13 Baddies Luke Cage Should Take Down

Marvel and Netflix's latest collaboration, Luke Cage, is set to be another must-see look into the superhero universe. Jessica Jones and Daredevil have already proved to be awesome, so I'm pumped for this newest addition. So far, all the characters look like complex and interesting characters, and it's Luke Cage villains that are appearing to be the most exciting. Previous iterations of Cage in the Marvel universe has seen him fight some really zany villains, so who knows what the Netflix original will add to the mix? Fans already know from the cast list that we're going to see Cottonmouth, Shades, and Mariah, but they might not be the only baddies set to show up in the series.

The villains in Luke Cage have serious potential to cause chaos. Since the dude is actually bulletproof, Cage's fight scenes and battles with baddies are going to be super interesting. His opponents are always going to have to come up with fascinating ways to outsmart him. Meanwhile, in Daredevil and Jessica Jones, the villains are multifaceted and not just one-dimensional cartoon characters so it stands to reason that Luke Cage will follow suit. We'll likely see some intense character development with the gritty villains of Cage's Harlem, and it's truly going to be a delight to see who Luke, AKA Power Man, can battle and defeat.

1. Big Brother

A guy who was born into poverty but turned to a life of crime is the perfect multi-dimensional character for a Marvel Universe baddie. After being jailed over and over again, Big Brother figured out a way to connect himself to computer systems and do evil stuff. It would be so interesting to see how Netflix gives this villain a more realistic spin.

2. Chemistro

Every superhero's got to have a mad scientist enemy. It's in the rules. Chemistro uses science to create a gun which uses radiation to transmute any substance into another form of matter. This worthy opponent and his hijinks would be perfect for the TV screen.

3. Cheshire Cat

Not to be confused with our disappearing friend in Alice and Wonderland, this "cat" is a paid assassin. He comes in from LA every now and again to shake things up for Luke Cage and the other Marvel heroes. He's got the ability to become invisible and intangible, as well as to teleport. How fun would those fight scenes be?

4. Living Monolith

I'm not sure how an Egyptology professor/archeologist-turned cult leader would fit into Luke Cage's Harlem. But you better believe I am willing to find out. Ahmet Abdol is a mutant with the ability to absorb energy from cosmic rays so he can increase his size to 30 feet. I would love to see a giant man wreaking havoc on New York.

5. The Baron

Like many of Cage's other nemeses, The Baron is a crime boss. Unlike many of Cage's other foes, The Baron and his crew live in a castle, wear knights' armor, and use weapons from the Middle Ages. The Baron doesn't have any magical powers, but uses some pretty cool old school swords. Imagine how aesthetically pleasing it would it be to see a bunch of guys roaming the streets of Harlem in armor.

6. Doombringer

A former US agent with a chip on his shoulder caused by the deaths of his wife and child? That totally fits in with the disenfranchised vibe of Netflix's Marvel villains. This guy, with his crazy exoskeleton suit and unhinged nature, makes the perfect foe for Luke Cage.

7. Black Lightning

This superhero with metahuman abilities is usually on the side of good, but in one Marvel universe comic, Black Lightning gets involved with a turf battle over protecting the city. I could totally see that sort of controversy being a thing that happens in Luke Cage. Bring it on.

8. Mr. Fish

Unluckily for Luke Cage, Mr. Fish isn't a villain who can just be flushed down the toilet like a carnival fish. This guy was an ordinary crook stealing radioactive materials from a plant when he accidentally got caught in some radioactive goo and fell in the East River. Instead of using his new half fish/half person skills for good, he chose instead to turn to a life of organized crime. It would be interesting to see how Marvel would portray this accidental merman.

9. Circus Of Crime

This evil gang of carnies uses the hypnotic powers of the Ringmaster to commit crime. In the Marvel universe, the members of the traveling circus visit New York and battle a bunch of characters like Daredevil, Spiderman, and of course Power Man. These characters would be delightfully spooky and probably add some circus-themed color to the series.

10. Gideon Mace

Gideon Mace is a disgruntled Vietnam veteran who has it in for the United States government. One of his biggest indiscretions is when he tries to create a dystopian society called Security City. The dream gets toppled by its citizens when Power Man makes it known that Mace is trying to brainwash everyone. I could totally see something like this happening in Luke Cage.

11. El Águila

This witty villain would be a delight to watch alongside the stoic Luke Cage. He has the whole multi-dimensional thing going for him, as he is a electricity-inducing mutant who battles Power Man and Iron Fist with his master swordsmanship (and lightning powers), but also uses his abilities to fight people who take advantage of the poor and needy. His charm would be an asset to the dark series.

12. Gordy

Gordy doesn't have any fantastic superpowers, but he does have the power of manipulation on lock. At first he seemed nice enough, recruiting Luke Cage to help him find a missing Pentagon worker. But then, he manipulated Power Man and Iron Fist into working a dangerous case for free, in which they almost died. His sort of smarmy, not-quite-villainous attitude feels like it would fit so well in Luke Cage.

13. Wildfire

From the official trailer, it seems like Luke Cage is going to definitely have a lot to say on the issue of racism in America, so a bigoted racist who terrorizes an African-American family would make sense as an addition to the show. Harold Paprika uses a small flamethrower device to burn down homes and fight the good guys. He's the type of villain you just want to see in handcuffs followed swiftly by jail.

There are so many directions Luke Cage could take as a series, and so many characters Power Man could face. The anticipation is killing me — somebody wake me up when Sept. 30 rolls around and the show premieres on Netflix, please.

Images: Netflix, giphy (3), Marvel Comics (10)