Though modern Cartoon Network has embraced goofy, lighthearted cartoons like Batwheels and Care Bears: Unlock the Magic, the network is known for having some previously creepy, dark animated series. Shows from the '90s and 2000s often played with some fearsome and even terrifying characters, despite being designed for children.
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Shows like The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy and Courage the Cowardly Dog are iconic Cartoon Network animated series that had consistently dark and spooky themes. However, even shows like The Powerpuff Girls and Codename: Kids Next Door had some dark characters. Some Cartoon Network characters are known for their dark and foreboding personality.
10 Creepy Eyed Girl (Dexter's Laboratory)
The "Creepy Eyed Girl," who goes unnamed in this episode of Dexter's Laboratory, is a minor character in this animated series, but she's a memorable one. In "Aye Aye Eye," Dexter returns a stuffed bunny to this little girl, only for her to end up following him around everywhere he goes.
Though Dexter's Laboratory is known for being a little dark, this mysterious girl is one of the most disturbing. With this character, the cartoon explores the dangers of having obsessive tendencies and not respecting someone's boundaries.
9 Mandy (The Grim Adventures Of Billy And Mandy)
The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy was one of the creepiest shows on Cartoon Network, known for the scary situations the three main characters find themselves in. Compared to Billy's goofy, fun-loving personality, Mandy is the most intimidating character on the show.
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Mandy is a fearsome young girl for her intelligence and brutal sarcasm. Coming from a series in which one of the main characters is the Grim Reaper, it's shocking that Mandy is even more frightening. Mandy is either beloved as a feminine icon for her outspoken personality or hated for her cruel and dark demeanor.
8 Freaky Fred (Courage The Cowardly Dog)
While The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy is a freaky type of cartoon, many fans of the network consider Courage the Cowardly Dog the scariest cartoon ever on Cartoon Network. Each episode has a different type of villain or monster, following Courage as he tries to protect his owners from the dark world of Nowhere, Kansas.
One of the most terrifying characters in this hit '90s cartoon is Muriel's nephew, Fred. While his character is gentle and soft-spoken, Fred has a fascination with cutting hair. When he corners Courage in the bathroom, he shaves the dog until he's almost entirely bald.
7 Raven (Teen Titans)
Though fans hated the Teen Titans Go! reboot of this series, the original Teen Titans was a popular cartoon in the early 2000s. Raven is one of the teenage superheroes, and despite being a fan-favorite character, she has a particularly dark demeanor.
As a half-demon, Raven is constantly struggling to use her powers for good, even though they have dark origins. She's often portrayed as "creepy" because she enjoys being a solitary person and doesn't easily open up to people. Though Raven is a do-gooder who fans root for, her past haunting her makes her one of the darkest characters from Cartoon Network.
6 The Delightful Children From Down The Lane (Codename: Kids Next Door)
Codename: Kids Next Door was a fun, silly series on Cartoon Network that followed a group of kids who "battled" adults over things kids hated, like going to the dentist or eating veggies. While the heroes of this cartoon were goofy kids with their own special interests, their nemeses were the "nice" and obedient children.
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The Delightful Children From Down the Lane worked for the overarching villain, Father. They preached about respecting adults and doing what's expected of them. While these seem like generally good morals, these children were creepy and brainwashed, making them some of the darkest villains.
5 Mad Jack (Samurai Jack)
Samurai Jack has the best cartoon protagonist, following the badass samurai as he fights against evil with a calm demeanor and level head. Since Jack is one of the most inspirational heroes in a cartoon, it only makes sense that the villain would be the exact opposite.
Mad Jack was literally designed from all of Jack's negative emotions, created by Jack's arch nemeses, Aku. In addition to this villain having a creepy and evil appearance, he is rude and hot-tempered. This representation of all the emotions Jack combats is a chilling villain that leaves a lasting impression.
4 Ghostfreak (Ben 10)
The original Ben 10 was a unique twist that featured a young boy named Ben having a supernatural watch that allowed him to change into different aliens. Though he used these aliens to protect others and defeat villains, some of his forms were scary creatures.
Ben's most terrifying transformation was Ghostfreak. This creature has the ability to make itself intangible and make others and other objects intangible. Unlike Ben's other forms, Ghostfreak has a conscience and eventually escapes from the Omnitrix. This makes Ghostfreak one of the most terrifying aliens in the series, going from the hero's tool to a fully recognized villain.
3 King Ramses (Courage The Cowardly Dog)
There are many creepy creatures from Courage the Cowardly Dog, but many fans agree King Ramses is the most terrifying. In the episode "King Ramses' Curse," Courage brings a slab into their house that turns out to be a cursed object from the Pharaoh's tomb.
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When Eustace refuses to return the slab, King Ramses appears as a ghastly spirit and releases three plagues on the Bagges' farmhouse. Despite an Egyptian curse being a cliché in the horror genre, Ramses was a truly eerie animated villain.
2 The Lich (Adventure Time)
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Adventure Time is one of the best animated fantasy series, fascinating viewers with its thorough and magical world-building. Though this was designed as a children's show, this cartoon has a large adult fanbase that loves the quirky, fantastical characters.
While there are a lot of fun characters in Adventure Time, The Lich King is the embodiment of everything evil. This villain has the most diabolical plan to destroy all life in the Multiverse, leaving him the sole being in the world. This undead sorcerer is one of the darkest characters ever in a cartoon.
1 HIM (The Powerpuff Girls)
HIM from The Powerpuff Girls is one of the most interesting villains from a '90s cartoon. Many modern viewers enjoy the fact that HIM defies gender stereotypes with his unique appearance, including a goatee and feminine costume.
However, though this villain has become somewhat of an icon in recent years, there's no denying that HIM is a truly evil character. As a demon that can take on different terrifying forms, HIM is the most powerful villain in The Powerpuff Girls series. What's also creepy about this character is there's no clear reason why he consistently targets the trio of heroes.
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