Top 10: Best Sailor Moon Villains

As the saying goes, a hero is only as good as his or her villain. When it comes to Sailor Moon, this billion dollar franchise has one of the most complex and devious rogues' galleries in fiction. This list counts down the ten greatest enemies Sailor Moon and her allies has faced off against over the years across all versions.

10. Vampir (Musicals)

As the primary antagonist in the 2000 Sailor Moon musical Transylvania no Mori, Vampir was the daughter of the famed vampire Dracula. After the death of her father at the hands of Sailor Moon and her allies, Vampir joins forces with a group of demons to exact her revenge on her father's killer.

Portrayed by fan-favourite Hikari Ono, Vampir was a layered character whose character arc revealed her to be more of an antihero than a straight-up villain. Combined with Ono's flawless performance in the role, Vampir has proven to be one of the most memorable creations from the musicals.

09. Nephrite (Anime)

In the 1992 anime Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon, Nephrite was Queen Beryl's second flunky in charge of collecting energy for the Dark Kingdom. Though he was initially just as manipulative and dangerous as his predecessor, Nephrite fell in love with Sailor Moon's best friend Naru and turned his back on his evil ways.

While Queen Beryl's henchmen were little more than cannon fodder in the manga at the time, Nephrite was an early example of how the anime fleshed out its villains in a creative and interesting way. His evolution from bad guy to good guy marked him as the very first reformed antagonist of the series. Additionally, his death scene goes down as one of the most gut-wrenching moments from the anime.

08. Fisheye (Anime)

As one third of the villainous Amazon Trio in Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon SuperS, Fisheye was a flamboyant cross-dresser who took on female disguises to ensnare his victims. Despite being quite flighty, Fisheye eventually uncovered Sailor Moon's identity and subsequently betrayed the Dead Moon Circus to protect her.

Much like Nephrite, Fisheye is a villain made sympathetic by his reformation. His complexity as a character is to be commended, especially given his status as one of the many queer characters in the series. Whether he's strictly considered a gay man who enjoys dressing in drag or whether he's an early example of a transgender character, Fisheye adds a bit of diversity to an already diversified cast of villains.

07. Zoisite (Anime)

As Queen Beryl's third general, Zoisite is renowned for his narcissism and deceptiveness. Over the course of Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon, Zoisite plotted the demise of Nephrite and was responsible for nearly killing Tuxedo Mask.

Zoisite had all the makings of the perfect love-to-hate character. From his catty remarks to his manipulative streak, this was one character no one wanted to cross. However, there was a soft side to this thorny villain. His loving relationship with Kunzite was an early example of the anime's groundbreaking inclusion of positive queer relationships.

06. Eudial (Anime)

The feisty Eudial made her debut in Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon S as one of the Witches 5. Intelligent and enterprising, Eudial created a variety of weapons to aid her in her quest to find the owners of the mythical Talismans. Unlike most henchmen, Eudial succeeded in her task and proved herself as being more than just a bumbling foot soldier.

There is a lot to love about Eudial. She's smart and sassy, but also quiet tragic. Eudial is alienated by her peers and her loneliness serves as a reminder that villains are not above having their feelings hurt. Due to her clear superiority to the other members of Witches 5, Eudial was singled out and was subsequently killed by the manipulative Mimete to prevent her from completing her mission before the others got the chance to act.

05. Kuroki Mio (Live Action)

As a student and part-time pop idol, Kuroki Mio was a full-time pain in the ass for Sailor Moon in the 2003 live-action television series Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon. Whether it meant lying, cheating or deceiving, she made it her personal mission to do everything it took to destroy the plucky superheroine.

No villain has ever been quite as mean as Kuroki Mio. While most villain were content to duke it out with Sailor Moon on the battlefield, Mio made it personal by nearly destroying Usagi's life outside of her identity as Sailor Moon. Mio was a sociopath through-and-through and was rarely punished for her evil deeds, which just makes her all the more dangerous.

04. Black Lady (Manga)

During the second arc of Naoko Takeuchi's manga, Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask's future daughter is transformed into the twisted femme fatale known as Black Lady. Since she is so filled with hate and resentment towards Sailor Moon, Black Lady uses the full extent of her dark powers to hurt her.

