My Top 10 Worst Characters From Good Cartoons

And now for the spookiest Halloween scare of them all... DIFFERING OPINIONS!

For a show to be well written and... Well... good, it means the writers have to be, at the very least, semi-talented. This means that various things they do with the show must follow suit, correct? Well, it happens, not very often, that good shows, nay, even great shows, can have characters that make you want to rip your ears off just to shut them up. These are the cartoon character who pissed me off to no end just by existing. Just to lay out some rules: they must be a recurring character. Easy as it would be to yell at Bendy or whoever, I would prefer the anger be a slow build. Also, the show must be good. Much as I loathe Brian Griffin, he is par for the course with Family Guy's writing: condescending and loathesome. Nay, these must be long lasting and vile blotches on quality programs. And, as always, one per franchise.

Obviously, these are only my opinions and I have not seen EVERY SINGLE SHOW under the sun. So, prepare your grain of salt: here are my top ten most characters I hate in good shows.


10. Mandy (Grim Adventures in Billy and Mandy)

Starting out strong here... A frigging title character.

I know. Voiced by Grey Delisle, iconoclast of snark, I'm sure many people here love her... But I don't. Granted, most of the characters on this show are gratingly annoying, but Mandy is like from a different show altogether. The "straight man" to Billy and Grim, she seems to be the only character, be they human, undead, or even divine, who isn't a jabbering moron. Even Eris had her crazy moments, but Mandy never is out of control.

Don't get me wrong, the straight man is an important role. A grounded personality to play off the manic insanity around them. But, they usually come off as the butt of many a joke. Rabbit in Winnie the Pooh, Squidward in Spongebob, Mr. Wilson in Dennis the Menace. The pie needs to hit someone's face. However, Mandy is a sadistic megalomaniac who seeks to take over the planet. She's just as crazy as everyone else, but a different, less funny crazy. Also, she punishes stupid, rather than be victim to it, which isn't very funny.

She's not even fun to watch. She's pushy and mean, and makes even her rival, Mindy seem likable by comparison.

You could akin her to Light from Death Note, however, where Light lost because of his use of people as tools, and his ego, Mandy is constantly winning and put in the right. Only three times has she been put in a compromising position: losing her nerve, being put in the Monster's Mask, and when she saw her greatest fear in horror's hand. The first two don't even really count because she still won in the end without sacrificing her morals or learning a lesson, leaving only the movie.

I think if we really want to see this character done well, you have to go with Gaz from Invader Zim. She's the same kind of Rosemary's Baby/Damian type "don't Fuck with me" kid, but she's still just that: a kid. She wants to go to Chuck E. Cheese's (McBloaty's in universe), spend time with her family, or play a new video game. It's just the lengths she goes to are insanely disturbed, which matches the twisted world she occupies. And even then, she can lose. She met her match in GIR, a character just as stubborn as her and twice as crazy. As for Mandy, maybe she'd make a better Bleach villain, especially now that Aizen is a butterfly.


9. Greg (Over the Garden Wall)

If Mandy is too sour, Greg is too sweet.

Greg is a big symptom of this trend where kids are now just cute and sweet and fearless. In my experience... Yeah, not really ever the case. Children are scared. Children are mean. Children are selfish.

Cowboy Bebop has a great quote on this, saying there is nothing more innocent and cruel than a child, and I think there is a lot of truth to that. Kids don't have filters, barriers, or any real moral compass outside what they'll get spanked for.

Then you have Greg, who is like sociopathically nice and kind and utterly fearless. He meets the Beast, evil incarnate, the mother Fucking devil himself, and is like "Hi, how are you?". Ok, no. Every adult who saw this guy was pissing their pants, but Greg is just going along with him?

And, he really is just this blatant red mark on what is a TIGHTLY written series. Every character has baggage, an agenda, a history. What is Greg's big arc of redemption? He took a painted rock from a garden.

It's a nonsensical bit that amounts to just reaffirming what a modern day saint Greg is.

Compare him to his brother, Wirt, who is uncomfortable with the responsibilities of being an older brother, and still clearly has issues with his mom remarrying, and that's on top of being a teenage hormone machine who probably just wants to kill himself after every slight blunder.

