Fractured Villains, Living, Dead, and Fictional Quiz

Answer: Saddam Hussein

Hussein is his given name. The former Iraqi leader gave himself the other part of his name, "Saddam," which comes from a Persian word that means "to crush." So his whole name might mean "Hussein Who Crushes Obstacles."

Answer: Osama bin Ladin

Osama bin hidin' out. The Al Qaeda ("The Base") founder was born in Saudi Arabia in 1957 to a mega-wealthy construction company owner with over 50 children. Osama turned radical gradually through his involvement in Afghanistan (helping to fight the USSR) and his alliance with the Taliban.

He began to mastermind terrorist attacks against the US after the royal leaders of his homeland let the American military build bases on Saudi land.

Answer: Maleficent

I guess her name combines "malevolent" with "magnificent" and the name Millicent She's the Bad Fairy in Disney's "Sleeping Beauty." She causes the princess to prick her finger on the spindle and fall into an enchanted sleep. When I was little Maleficent scared me stiff. She turns into a huge scary dragon at the end.

Answer: Adolf Hitler

Perhaps the cruelest, most evil person in history, a vicious anti-Semite (and anti-lots of other groups), Hitler was directly responsible for the deaths of millions. Austrian born, he rose from a blue collar job (in fact, he was once a bum) to an all-powerful role as Germany's Fuhrer. He probably took his own life in a bunker when it became clear that the Allies were closing in.

Answer: Cruella de Vil

"Cruella de Vil, Cruella de Vil, if she doesn't scare you, no evil thing will! She's like a spider waitin' for the kill! Watch out for Cruella de Vil!" From Disney's "101 Dalmatians."

Answer: wicked stepmother

Since I'm one myself, I sympathize with stepmoms, but not those who are purposefully wicked, as in "Cinderella" and "Snow White."

Answer: The Big Bad Wolf

Villain of "The Three Little Pigs," "Little Red Riding Hood," and other tales. Wolves are actually beautiful wild creatures who are loving and loyal (to their own pack mates, at least).

Answer: Madame Umbridge

Harry Potter Book 5's villainess is perhaps the creepiest character that J.K. Rowling has created. She's a true sadist. What makes her even creepier is her soft, polite way of expressing herself.

Answer: Voldemort

The main Harry Potter villain, "He Who Shall Not be Named." Voldemort killed Harry's parents and has tried to kill Harry many times. Hopefully this cruel wizard will get his comeuppance in the end.

Answer: Joseph Stalin

Even staunch Communists agree that Stalin (leader of the USSR during WWII) was a cold-blooded killer who put millions of Russians, Jews, and others to death.

Answer: Benito Mussolini

The original Fascist was a comic but evil character. He and his pal Hitler sent millions of Jews to death camps in Europe. After execution, Mussolini's body, as well as those of his henchmen and his mistress, Claretta Petacci, were hung upside down for public display in Milan's Piazzale Loreto in April of 1945.

Answer: John Wilkes Booth

This evil assassin, an actor and a staunch Confederate, shot dear Abe Lincoln, my favorite U.S. president, during a theatrical performance.

Answer: Lee Harvey Oswald

He shot President John Kennedy in 1963, but was he part of a larger conspiracy? Jack Ruby, who shot Oswald and later died in prison, was definitely in the Mafia. (My ex-father-in-law--not a sterling character himself--was pals with Ruby.) I don't think nerdy Oswald could've thought the whole thing up on his own.

Answer: Darth Vader

James Earl Jones does the helmeted "Star Wars" villain's breathy voice. Darth is of course Luke's father.

Answer: Hannibal Lecter

Anthony Hopkins won an Academy Award for portraying "Hannibal the Cannibal" in "Silence of the Lambs." He's famous for dining on victims' body parts "with fava beans and a nice Chianti."