SpongeBob Villains Guide – More Than Nautical Nonsense

Latest posts by Emily Medlock (see all)

SpongeBob villains guide is precisely what I needed a few years ago when my friends and I were creating a tier list of villains. SpongeBob SquarePants has many more “good guys” than it does “bad guys.” But that doesn’t mean the villains of Bikini Bottom never have their time to shine.

Who are the SpongeBob Villains?

Villain  Crimes How Villainous? How Many Episodes? Goal
Hooks Murder 10/10 Six Catch residents of Bikini Bottom
Mr. Krabs Theft, blackmail, assault, fraud, abuse, graverobbing, and more 7/10 Most Make as much money as possible, by any means necessary 
Plankton Attempted murder, slavery, treason, assault, torture, robbery, and more 9/10 Many Steal the Krabby Patty’s secret formula for his business to succeed
Bubble Bass Torture, perjury, theft, assault, abuse, and breaking and entering 6/10 30+ Harass SpongeBob
Flying Dutchman Kidnapping, terrorism, attempted murder 9/10 20+ Haunt the seven seas
Burger-Beard Attempted murder, theft, abuse, copyright infringement, and fraud 8/10 One movie Have a successful food truck business

The villains in SpongeBob aren’t as intense as those in a Marvel movie nor as gruesome as those in a horror movie. SpongeBob villains generally have specific motives, but sometimes the joke is that they don’t have any motives and are simply “evil.”

Main SpongeBob SquarePants Villains

These villains reign supreme for one reason or another. They are either the most “deadly” or the ones that appear in the most episodes. These are what I would consider the main SpongeBob villains.

Hooks

Hook

Hooks are the most dangerous enemy in SpongeBob SquarePants. They are one of the few enemies that have killed anyone in the series. They are actually fishermen who are leisurely fishing, but Bikini Bottom residents see them as hooks.

Mr. Krabs

While many wouldn’t consider Mr. Krabs, a villain, his attributes say otherwise. In one episode, it is revealed SpongeBob’s salary is one nickel a year, and in another, it shows Mr. Krabs paying him with fake currently known as Wacky Bucks. Then, in Big Pink Loser, SpongeBob said when he started working at The Krust Krab, he paid Mr. Krabs $100 an hour. At one point, Mr. Krabs even sells SpongeBob’s soul to the Flying Dutchmen for 62 cents.

While the disgusting penny-pinching birthday he threw for his daughter isn’t at the top of the list of his atrocities, perhaps his prank on SpongeBob and Patrick in Wet Painters does. In that episode, he threatened to kill the two if they let one speck of paint drop when they painted his quarters. Although his one strong villainous attribute is his greed, he is often seen as a protagonist.

Plankton

Plankton is considered the primary antagonist of SpongeBob SquarePants. His goal is to turn the Chum Bucket into a successful business and at times, to take over the world. Because he is extremely small and has lived in poverty, Plankton is angry at the world. The dominance of Plankton’s villainous ways fluctuates throughout the series. At times, he seems to have empathy for SpongeBob and admires the sponge’s pure heart. At other times, he does nothing but use SpongeBob for his own gain.

Bubble Bass

Bubble Bass

If you only remember Bubble Bass from the “Pickles” episode then don’t worry. This is by far his most popular appearance. Bubble Bass is the “neckbeard” of SpongeBob SquarePants, and it shows. Bubble Bass is often considered such a good villain because he is so similar to real-life semi-villains. He manipulated SpongeBob and belittled him in order to get free food. Then again, he promised SpongeBob and Patrick free food if they helped him move only to take the food for himself.

Bubble Bass appears in around fifteen episodes of SpongeBob and is problematic in each one.

Flying Dutchman

The Flying Dutchman was introduced as a humiliated ghost that haunts the seven seas, but he made his first true appearance on a Halloween episode. Mr. Krabs tells the story of the Flying Dutchman, who steals souls on Halloween. When SpongeBob and Patrick dress up as him, he appears to tell them it is offensive. But when he tears the costume off of SpongeBob, he sees that SpongeBob’s brain is exposed due to preparation for the costume. This scares the Flying Dutchman away.

In later episodes, the Flying Dutchman appears for one reason or another. His role is to do classic ghost villain things, but since he is easily scared, he isn’t very good at haunting the people of Bikini Bottom.

Burger-Beard

Burger-Beard

Burger-Beard is the main antagonist of The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water. His goal is to steal the Krabby Patty Secret Formula and become the richest food truck owner in the world. He does so by rewriting the story of SpongeBob SquarePants. The fact that Burger-Beard is played by Antonio Banderas makes him even more popular.

Memorable SpongeBob SquarePants Villains

You may have different favorite villains than I do, but for me, aside from the primary villains in the series, these are the most memorable to me.

