Best Dragon Quest Villains

Dragon Quest is one of the oldest JRPG franchises around, with its very first entry coming out in 1986, one year before Final Fantasy. The series has had a foundational influence on the JRPG sphere ever since, and while it has a cult following in the West, it is massively popular in Japan.

Like any JRPG with a focus on epic adventures and climactic battles between good and evil, Dragon Quest has a stable of evil villains that threaten the world's peace. Many of Dragon Quest's stories are full of incredibly iconic villains that represent the series as well as its heroes. Here are some of the best villains in the mainline Dragon Quest game series.

8 Jasper

Dragon Quest 11 (2017)

Jasper is one of Heliodor's most renowned knights, famed for his incredible intellect and tactical acumen. He was a friend of Hendrik, but his jealousy made him an easy target for Mordegon, who used his negative emotions to turn him toward evil. Jasper soon became a major antagonist during the first Act of Dragon Quest 11.

When the Luminary is being hunted by King Carnelian, Jasper is one of the foremost pursuers, chasing him across the land. He displays his cruelty and his viciousness multiple times while hunting down the Luminary, and even puts innocents in danger for the sake of his own glory.

7 Dhoulmagus

Dragon Quest 8: Journey of the Cursed King (2004)

Dhoulmagus served as the first major villain in Dragon Quest 8, as well as the first host of Rhapthorne. He was once a student of the sage Rylus, but he was unable to learn any real magic from him and was subjected to menial jobs instead.

Desperate to gain some kind of magic, Dhoulmagus snuck into Castle Trodain and stole the scepter there, believing it would give him power. Instead, it got him possessed by Rhapthorne, who forced him to cast a curse on the entire castle, kicking off the entire game.

6 Zoma

Dragon Quest 3: The Seeds of Salvation (1988)

Zoma is the true villain of Dragon Quest 3, only revealed after the defeat of the first antagonist, Baramos. Zoma resides in the hidden Dark World, which is discovered beneath the original overworld of Dragon Quest 3.

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As a villain, Zoma is rather passive; he prefers to let his subordinates do the work, which is why he is largely hidden until his subordinate Baramos' defeat. Nevertheless, Zoma is incredibly powerful and uses the despair of those oppressed by him to sustain his power.

5 Rhapthorne

Dragon Quest 8 (2004)

Rhapthorne is the main antagonist of Dragon Quest 8, as well as its final boss. He is a great evil from the World of Darkness who attempted to use his vast power and strength to invade the World of Light. After a mighty battle, he was sealed away by seven great sages, and his soul was placed into a staff.

When the staff holding his soul was stolen by Dhoulmagus, Rhapthorne began his quest to release the seal and restore himself to his body. He took control of Dhoulmagus and used him to kill the descendants of the sages who sealed him away, changing his host whenever the staff changed hands. Rhapthorne is easily one of the most proactive villains in Dragon Quest, constantly confronting the main party at every turn.

4 Corvus

Dragon Quest 9 (2009)

Corvus was once a Celestrian guardian whose role was to protect the peace in Wormwood Creek, the city he was in charge of. He fell in love with a human woman, Serena, when he inexplicably fell to Earth and was captured by the Gittish Empire when they came to attack.

Trapped deep within the Empire's prison, Corvus' hatred and anger, coupled with the belief that he was betrayed by Serena, turned him into a vicious monster. He uses his new evil abilities to empower the Gittish Empire, ravaging the land with their mighty forces.

3 Mordegon

Dragon Quest 11 (2017)

Mordegon is a demonic sorcerer and the Lord of Shadows, as well as the main antagonist of Dragon Quest 11. He starts the events of the game by destroying the kingdom of Dundrasil, forcing the Luminary to be hidden away in Cobblestone. He then possesses King Carnelian of Heliodor, biding his time until the Luminary is discovered again.

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Mordegon was revealed to have been Morcant, the sorcerer who accompanied the hero Erdwin in his fight against Calasmos. Before Erdwin could strike the final blow, Morcant was corrupted by Calasmos's evil and stabbed Erdwin in the back, killing him. Morcant's evil side then split off and became the demon lord Mordegon.

2 Bishop Ladja

Dragon Quest 5 (1992)

Bishop Ladja is one of the foremost subordinates of Grandmaster Nimzo, and one of the biggest obstacles plaguing the heroes of Dragon Quest 5. Bishop Ladja is the most proactive of the Order of Zugzwang, and his penchants for cruelty and evil know no bounds.

Ladja is responsible for the many misfortunes experienced by the protagonist throughout his life, including the death of his father. The Bishop continues to work towards the goals of the Order of Zugzwang until he is defeated by the Hero and his family.

1 Psaro

Dragon Quest 4 (1990)

Psaro is the central antagonist of Dragon Quest 4. A demon lord searching for the Secret of Evolution, Psaro hated humanity due to his beloved being hunted by them for her tears. Her death causes him to go insane, and he becomes an unrecognizable monster by the end of the game.

Psaro is one of the most iconic villains in the series and makes multiple appearances in other Dragon Quest spin-offs. In remake versions of Dragon Quest 4, it is even possible to make Psaro a party member so long as certain conditions have been met.

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