While Black Lady's characterization is fairly similar across all adaptations, her actions are far more disturbing in its original narrative. Of course, it is also how she transforms back into her former self that makes the character so compelling. Beyond that, Black Lady sets a precedent in the franchise for good girls turned bad. We'd later see this in the musicals and live-action with Sailor Mercury, as well as with Hotaru Tomoe being turned into Mistress 9.

03. Queen Nehellenia (Manga)

Queen Nehellenia was once the self-proclaimed ruler of the dark side of the moon. She was the dark counterpoint to the benevolent Queen Serenity and her resentment towards the people of the Silver Millennium led her to curse them. Though she was sealed away for her deeds, Queen Nehellenia escaped her prison and used her powers to invade the dimension of Elysion before setting her sights on destroying Sailor Moon.

While Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon SuperS is typically viewed as the anime's weakest season, its equivalent arc in the manga is arguably the strongest. Based partly off of Charles Perrault's Sleeping Beauty fairytale, Queen Nehellenia played the role of the evil fairy whose resentment towards those in power led her to curse a young princess. Her actions in the manga are despicable and she's easily one of the most evil villains Naoko Takeuchi had ever written. It's also worth mentioning that it is Queen Nehellenia who is truly responsible for the Silver Millennium's downfall due to her curse. Maleficent eat your heart out!

02. Sailor Galaxia (Musicals)

As the leader of Shadow Galactica, Sailor Galaxia's goal was to defeat the Sailor Guardians and become the ruler of all. Manipulative and ruthless, Galaxia picked off Sailor Moon's friends one by one and turned them against her. Noted for being the first person Sailor Moon ever truly hated, this flaxen-haired diva proved herself to be a truly formidable foe.

Galaxia appears in a total of seven musicals, making her one of the most frequently adapted foes in this medium. While her characterization remains similar to that of the anime, it is her brilliant mind and innovative schemes that mark her as being at her most interesting. Though she's nowhere near as evil as she is in the manga, Galaxia makes history by resurrecting Sailor Moon's past foes to help her in her mission for universal domination. If that weren't enough, she perfects gloating and mocking as well as rocking out to some of the most badass songs ever from the musicals.

01. Queen Beryl (All Versions)

Thousands of years ago, Queen Beryl was a peasant girl who fell in love with Earth's Prince Endymion. When he began seeing Princess Serenity, she turned to witchcraft to mend her broken heart. She would subsequently join forces with the dark entity known as Metallia to destroy the Silver Millennium. Years later, a resurrected Queen Beryl would return to wreak havoc on those who survived the destruction and became Sailor Moon's very first Big Bad.

Classics never truly go out of style and that really couldn't be more true in Queen Beryl's case. As the most frequently adapted Sailor Moon villain, this evil witch has been a continued thorn in Sailor Moon's side and has proven herself to be the most iconic antagonist from the series. Each version has offered something special and different, so it's difficult to really single out one as being better than the others. Truthfully, Queen Beryl is a boss ass bitch whether she's sitting on her twisted throne or singing duets with Sailor Pluto.

Review: Batgirl Vol. 3 - Death of the Family

After her difficult battle with the villainous Knightfall, Batgirl discovers that her mother has been kidnapped by the Joker. If that weren't enough, it seems that her psychotic brother has joined forces with the crazed clown.

Batgirl Volume 3: Death of the Family collects Batgirl Annual #1 and Batgirl #14-19, written by Gail Simone and Ray Fawkes with art by Ed Benes and Daniel Sampere.

From its first issue, Batgirl has marked itself as a wild ride full of action and complex character work. However, the stakes have never been quite as high as they are in Death of the Family. Simone expertly weaves a narrative that incorporates elements of the editorially mandated Death of the Family initiative and the threads of her own stories from previous arcs. It works much more effectively than it did in Catwoman and Teen Titans, which no doubt speaks to Simone's level of talent and Batgirl's tragic connection with the Joker. Death of the Family is the cumulation of what Simone had been working towards, giving readers a much-needed confrontation between Batgirl and the Joker as well as a showdown against James Gordon Jr. Arguably, the Joker and James Gordon Jr. are the most twisted foes she's faced to date. That's why it's so easy to root for Batgirl, especially when the lives of those she holds dearest lie in the balance.

Of all the individual issues in this collection, issue #19 stands as one of the strongest Simone has ever written. It's incredibly tight and the tension is nearly unbearable. In this story, we finally see Batgirl face off against her brother and the result is a total page-turner. In fact, it's quite easily defined as a game-changer for the title and leads to a pivotal moment for the titular heroine. Not only that, but the reveal of Alysia as transgender continues to show Simone's dedication to writing comics that will relate to a more diverse audience.