Dennis – The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie

Dennis is a cruel mercenary hired by Plankton to kill SpongeBob and Patrick. He goes on a violent rampage during the movie and later chases the two sea creatures down. Although Dennis proves his durability by staying alive after getting crushed by the Cyclops, he is taken down by Hasslehoff’s maneuvers. That said, both encounters with Dennis ended with Dennis getting taken down by luck. So, in short, he may be the strongest villain in the series.

Count Orlok – 3 Episodes

Graveyard

  • “Graveyard Shift”
  • “The Night Patty”
  • “A Place for Pets”

Count Orlok is a killer villain, in my opinion, because he only appears for a second in three episodes, and he is seared into my brain. He first appears when he flickers the lights at the Krusty Krab when SpongeBob believes it is the Hash-Slinger Slasher. He then drinks SpongeBob’s blood in SpongeBob’s hallucination in “The Night Patty,” approving him as a fry cook. Lastly, he appears for a moment in “A Place for Pets” with his sea bat.

Flats the Flounder – 7 Episodes

  • “Sandy’s Rocket”
  • “Texas”
  • “The Bully”
  • “The Slumber Party”
  • “Squid Noir”
  • “Don’t Feed the Clowns”
  • “SpongeBob’s Big Birthday Blowout”

Flats appears throughout the series with small roles. However, in “The Bully,” he is the main antagonist. The episode is so memorable that Flats is one of the villains I think about the most. He is SpongeBob’s bully at boating school. When SpongeBob recruits Patrick to help, it is revealed that Patrick and Flats are old friends, which evidentially means Patrick is okay with Flats bullying SpongeBob.

When SpongeBob asks Mr. Puffs for help, she believes Flats has good intentions and simply talks funny. Finally, SpongeBob tells Flats’ dad what’s going on, but it turns out that even his own family is afraid of him. When Flats ends up in the hospital after chasing SpongeBob, he finds out that SpongeBob saved his life. This doesn’t mean Flats doesn’t still want to kick SpongeBob’s butt. When he attempts to hurt SpongeBob, he fails, considering SpongeBob is a sponge.

Alaskan Bull Worm – 3 Episodes

Alaksan

  • “Sandy, SpongeBob, and the Worm”
  • “My Leg!”
  • “A Place for Pets”

The Alaskan Bull Worm is a monster in the episode “Sandy, SpongeBob, and the Worm.” He is a large worm that attempts to eat SpongeBob and Sandy. Eventually, the monster is led off of a cliff, smashing Bikini Bottom, which is repaired in the next episode. In later episodes, the Alaskan Bull Worm is seen with Sandy as her pet.

Karen – Many Episodes

Karen is probably my favorite antagonist in the series. She is a waterproof supercomputer and Plankton’s wife. She is extremely intelligent, witty, and seems to care for her husband despite her lack of emotions. Karen appears in many episodes in Plankton’s lab helping Plankton with his villainous ventures.

King Poseidon – The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run

King Poseidon is the main antagonist of The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run. His vanity is the first feature introduced, and it sets the pace for the entire movie. After hearing that snails – which the king uses for wrinkle remover – are depleting, he sends a decree offering rewards for anyone who brings him a snail. When Plankton sees this, he attempts to kidnap Gary to bring to the king.

King Poseidon and Plankton do kidnap Gary and SpongeBob goes on an adventure to save the snail. When they arrive at Atlantic City, King Poseidon lock them away to await trial. The gang eventually makes it to the trial and shares nice things that SpongeBob has done. They then distract the king with a musical performance and then steal Gary back. Eventually, SpongeBob assures King Poseidon that he would understand why SpongeBob loved Gary so much if he had friends of his own. King Poseidon soon realizes this and breaks down. SpongeBob offers to be his friend and tells him that looks don’t matter to friends.

Man Ray – 21 Episodes

Man Ray

Man Ray is Mermaid Man’s arch-nemesis. He is based on Darth Vader and Black Manta (from Aquaman). He has the power to shoot lasers from his hands and hopes to one day rule Bikini Bottom. At one point, Man Ray loses his urge to do bad but regains it later on. He seems to be very ticklish and is allergic to tartar sauce, meaning he has two known weaknesses.

Mrs. Puffs – Many Episodes

Mrs. Puffs is a villain to some and a hero to others. But considering her background with the law, she is legally a criminal and hence, a “bad guy” by Nickelodeon’s standards. She was once a full-time bank robber until she started her own boating school in Bikini Bottom. She made an oath to teach anyone to drive as long as they were willing to learn. SpongeBob has been her only student that didn’t pass their test on the first try. She is known for her mental instability, which may be the root of her previous criminal activity.