*shudders from memories*

Almost too real, but I like him. He really does remind me of myself at that age... Just less fat, also his interests are way more cultured.

Greg is like someone describing their son. Sweet, adorable, can do no wrong, etcetera, etcetera. But you just know the little Bastard is actually a hellion who destroys the walls with crayons and crap.

I wouldn't be surprised if Greg was based on a member of Patrick McHale's family, possibly his son.

I say this, because another new and bafflingly odd trope is deified versions of the creators families. See: Mabel Pines and Steven Universe.

For happy go lucky and oblivious characters, I think it works best when they comically suffer. Pinkie Pie, Butters, or that little squirrel from Madagascar, most people hold a bitter cynicism towards happiness, and like to see it swatted on occasion. Even Spongebob got his licks.

But, when all is said and done, Greg isn't HORRIBLE. At least his annoying quirks solve problems rather than cause them... Speaking of...


8. Mabel Pines (Gravity Falls)

I'll never get sibling worship. I had horrible relationships with both my siblings. Granted, I'm not exactly "the norm", but it is almost creepy how much Alex loves his twin sister. He even changed the whole moral of the show because of how much he adores her.

Like, Mabel causes the Fucking apocalypse because she's sad her brother might leave her. Ummmm... That's life. My brother lives five hours away. My sister is in college. This shit happens. Its called growing up.

Nope, mystery twins forever. Twincest shippers were having a field day.

Like, wouldn't the moral of the show be much better if it was "We won't be together forever, so let's enjoy now"? Yeah, I guess it was hinting at that a little, but Dipper and Mabel going their separate ways would have really clinched it.

What is truly sad is Mabel has good moments and great moments, and was a really fun character, but as the show progressed, she became more and more selfish and unlikable. Putting everything on the line for crushes and inane bullshit.

I think Jello Apocalypse said it best in his "So This Is Basically Gravity Falls" and his open thoughts on Gravity Falls (available only if you're a Patreon sponsor of his like I am): She started out as the best character, but slowly became the worst character.

Mabel... Get therapy.


7. Poison Ivy (Batman The Animated Series... And DCAU in general)

Make no mistake, I am not referring to the comic character. Dr. Pamela Lilian Isely is a tragic figure slowly losing her humanity after Floronic Man violated her body and catastrophically altered her DNA, who has only recently found some inkling of who she once was with her relationship to Harley.

Poison Ivy in the tv series, though is... Just a girl. Yeah. That's it. Normal, ordinary woman, who for some reason is a sociopathic misanthrope. In the comics, it makes sense, she was experimented on by her professor, which adds trauma to the fact her body is now a foreign entity to her. Like, it makes sense that she's untrusting of humanity, especially men. You can tell why she belongs in Arkham versus Blackgate or Belle Reve. She's not evil, just... Broken.

But, in BTAS, it's changed to her immunity to toxins being a birth defect and her control over plants is just her using different chemicals to manipulate them, or bioengineering the plants from scratch.

And yet, there she is, petrifying people in wood like some ecological Medusa or poisoning Harvey Dent with lipstick. Hell, later, she straight up abandoned the eco-terrorism and just became a straight up crook. In Static Shock, she and Harley were internet predators. INTERNET! PREDATORS! Can't believe I'm saying this, but I think she was better off smoking weed and talking about Batman's proficiency at oral.

I'm sorry, Pam. You're great in the comics and video games, but here, you're just... Kind of a bitch.


6. Black Star (Soul Eater)

I debated putting Sakura, Sasuke, or even Naruto on here, but as much as they irk me, they at least get the job done, and Sakura did get better over time.

But... Imagine a character as dumb and overconfident as Naruto, as try hard as Sasuke, and as useless as Sakura.

That character is Black Star.

The only remaining child of the Star Clan, Black Star's entire family was destroyed for their wickedness, with Black Star's father, White Star, being an assassin even the mighty samurai, Mifune, feared.

His pedigree left him marked. All who know of the Star Clan treat Black Star like a leper. He uses bravado and machismo to cover for his tragic and mangled past.

He sounds like a cool character, right?

But... He's... Just... So... Annoying!