It's also worth discussing the annual that kicks off this collection. As a long-time fan of Catwoman, I'll admit to being quite gleeful whenever Simone includes her in a story and the fact that the annual was a Batgirl/Catwoman team-up makes that all the more worth squealing over. It's an excellent standalone story and really emphasizes the fact that we really need to see Simone writing more of Catwoman. In this adventure, Catwoman is hired to break out one of the Court of Owls' assassins from jail and comes up against Batgirl in the process. There is a clear understanding of just how complex the Feline Fatale is in this issue and we get to see her play the role of the hero.

The art in this trade paperback is quite eclectic. Simone's long-time collaborator Ed Benes takes a very traditional approach to his art, which means he draws Batgirl a little more bodacious than she needs to be. It's also a little rough in some panels and doesn't necessary suit the tone of the title. Daniel Sampere, however, is perfection. His pencils are incredibly dynamic and constantly adapt to the mood of the writing. 

Batgirl: Death of the Family proves once more why Gail Simone is the quintessential Batgirl writer. Her dialogue is strong, her character work is impeccable and her plotting is admirable. While Ray Fawkes does a commendable job on the issues he wrote in this collection, there's really no denying that Simone is just as much the star of the this book as Batgirl herself. 

Rating: A

Review: Justice League Dark Vol. 1 - In the Dark

When the dangerous sorceress known as Enchantress unleashes her magical fury on the world, Madame Xanadu assembles a supernatural task force to stop the psychotic witch.

Justice League Dark Volume 1: In the Dark collects issues #1-6 of Justice League Dark, written by Peter Milligan and featuring art by Mikel Janin.

As one of the launch titles in DC Comics' The New 52 initiative, Justice League Dark established itself as a standout with its atypical approach to the superhero genre. With a cast of magic-themed characters and its gritty tone, the book uniquely appeals to horror enthusiasts and lovers of the supernatural. While the story structure itself may be quite conventional, the characters involved and the overall aesthetic are distinct. Writer Peter Milligan strives to write deeply flawed individuals, emphasizing the notion that power does not guarantee happiness. Overall, he captures the essence of fringe comics and packages it within the realm of the mainstream.

Given the fact that this collection tells the origin of this mystical iteration of the Justice League, Milligan has a lot to contend with. He has to find a way to organically bring together the individual members of the team and succeeds by using Madame Xanadu as the catalyst for their assemblage. Unfortunately, each of these characters have their own subplots and backstories. This clutters the primary narrative. Milligan also isn't big on exposition, despite dropping references throughout about the characters' individual circumstances. For anyone unfamiliar with this cast, it'll make it that much more difficult to understand who they are and be able to root for them. Sadly, this title is actually one of the least accessible from the New 52.

Artist Mikel Janin's work in this collection is amazing. His characters are so expressive and there's a sense of realism about them. He has an excellent sense of composition and his layouts are quite creative, contributing to the book's atypical approach to comic books. Above all else, Janin's execution of the gory elements to the story is perfection.

Justice League Dark: In the Dark is undeniably one of the most distinctive and unusual books from DC Comics' New 52 initiative. It's deliciously devious and downright gruesome. While it may not be as accessible as it could be and underutilizes fan-favourite Zatanna, its potential and aesthetic is enough to make up for its shortcomings.

Rating: B

Review: Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Crystal - Episode 10

After the revelation that Sailor Moon is Princess Serenity, the Sailor Guardians travel to the moon to restore the memories of their past lives. On the moon they meet a hologram of the departed Queen Serenity who recounts the story of the downfall of the Silver Millennium. Back on Earth, the Shitennou have covered Tokyo in ice and are ready to battle the Sailor Guardians upon their return.

After the lacklustre execution of the past couple of episodes, "Act 10 MOON" promised to provide the exposition that had been hinted at from the series' debut. Through a narrated flashback from Queen Serenity, we finally get to see a fuller glimpse of life during the Silver Millennium. Sadly, she doesn't tell us much more than what we already know. One of the few revelations made is that Princess Serenity committed suicide after Prince Endymion's death. This is largely implied, which is in contrast to the manga where her death is quite graphic. The impact of her death is largely robbed of most of its meaning due to the rushed nature of the flashback. Unlike in the previous anime, this episode spends very little time on the Silver Millennium and doesn't give us an epic battle that leads to the destruction of the Moon Kingdom. In this case, Crystal does way too much telling and not nearly enough showing.

