainly a persuasive one.
Kitty ultimately found her altruistic side during Glee‘s later seasons, but when she first appeared in the halls of McKinley, she was leading Marley right into the open arms of an eating disorder. That’s cold, even for a high school cheerleader.
Jesse was more than just a competitive rival to the New Directions. He was also Rachel’s most manipulative love interest — and she dated Brody, for crying out loud. Nothing says “dysfunctional relationship” like cracking an egg on your girlfriend’s head while telling her you loved her.
A bully in the most classic sense of the word, Karofsky made Kurt’s life a living hell before — plot twist! — coming to terms with his own homosexuality. Though Karofsky eventually made amends with Kurt, he remains in the Top 10 for that truly befuddling fling with Blaine.
Yet another member of the Shatter Rachel Berry’s Confidence Club, Cassandra July was mean all the way to her core. Whether she was seducing Brody in the rehearsal room, calling Rachel “Schwimmer” or forcing Ms. Berry to do a dance-off with zero preparation, Cassandra loved to make her students’ lives miserable — and Kate Hudson had us enjoying every minute of it.
Sebastian didn’t just look evil in that Dalton Academy uniform; he was evil. And all it took was a rock salt-infused Slushie to prove just how bad he and his minions truly were.
Truth be told, Terri would rank in the Top 3 of our list solely for faking a pregnancy. But Will’s wife gave us plenty of other reasons to dislike her, including a nasty streak of selfishness that would even impress Sue Sylvester.
There isn’t enough room here to recap even a handful of Santana’s best zingers (though calling Kurt a “sexless, self-centered baton twirler” ranks very high on the list). Santana’s brutal honesty was what made her an incredible foe for Rachel, Kurt and the other lacking-in-confidence New Directions members. Still, Santana doesn’t take the title of Biggest Villain because, at her core, she was too good. Sure, she tried to take Rachel’s Broadway dreams away from her, called Sam “Trouty Mouth” and took Finn’s virginity just because she could. But Santana has also been fiercely supportive of her friends (and, at times, even her enemies), all the while remaining one-half of one of Glee‘s most beloved couples. The crown of Biggest Villain is one that Santana, quite frankly, is a little too nice to wear.
Sue Sylvester, on the other hand, could never do a good deed on Glee without making you ask, “What’s the catch?” For every sentimental moment Sue allowed herself to have, she brought five heinous acts of cruelty upon Mr. Schuester and the rest of the glee club. (Most recently, she blew up Will’s car “just for fun,” which seems like an appropriate way to cap their tumultous relationship.) There’s no doubt that Sue has a good side — but she tops this list because her bad side is a lot more fun.