Rainbow Dash at her most out of character, bastardized, almost satirical points wasn't as annoying. Like, I don't care who your ancestors were, mine were pieces of shit too, but Goddamn... Just shut up for five minutes, ok! Jesus!

As the series progresses, he gets less loud, but becomes more edgelord like Sasuke, which is even more annoying, somehow. Makes me want to pound my head into a wall.

And don't get me started on how he treats Tsubaki! She's kind of the Fluttershy of the series, which could be annoying, except Black Star is just constantly (if unintentionally) bullying her and I just can't stand watching it.

I get the idea is he's actually talented but held back by his ego, but it just grates on me what a big failure he is.

For overconfident dumbasses with real skill, I would go with Bakugo. He's a bully and an asshole, but he gets his constantly, and he still gets the job done.

I mean, it's sad when the character whose whole personality is supposed to be gratingly annoying is more likable than you.

Black Star, more annoying than Excalibur.


5. Meelo (Legend of Korra)

Hey, you know what our show about western philosophy and political ideology as well as the place of old world customs and religious figures in the modern world needs? FART JOKES!

Yes... Korra once makes it once again into one of my top tens, but not for reasons I like.

Season one of Korra is best viewed as an experiement. Its the writers seeing what they can do. Can they write a cool, sympathetic villain without reforming them? Yes. Can they write a female lead whose not "the mother" of the group? Yes. Can they write a carefully crafted narrative about corruption and class warfare? Definitely.

But... Then came the bad stuff. Can they write a love triangle? No (Can anyone? ). Can they fit their new narrative into a shorter timeframe? Barely. Can they write grossout humor? God no.

Meelo sticks out like a sore thumb because he just does not fit in this world... And I don't mean like Mandy having the mannerisms of a god complex, I mean he straight up does not work in this setting. People die in this series. Korra goes through PTSD. It ends with the first LGBT couple in a kids cartoon. This is heavy stuff, and then you have... Fart bending. Fart bending.

The best comedy in Korra comes from character interactions, particularly from eccentric figures like Varrick and Bumi playing off of straight men. Not a toddler pooting to defeat an equalist and then Korra actually references it. Hearing Janet Varney say "they can't handle your farts" makes me die a little every time I hear it.

And it especially doesn't make sense because there was no gross humor in Avatar. Sokka never referenced or anything vulgar. Why'd they shoehorn it in here?

My conspiracy theory: Nick forced them to to match the new aesthetic.

Again, it got better with time, but the damage had been done. Leaving the first season tonally confused and adding a black mark to the best villain of the series, Amon.

Meelo, he's like Aang without the... Everything.


4. Princess Pony Head (Star vs the Forces of Evil)

Pass.

3. Princ- *sigh* Alright, fine.

I should say that I have not seen much of Star vs the Forces of Evil, dropping off during the first season, because I didn't really understand it.

However, clips I have seen of Ludo, Toffee, and Star's mom have shown me that the show has gotten better.

But, during my brief tenure with the show, there is... One character who stuck out in my mind.

Ugh... Pony Head.

Talking in an annoying ass voice and acting like a 90s cliche ate Smile Dip, she is everything wrong with the show.

I heard she got carted off to military school in the second season, and was like "Good, yes!" but of course they rescued her.

I suppose most of my dislike of her comes from her enmity with Marco, but she's just an unpleasant person to be around. Possessive, competitive, and she tried to kill Marco, so sociopathic.

She is such a bad character, that JelloApocalypse's "So This is Basically" portrays her as a sign of the end times for Star.

Pony Head, the only party she should be invited to is one hosted by the mob.


3. Princess Morebucks (Power Puff Girls)

Yeah, yeah, I had a bit about "my childhood ruined my adulthood" a few years back, but that just proves what a talented voice actress Jennifer Hale is. She's able to go from snobby Princess to badass FemShep.

HOWEVER, Princess is still about the worst villain in the PPG's rogues gallery, and also one of the most reoccurring. I mean, she has more episodes than so many other great villains. The Boogie Man only had one episode. Abra Cadaver only had one episode. The Broccoli Aliens only had one episode (ok, that one makes sense, but still).