Once the curtailed sequence on the Moon is finished, the Sailor Guardians head back to Earth where they face off against the Shitennou. This sequence features a brief, but very effective four-against-four battle. A particularly memorable shot depicts Sailor Venus dodging a blast from Kunzite by scaling a wall. Tragically, the confrontation gets abbreviated much like the scenes on the Moon. It is here that Sailor Venus reveals that the Sailor Guardians loved the Shitennou, prompting her team to regain their memories of this fact. With this knowledge, the Sailor Guardians give up the fight out of love for their past loves. The problem with this isn't that they give up, but rather that the writers don't provide enough context for it. Yes they loved these men, but we need to emotionally connect with that to understand why. Once again, it's a case of telling instead of showing.

In previous reviews, I have criticized Crystal for its slow pacing and lack of action. In this episode, it's the complete opposite. The writers rush through the entire episode, jamming a the Moon sequence in with a battle against the Shitennou. The pacing was so frantic that it disconnects the viewer from the content. In other words, the writers needed to spend more time developing life on the Moon and provide viewers with an extended flashback that would have pulled people into that world. Personally, I think it would have been wiser to make the entire episode a flashback and reveal the Shitennou and the Sailor Guardians' connections to one another that way. Sadly, Sailor Moon Crystal is not quite living up to its potential.

Review: Catwoman Vol. 3 - Death of the Family

It's not easy being a thief in Gotham City and Catwoman can attest to that fact. After being put through a series of trials at the hands of the Joker, she unknowingly releases demonic energies during a caper to acquire a mystic jewel from the vaults of A.R.G.U.S.

Catwoman Volume 3: Death of the Family collects issues #13-18 and #0 of Catwoman, written by Ann Nocenti and illustrated by Rafa Sandoval.

After a year on Catwoman, Judd Winick was replaced by Ann Nocenti as the book's writer. As a former Spider-Woman scribe and the creator of Typhoid Mary, Nocenti seemed like a great fit for the title. Her first assignment on Catwoman was to give her a new origin story and provide a narrative to tie-in with the Batman event Death of the Family. Truthfully, Nocenti had a lot of fantastic ideas for her first few issues. Sadly, the execution of these ideas was all off.

The first arc of this collection sees Catwoman facing off against the Joker, as she is put through a gauntlet of harrowing trials she is barely able to survive. Intended as the book's tie-in for Death of the Family, the story provides an interesting dynamic between Batman's two most famous antagonists. The Joker uses Catwoman as a pawn in his game to rid Batman of his emotional attachments. What is so fascinating is that Catwoman states that it is the Joker that loves the Dark Knight and denounces her own feelings towards Batman. Tragically, these are the only highlights of the arc. It is otherwise very jumpy and transitions oddly between events. There also isn't enough contextualization going on, which means the reader might be a little confused by the premise of the narrative.

The second arc present in this volume sees Catwoman breaking into A.R.G.U.S.'s vault and accidentally unleashing demonic energies. In doing so, Selina's darker impulses are brought to the surface. In theory, it is a very fascinating premise and had a lot of potential. Sadly, it is squandered by much of what troubled the preceding storyline. The tone is inconsistent and the events are extremely hard to follow. If that weren't enough, Nocenti fails to provide the necessary exposition to explain what A.R.G.U.S. is and what the Black Diamond is that Selina is tasked to steal. She also introduces a male scientist for Selina to play off of, but he's sadly one-note and seems unnecessary to the overall scheme of things.

Thankfully, the collection picks up steam towards the end. Issues #17 and 18 are particularly strong, with the latter being particularly impressive for its interactions between Catwoman and Batman. We're seeing more of a conscience developing in Selina and it makes her seem more grounded than before. The origin story present in issue #0 is also worth mentioning for both its positive and negative qualities. It helps to provide some necessary background information about her past and kicks the door open for a mystery regarding her heritage. Sadly, Nocenti plagiarizes the infamous scene from Batman: Returns wherein Selina is pushed off of a building by her boss and is seemingly resurrected by cats. It feels incredibly out of place and places an element of unoriginality to her origins.

