Best Hidden Villain Reveals (Possible Spoilers)

[emuboy]

When writing crime, horror or mystery works, a good hidden villain not revealed just before the end is a brilliant trope if done well and can stay in people's minds for a long time afterwards. Which are some movies, TV shows (live action or animated) or books that had good hidden villains revealed towards the end that stick in your mind, and which you probably didn't see but made sense afterwards. Here are some of mine, although most were made a long time ago, I haven't posted any spoilers in case anyone hasn't seen or read them and were curious to see or read them for themselves. Which are yours?

ALONG CAME A SPIDER (Movie)
TAGGART - NEST OF VIPERS (TV Movie)
WATER RATS Series 1 (TV Series)
THE HENDERSON KIDS II (TV Series)
SCREAM 3 (Movie)
THE DRY (Movie & Book)
A POCKET FULL OF RYE (Agatha Christie Novel & TV Movie)

 

[Gralin]

The Usual Suspects
Fight Club

 

[emuboy]

Two more in horror movies, where I was never sure whether the revealed villains were evil all along or whether it was circumstances that caused it?

OMEN II - Ann Thorn - was she possessed by Damien in the film's climax, or was she bad from the start?

HIDE & SEEK - David was revealed to have a split personality, an evil alter ego called Charlie. But I was never 100% sure whether the tragic death of David's wife at the start of the film was a genuine suicide as it appeared and the trauma of this set off the split personality, or whether David under the guise of Charlie murdered his wife and staged it to look like she had taken her own life.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Have to disagree with the Scream 3 one, Gale even checks their pulse when they pretend to be dead, never made sense to me. The reveal in the recent Scream was nicely done, and the OG too obviously.

I do like the reveal of Vesper’s betrayal near the end of Casino Royale.

 

[Anja_Nees]

LA Confidential
Lost season 2 - “Ben”
Saw
Mission: Impossible (before the mask reveals became a trope used in every instalment)

 

[phantom13]

HIDE & SEEK - David was revealed to have a split personality, an evil alter ego called Charlie. But I was never 100% sure whether the tragic death of David's wife at the start of the film was a genuine suicide as it appeared and the trauma of this set off the split personality, or whether David under the guise of Charlie murdered his wife and staged it to look like she had taken her own life.

Is this that godawful De Niro movie? Hard disagree with this.

Taking Lives was a poor film but the reveal is pretty solid.

Predestination was a complete mind bend but super effective.

Saw the first has to get a mention.

Id also rate the Get Outs reveal as pretty good.

As Gralin noted The Usual Suspect is the OG Daddy of this.