What's really weird is she seems to be a parody of Little Orphan Annie, with the name being a play on Warbucks, but Annie as a character was nothing but kind, even with her horrible background. Princess is just a spoiled brat whose able to just buy power, even political power, and doesn't give a shit about what happens to anyone else due to her lack of- ok, suddenly it makes sense why I hate her so much.

Princess... She was definitely the Ringo of the Beat-Alls.


2. Beth (Rick and Morty)

I suppose I should state it is my belief that the Beth in the season 3 finale is a clone, and that the real Beth is off ruining more lives.

Beth is a psychotic daddy's girl who reminds me way too much of my own mother. Unsympathetic to her children, toxic and amoral, emotionally unbalanced, the only difference is my mother doesn't have the pedigree of being born to a mad scientist.

Beth's putting her father on a pedestal throughout the show but especially season 3 was disturbing as Hell, and seeing it culminate in her embracing her psychotic tendencies and killing a man whose life she ruined.

But, I think the worst of Beth I've seen is from Pickle Rick and It's a Rick and Jerry Adventure.

In Pickle Rick, she outright refuses to make any progress that would help her children or herself, and in Rick and Jerry, she refuses to call for help and nearly kills her daughter through sheer stubbornness.

If anything, abandoning her children to a clone was the best thing she could have done.

And Hell, while on the subject, let's talk about clone Beth: she reintroduced a very toxic element back into her kids lives. Jerry isn't the worst person in the world, but his inadequacy makes it clear he's not fit to be a guardian. Also, I like the whole dynamic he had with Rick, going to that space resort and just chilling.

If it is ever confirmed this is the real Beth, I may go back and look at this, but otherwise, as it stands...

Fuck her.


Before we get to the number one spot, here are some dishonorable mentions:

Snips & Snails: they acted as place holders while I was coming up with the list. They're annoying, but appear so rarely, I can't even truly call them recurring.

Sam Manson: I really should apologize to Grey DeLisle... Sam is an annoying stereotype of Goth and Vegan, and has no chemistry with Danny, but episode to episode, she's alright, and Butch at least really seems to love her.

Lisa Simpson: Lisa can be annoying and self righteous, but it's counterbalanced by her good nature and the times she actually acts like a kid.

Chloe/Poof/Sparky: I haven't watch Fairy Odd Parents since about the third Jimmy/Timmy Power Hour, so I can't really commentate on these "show ruining" characters.

Cadence/Shining Armor/Flurry Heart/Starlight Glimmer: Eh? I don't get violently angry when their on screen, and they all have good moments. I only included Glim Glam because this is more of a "shark jumping characters" spot.


And now... Number 1... The most annoying character ever to be animated for a decent cart- oh, you know who it is.


1. Renaldo (Steven Universe)

I don't like Steven. Amethyst has her haters. Lars makes some people want to throw their tv's out the window. But NONE of them are as universally loathed and despised as Renaldo Fryman.

Renaldo is everything about internet culture we hate. Alex Jonesian conspiracy theorist? He's been that. Keyboard Warrior SJW straw man? Been that too. Attempted murderer? TWICE!

Renaldo is the writers shining a mirror (or what they consider a mirror) onto the audience, and really it does not work.

Yes, the Steven Universe fandom drove an innocent girl to attempted suicide, bullied the staff, and have more than earned the perceived toxicity, but it's a vocal minority.

Once or twice is ok, but they keep bringing Renaldo out, it's starting to reflect poorly on them. How many times can you roast a straw man before he's nothing but cinders?

And of course, you once again have a tonal dissonance. Steven Universe humans aren't a conspiratory society. They've never been in a war, and are all just disturbingly nice and saccharine compared to the ironically more human and militant gems. Yet... Here's Renaldo, a character who acts like he should be talking about jet fuel's alleged incapability of melting steel girders. Like, all of the characters on this list do dumb shit, but Renaldo is the only one whose presence can ruin an episode. Also, his voice... Just pay a real voice actor, for crying out loud, because that guy can't act.

I don't think any words can truly describe what a painful bore he is... Other than just... Unpleasant. Unpleasant and moist. He looks so sweaty. Reminds me of working at Wendy's... Not a good foot to start on.

Renaldo, more like Hell, nah, no.

Happy Halloween.