Where Catwoman: Death of the Family is concerned, it is equally as good as it is bad. The pacing is all off and the difficulty with which it takes to follow the story is a major obstacle for this collection. Still, there's no denying that Nocenti had some really interesting story ideas. For this reason, the story is actually that much more palatable. It also helps that the art is actually quite stunning. This volume's greatest redeeming quality is Rafa Sandoval's gorgeous art. His composition is impeccable and his sense of style is very unique. He's truly one of the best artists to work on the Feline Fatale in a long while.

Rating: C+

Review: Ms. Marvel Vol. 1 - No Normal

When 16-year-old Kamala Kahn is exposed to the Terrigen Mists, she discovers that she has developed superhuman powers. A superhero fangirl at heart, Kamala models herself after Captain Marvel and takes up the mantle of Ms. Marvel as Jersey City's resident vigilante.

Ms. Marvel Vol. 1: No Normal collects issues #1-5 of Ms. Marvel, written by G. Willow Wilson and illustrated Adrian Alphona.

There was a lot of hype surrounding Kamala Kahn's introduction. She was promoted as being Marvel's first Muslim superhero to headline an ongoing series and her critical reception was really concerned with this fact. As a Canadian I've had the opportunity to study Marjane Satrapi's seminal Persepolis in university and have been exposed to the groundbreaking Little Mosque on the Prairie, which was a Canadian-produced sitcom whose central theme was the contrast between conservative views on Islam and liberal interpretations of it. As such, it's nice to see that Americans are finally given the chance to see Islam being presented in a more positive and mainstream way. Nevertheless for a title that was intended to be groundbreaking and progressive, Ms. Marvel is actually very conventional and plays it safe. From the characters to the narrative, Wilson relies heavily on established tropes to move the plot forward. For example, Josh and Zoe, the title's resident ignorant and privileged white teenagers, are heavily stereotyped. Likewise, the portrayal of Kamala's parents as unadaptable immigrants straddles the fence between reality and stereotyping. Worst of all, many of the book's central themes and its narrative structure can be easily compared to Brian Michael Bendis' Ultimate Comics Spider-Man origin story for Miles Morales.

While unoriginality may be something that plagues Wilson's story structure and supporting cast, she does do something that is very important. She creates a compelling protagonist who encourages readers to relate to her. Kamala is remarkably well-written for a teenage character and it's quite easy to root for her. She's brave and she has a very strong sense of right and wrong. My personal favourite quality to Kamala is driven by doing what is right and that she has no ego in doing so. She's not seeking fame or recognition for her actions, she's merely acting like the heroes she's worshipped for so long. In fact, she feels a lot like she'd belong in the DC Universe and is very similar to the types of heroines we see over there (namely Batgirl, Supergirl, Mary Marvel and Misfit). This works in her favour particularly since Marvel's teen heroes tend to wallow in their angst. Sure she's got some angst (she's a teenager, it comes with the territory), but who wouldn't be angsty with the parents she has? 

At first glance, Adrian Alphona's art was jarring and unappealing. While it's true that it can be rough at times and the colours appear a little too muddy throughout, Alphona's atypical style is a plus in the title's column. His ability to distinguish characters from one another is to be praised and his work on Kamala is especially remarkable. He doesn't illustrate her as this devastatingly gorgeous girl with the body of a Barbie doll, instead she's this gangly teenager who is quite average in the looks department. This further helps to distinguish the character from Marvel's other Muslim heroines, Dust and Monet St. Croix, the latter of which is noted for her supermodel good looks. Alphona is also a highly skilled stylist. He depicts the characters in a wide variety of looks and gives Kamala a very clear sense of style. I was also impressed by his portrayal of Nakia. In fact, one of my favourite parts of this collection was the concept art in the back. Nakia is totally fierce! Hey G. Willow Wilson, can she get superpowers and be Kamala's sassy sidekick? Kay, thanks.

For anyone looking for an original piece of fiction, Ms. Marvel may not be the place to look for it. G. Willow Wilson really pays homage to the tropes of teen superheroes and this means relying on a lot of predictable plot devices. The situations and supporting characters are familiar, but perhaps that is irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Origin stories are tricky, so with Kamala's out of the way she can now be placed in more unique and interesting situations. Maybe we'll actually see her team-up with Dust and Monet St. Croix. As the saying goes, it can only go up from here!

Rating: B-

Review: Catwoman Vol. 2 - Dollhouse

When street kids begin disappearing from their corners, Catwoman makes it her mission to investigate this rash of kidnappings. Since she can't do it alone, she recruits the help of the handsome Detective Alvarez -- much to the dismay of her current partner-in-crime Spark.

