Throughout its captivating narrative, ABC’s Once Upon a Time introduced a myriad of villains, yet none can match the sheer malevolence of the wickedly cruel Cruella de Vil, portrayed by Victoria Smurfit. While characters like the Once Upon a Time‘s Evil Queen received unwarranted redemption arcs despite their heinous acts, which included casting spells that devastated entire populations, Cruella stands apart. Moreover, we have villains like Mr. Hyde (played by Sam Witwer), who strikes a sinister deal with Rumpelstiltskin (embodied by Robert Carlyle) to claim the deed to Storybrooke, allowing him to torment his foes with ease. However, none exhibit the unparalleled cruelty that defines Cruella de Vil.

Several compelling factors contribute to Cruella’s status as the most sinister character in Once Upon a Time. Her malevolent deeds and deeply troubled backstory set her apart from other antagonists. What truly distinguishes Cruella from the rest of the show’s villains is her unequivocal embrace of evil, devoid of any inclination toward redemption. Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold famously stated that evil is not inherent but rather cultivated; however, Cruella is a glaring exception to this assertion. Throughout her life, she has never wavered from her dark path, deriving pleasure from her malicious actions and reveling in the chaos she unleashes upon others.

Cruella De Vil: The Epitome of Evil in Once Upon a Time

Cruella: A Villain Without Redemption or Moral Complexity

When it comes to committing heinous acts, Cruella de Vil may not seem to operate on the same level as iconic villains like Regina (played by Lana Parrilla), Rumpelstiltskin, or Cora (portrayed by Barbara Hershey). However, she is not lacking in ambition, as she relentlessly pursues her wicked goals. Unlike her magical counterparts, Cruella relies solely on her ability to control and manipulate animals. Had she possessed access to the vast array of magical powers that other villains wielded, Cruella would have undoubtedly become an unstoppable force, posing an even greater challenge for the show’s heroes. Her cunning strategy demonstrated in the season 4 episode “Sympathy for the De Vil” exemplifies her potential for chaos and destruction.

Cruella de Vil exhibits a terrifying willingness to kidnap and even threaten to murder an innocent child to achieve her nefarious objectives, displaying a ruthless determination to secure her version of a happy ending. With no family to hold her back and devoid of any true friendships, she operates free from any moral restraints, rendering her a volatile and dangerous character. Her unpredictability surpasses that of any other villain in Once Upon a Time. Even after her death, when she makes an appearance in the Underworld during the fifth season, her thirst for revenge and her manipulative tendencies remain unquenched as she continues to scheme against the show’s heroes.

Cruella de Vil’s Infamous Backstory Highlights Her Evil Nature

The Unique Backstory of Cruella de Vil in Once Upon a Time

What truly sets Cruella apart from other characters in Once Upon a Time is her startling and twisted backstory, which reinforces her position as the most villainous character on the show. In her dedicated episode, viewers learn that as a child, she committed the unthinkable by murdering her own father through poisoning him with a toxic flower. Furthermore, her dark legacy continues as she kills her mother’s subsequent husbands, demonstrating her complete lack of empathy and remorse. When granted the power to control animals by the Author, she exploits this ability to orchestrate the brutal mauling of her own mother by her dogs. In a chilling statement, she reveals that she never attempted to embrace goodness because she found it utterly boring.

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In most cases, villains in Once Upon a Time possess tragic backstories that elicit sympathy and understanding from the audience, allowing viewers to connect with their motivations. However, Cruella’s backstory subverts this trend, presenting her as a character of unadulterated evil with no prospect of redemption. If she had been granted unlimited magical powers, alongside her already dark tendencies, and had Isaac (played by Patrick Fischler) not intervened to strip her of her ability to kill, Cruella de Vil would have wreaked havoc far beyond anything the heroes could have imagined, solidifying her status as the most formidable villain in Once Upon a Time.

Once Upon a Time is an adventure fantasy-drama series created for ABC that features fairy tale characters and their Disney incarnations in a modern setting. When Emma Swan and her son Henry accidentally

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