What’s a good soap without those characters we love to hate? There have been countless soap villains throughout the history of daytime, but these 10 unforgettable baddies are in a class all by themselves. Some have come and gone over the years, a few have even made an attempt at redemption, while others are still happily wreaking havoc.
1.
Sheila Carter,
‘Young and the Restless’ and ‘Bold and the Beautiful'
2.
Roger Thorpe, ‘Guiding Light’
3.
Helena Cassadine, ‘General Hospital’
The widow of a mad scientist who tried to freeze the world,
was schooled in the art of evil-doing by the master. To get revenge on
Luke Spencer for killing her hubby, she made it a life-long mission to
rain hell on the entire Spencer clan. She kidnapped Luke’s son Lucky and
programmed him to inject his father with a brain-eating biotoxin.
4.
Stefano DiMera, ‘Days of Our Lives’
With a name like that, how could he be anything but one of
soaps’ most devious and dangerous villains? When he came to Salem,
Stefano was a crime lord being pursued by number one cop, Roman Brady.
Stefano’s desire to kill Roman and his family members was so relentless
he became one of the most maniacal villains to ever hit daytime.
Stefano and Roman’s cat and mouse game continued for years, with
Stefano eventually kidnapping Roman, holding him hostage, and replacing
him with an imposter. Stefano finally moved on from his Roman-fixation.
He kidnapped Roman’s son-in-law, held him hostage, and replaced him with
an imposter. Old habits die hard.
5.
Carlo Hesser, ‘One Life to Live’
This underground drug-trafficking mobster had not a single
redeeming quality, but he gets points for creativity. During his reign
of terror, he kidnapped sisters Megan and Sarah Gordon and trapped them
in Amish Country, and tied Sarah Roberts and Cristian Vega to a raft and
sent them over a waterfall. Carlo was last seen in 2008, which means
he’s out there somewhere plotting his next move… maybe in Amish Country.
6.
James Stenbeck, ‘As the World Turns’
James had many enemies in Oakdale, but the two main targets of
his wrath were always his arch-rival John Dixon, whom he blinded in a
car accident and tortured with a dagger, and the object of his
obsession, Barbara Ryan. 
During their marriage, James tried to drive
Barbara crazy, had her carted off to the loony bin, and, in the ultimate
display of affection, trapped her in a bullring with a raging bull.
7.
David Hayward, ‘All My Children’
8.
Vivian Alamain, ‘Days of Our Lives’
9.
Carl Hutchins, ‘Another World’
10.
Alan Spaulding, ‘Guiding Light’