Catwoman Volume 2: Dollhouse collects issues #7-12 of Catwoman, written by Judd Winick and art by Adriana Melo and Guillem March.

It's no secret that Catwoman had a rough start in the New 52. The first six issues of Judd Winick's run were problematic. The objectification of Catwoman's body and her reckless behaviour made the title difficult to stomach. Thankfully, Dollhouse rectifies those problems.

Where Catwoman was erratic and excessively violent in the first six issues of the series, she's written to be more grounded and calculating in this set. We're finally getting to see her put some thought into her actions, particularly with how she formulates a plan to save the street kids that are being kidnapped. She's becoming less of a hot mess and more of the antihero we know her as. This is all helped by the fact that there's a clear narrative behind the character and a defined trajectory for her. With Catwoman acting as a champion for the disenfranchised, it not only gives us insight into the character but it also sheds a light on the injustices present in our own society. Every day, sex workers face abuse and are subjected to horrendous crimes, but are ignored by the media and authorities because of their status within society.

Aside from the more layered storytelling, Winick is to be praised for the supporting cast he's created. Diversity is such a hot button topic in the comic book world lately and Catwoman proved to be an example of how creators could incorporate more diversity into their work. Since Gwen, Spark and Detective Alvarez would qualify as visible minorities, their layered personalities and importance to the overall narrative enables them to move beyond consideration as token characters. The decision to present Spark as Catwoman's love interest also defies the norms surrounding depictions of Asian-American men in fiction. They're typically henchmen or maniacal masterminds, but rarely are they ever written as alpha male lovers for Caucasian characters. Even though Winick's portrayal of these characters isn't perfect (two of them are criminals after all), it's still a step in the right direction.

Dollhouse's shortcomings have little to do with the writing or the art (which is fantastic, by the way), but it's rather the editorial team that lets the title down. Winick's arc involving the reveal of the antagonist Dollhouse and Catwoman's subsequent assault on the villain is interrupted by the "Night of the Owls" event that swept across all Batman titles at the time. Forcing Catwoman into this storyline completely derailed the arc of her own book and messed with the pacing. As such, issue #9 ended up being the weakest of the bunch.

For fans of the Feline Fatale, Dollhouse puts the character back on track with where she needs to be. She's an incredible thief who occasionally fights to protect the disadvantaged. The characterization in this collection is much stronger than in the previous and the narrative itself is quite compelling. Melo and March's art match Winick's dynamic storytelling, with beautifully choreographed action scenes and great expressive close-ups of Catwoman's face. Sadly, the interference of "Night of the Owls" really hindered this particular arc and stalled the narrative enough to be a nuisance. Ah, the things publishers will do to drum up sales.

Rating: B

Top 10: Ways 20th Century Fox Ruined the X-Men

When X-Men was released in the summer of 2000, it redefined action films and jumpstarted the superhero trend. It was sleek and stylish, proving that comic books could be adapted in a way that wasn't silly or campy. Despite taking liberties with the source text, X-Men stayed true to the essence of the comics. Mutants were presented as outcasts who are feared and hated by the general public. Its subsequent sequel X2 continued that trend and is considered by some to be one of the best comic book adaptations.

With the release of X-Men: The Last Stand in 2006, everything fell apart. The fidelity towards the comics slipped away and subsequent prequels made this even more evident. To make matters worse, continuity between the films in the franchise became a muddled mess and each entry was bloated with running times that were much longer than necessary. Sadly, every X-Men film after X2 had simply lost their way.

This list explores the many ways in which 20th Century Fox has failed the X-Men and has managed to disrespect one of the most beloved comic book teams in history.

10. Continuity Errors

On the lesser end of the mistakes made in adapting the X-Men is the overabundance of continuity errors between the films in the series. Though it may be small, this lack of attention to detail signals greater issues at play and hinder the cohesion of the franchise.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine and X-Men: First Class are the worst perpetrators of continuity errors. Cyclops appears in the former as a teenager, which is an impossibility since he would have been an infant at the time the film takes place. In the latter, Emma Frost is used as one of the primary antagonists even though she'd appeared in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which takes place a decade after First Class. Moira MacTaggert's appearance in First Class further messes up the continuity. In X-Men: The Last Stand, Moira is adapted faithfully as a Scottish doctor yet she's portrayed in First Class as an American government agent. Tragically, the list goes on.

08. Bad Writing and Poor Character Choice

X-Men and its sequel X2 can be celebrated for their straightforward narratives. Unfortunately, later entries bog down their narratives with unnecessary subplots, which cause the films to run longer than they need to be and complicate the story too much. Much of this can be attributed to bad writing and poor character choice.

X-Men: Days of Future Past is the worst film in the franchise for this. First of all, the storyline itself is heavily altered from its source text. In the comics, it is Kitty Pryde that goes back in time to prevent an assassination. In the film, it was impossible for Kitty to go back because she has not been born yet. This dilemma is "solved" by making up an unnecessary reason for Wolverine to go back in time. It would have been better for them to eschew this explanation and have Xavier go back instead.

Furthermore, DOFP introduces a subplot of Xavier and Beast using a drug to suppress their mutant abilities. It's incredibly pointless and is only there because the filmmakers were too lazy to find a way of choreographing Xavier's wheelchair and spending time on Beast's makeup.

Lastly, the film introduces Quicksilver. Aside from the fact that Evan Peters is a terrible actor and his hair looks like a cheap Halloween store wig, his character provides absolutely nothing to the movie. If they had eliminated the drug subplot, then Quicksilver could have been eliminated and Xavier could have broken Magneto out of prison, thereby providing more room for other characters to shine.

08. Too Many Mutants

It's not easy juggling an ensemble cast, but 20th Century Fox made it that much harder for themselves by throwing just about every mutant imaginable at audiences. The first film kept things simple by sticking to a core cast of three X-Men, Professor Xavier, two new mutants, and four antagonists. These numbers would swell to enormous proportions with its sequels and made it difficult to properly develop the characters used. The two worst films for committing this mistake are X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men: Days of Future Past. Both films introduce multiple new mutants to the franchise, but both fail to develop them beyond their powers.

07. Rogue

As one of the greatest X-Women in the comics, Rogue is beloved for her transition from villain to superhero. With her signature sass and iconic Southern accent, she's easily one of the most recognizable Marvel characters.

Despite this, Rogue's treatment in the films is abysmal. The first film depicts the character as a timid damsel in distress, while X2 and X-Men: The Last Stand limit her screentime and usefulness. There is so little development made with her character that she merely fades into the background. If this weren't bad enough, all of her scenes were cut for the theatrical release of X-Men: Days of Future Past with the exception of a cameo in the end.

The tragedy in all of this is that Anna Paquin is actually a fantastic actress and should have nailed this role. In fact, she's pretty much made a career out of playing sassy Southerners (see: True Blood) and yet she's completely abandoned by the directors and writers for the franchise.

06. Professor Xavier is a Jerk!

As the patriarch of the X-Men, Professor Xavier helped shape the team and was responsible for giving them their mission to create peace between humans and mutants. Xavier and his dream have been canonized in the comics as the ultimate symbol of hope. He is a champion for all those who have been outcast, perhaps because he knows what it's like having been bullied as a child and been bound to a wheelchair.

With X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men First Class, Xavier's character is completely undermined by transforming him into a commanding, sexist jerk. The Last Stand gives us a glimpse of an Xavier who wishes to control Jean Grey, while First Class characterizes him as a superficial womanizer who believes in homogenization instead of integration. This is detrimental to the character and spits in the face of who he is supposed to be. Professor Xavier should be viewed as a Martin Luther King-style leader, not some kind of shallow dictator.

05. The Marginalization of Cyclops

For many diehard fans of the X-Men, Cyclops is the greatest leader the team has ever had. He's smart, resourceful and complex, possessing a tortured quality that keeps him from indulging in his arrogance. He's also proven himself to be more dedicated to bringing about human-mutant equality than most of his fellow teammates. Of course, you'd never know this from the movies.

Even with the talented James Marsden at the helm of the character (perfect casting, by the way), Cyclops is pushed to the margins of the films and is relegated to playing the role of a cuckold. This de-valuing of the character has altered the audience's perception of him and harms the franchise.

04. X-Men Origins: Wolverine

'Nuff said.

03. The Dark Phoenix Saga

The Dark Phoenix Saga is regarded as one of the best X-Men stories ever told. It is a masterpiece delivered by the legendary Chris Claremont and John Byrne. It tells the story of Jean Grey's struggle to control a cosmic entity known as the Phoenix and her touching sacrifice to save the life of the man she loves (Cyclops, not Wolverine).

When translated to the big screen, this galaxy-spanning storyline is relegated to a subplot. This was a huge misstep on the part of the filmmakers and was truly the biggest downfall when it comes to the execution of X-Men: The Last Stand. Instead of being treated as the Big Bad she deserves to be, the Dark Phoenix largely stands around looking blankly at things. While X-Men: Days of Future Past would similarly fail its source text (another Claremont-Bryne collaboration), the mistreatment of this story robbed audiences of one of the most touching and epic narratives in the X-Men's history.

02. The Treatment of Characters of Colour

If the hatred for mutants is an allegory for racism and homophobia, then why is it that the films spend the most time developing straight, Caucasian characters? The franchise's treatment of its characters of colour is sadly quite atrocious.

Storm, easily one of the most iconic X-Men and one of its most prominent leaders, plays second fiddle to the men in the films. In fact, were it not for Halle Berry's insistence on exploring the character's powers further on film and her Oscar win in 2001, it's doubtful that she would have been utilized very much in X2 or X-Men: The Last Stand. She was also vastly under-utilized in X-Men: Days of Future Past, with those involved blaming Berry's pregnancy on how much she could have been involved.

Another trend within the franchise is the tendency to kill off characters of colour. Lady Deathstrike is killed in X2, Callisto, Arclight, Psylocke, Kid Omega and Dr. Kavita Rao are killed in X-Men: The Last Stand, Kayla Silverfox and John Wraith are killed in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Darwin is killed in X-Men: First Class, Angel in the interim between X-Men: First Class and X-Men: Days of Future Past, the Silver Samurai is killed in The Wolverine, and Storm, Bishop, Blink, Sunspot and Warpath are killed in X-Men: Days of Future Past. This distinct lack of respect towards these characters shows a surprising racist undercurrent to the films, especially since there are far fewer deaths among Caucasian characters. This ultimately destroys the entire thematic premise for the X-Men.

01. Everything About Mystique

Despite being one of the most beloved characters from the film franchise, Mystique represents everything that is wrong with the X-Men movies.

First of all, she is completely misunderstood by the writers. In the comics, Mystique is an enigmatic individual whose motives are known only by herself and is characterized as being opportunistic, misandric and extremely untrustworthy. She's also known as a leader, having been responsible for the creation of several iterations of the Brotherhood of Mutants. When translated to film, she is portrayed as a devoted henchman to Magneto in the initial trilogy and is later a weepy victim caught in the middle of Xavier and Magneto's opposing views in the prequel films. In fact, the only way she can define herself is through Xavier and Magneto. Whatever actions she may take are negated by the fact that she has become dependent on the actions of the men in her life. She isn't narcissistic at all or even remotely mysterious. The prequel films make her transparent, so much so that her codename becomes a misnomer. A well-written Mystique would be her own woman and would have originated as such. She is self-made and does not rely on men, she uses them. She wouldn't be some tragic victim. Mystique should be more Amy Dunne than the Females Are More Innocent trope. We should never be able to say this about Mystique, "behind every bitch, there's a man who made her that way."

Secondly, Mystique's body is sexualized to be easily objectified by the male gaze. Whatever agency she may have is diminished by the fact that her body is filmed in seductive poses meant to titillate the viewer. While Mystique may wield her sexuality as a weapon in the comics, she still manages to kick ass with her clothes still on.

Lastly, the character is watered down and made more palatable for audiences by eliminating one of her most notable characteristics -- she is bisexual. In the comics, Mystique is one of the pioneering queer characters whose relationship with Destiny helped to set a precedent for the depiction of same-sex families in superhero comics. As arguably the only person Mystique loved more than herself, Destiny was a compassionate woman who brought a dimension of humanity to the mysterious shapeshifting mutant through their relationship with one another. When it came to men, they were pawns in Mystique's schemes and were rarely anything more than notches in her lipstick case. Her queerness is completely ignored in the film franchise, a further example of the white-washing of the X-Men, and she is transformed into a woman who defines herself through her relationships with men.

Her entire translation to the films suggests that in order for a woman to be marketed to an audience, they must be white (let's face it, they spend a whole lot of time focusing on J-Law outside of her makeup), they must be a good girl deep down, they must be straight and they must be comfortable with revealing as much of their body as possible.