DoodleBob – 4 Episodes

  • “Frankendoodle”
  • “Doodle Dimension”
  • “Bottle Burglars”
  • “Nitwitting”

DoodleBob is one of the scariest villains, in my opinion. He is a drawing that comes to life and harasses SpongeBob, attempting to erase him from existence. Although SpongeBob says he wasn’t evil but rather, a “two-dimensional creature lost in a three-dimensional aquatic world, longing for a purpose,” he returns later to prove otherwise. In another episode, SpongeBob and Patrick visit DoodleBob’s world and are terrorized again. They eventually escape with a drawn balloon, but DoodleBob lives to wreak havoc once again.

Sea Bear – 13 Episodes

Sea bear

The Sea Bear is a creature in SpongeBob that can be attracted by a myriad of things such as playing the clarinet badly or eating cubed cheese. Though they appear briefly in many episodes, the Sea Bear only has one featured episode, “The Camping Episode.” The episode follows Squidward, Patrick, and SpongeBob as they camp. Squidward is warned of the Sea Bear but doesn’t believe in them. A circle in the sand is the only way to gain protection, which Squidward does after being mauled multiple times.

Hash-Slinging Slasher – 1 Episode

The Hash-Slinging Slasher is a character in “Graveyard Shift.” He is a serial killer that Squidward invents to scare SpongeBob. He was a former fry cook that worked at the Krusty Krab until he accidentally cut one of his hands off. He replaced his hand with a rusty spatula, but was run over by a bus and fired after his death. He returns to the Krusty Krab every Tuesday night to get revenge.

Lesser-Known SpongeBob SquarePants

These villains are only seen in an episode or two and are easy to forget. Some are found in nearly ten episodes but aren’t the featured villain in the episodes. So they belong in these categories. 

One Episode Villains

  • Abrasive SpongeBob – the Abrasive SpongeBob was originally meant to make SpongeBob more assertive but it ended up making him the opposite of normal SpongeBob. He was a jerk who mentally, physically, and emotionally abused people. The visual joke as the abrasive side of SpongeBob was the green “abrasive” side of a dishwashing sponge.
  • ToyBob – ToyBob is a toy robot version of SpongeBob that Plankton created for a Christmas special. He spends the episode harassing Bikini Bottom and chasing Santa Claus.
  • Alternate Reality Mr. Krabs – if it wasn’t for one tiny detail, the world would forget about this villain. But Alternate Reality Mr. Krabs is naked, not allowing us to forget about him. He is simply a vision of what would happen if Plankton and Mr. Krabs switched lives.
  • Hoodoo Guru – Hoodoo Guru is likely a nod to the Australian band of the same name. He is a simple villain and thief, but he is a fan of Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy rather than an enemy.
  • Jelliens – Jelliens are evil jellyfish that eat residents of Bikini Bottom and make clones of them. However, they have a weakness in mayonnaise, as SpongeBob finds out.
  • Animatronic Hieronymus Glove – this is an animatronic version of Glove World founder Hieronymus Glove. He chases down SpongeBob and Patrick until the real Hieronymus Glove saves them.
  • Art Appraiser – Art Appraiser is a villain that ridicules bad art but will buy it and sell it for a lot if he finds out the artist is dead. He prefers to incite murder to ensure that his art sells with a high price tag.
  • Don Grouper – Don Grouper is an ad executive that exploits and manipulates Mr. Krabs and SpongeBob in order to steal their investment money. He makes the frozen patties out of sand, which angers SpongeBob.
  • The Big One – this giant wave eats surfers. If one wants to surf on the Big One, they have to make a sacrifice first.
  • Mini Doodles – the mini DoodleBobs are DoodleBob’s minions in his dimension. They attack SpongeBob as he travels through the dimension.
  • Dragon Jellyfish – Dragon Jellyfish is a large jellyfish that kidnaps D&D versions of Pearl and Plankton. He also has destroyed many establishments, such as the realm’s version of hospitals and the Krusty Krab.
  • BlackJack SquarePants – BlackJack is a memorable character who is SpongeBob’s cousin. As kids, SpongeBob was afraid of him as BlackJack was much larger and bullied SpongeBob. But as an adult, he is the size of SpongeBob’s toe.
  • Doctor Negative – Doctor Negative is likely a reference to Marvel’s Mister Negative. The doctor is who Squidward dresses up as to rival SpongeBob and Patrick’s Mermaid Pants and Barnacle Star.
  • Dead-Eye Plankton – he is one of Plankton’s ancestors who lived in the old west. His story is similar to Plankton’s.
  • Master Udon – a fish from Karate Island that is actually a con man who pressures SpongeBob to buy real estate.
  • Captain Scarfish – Scarfish is a starfish who is hostile towards Mr. Krabs and a generally aggressive star.
  • Coupe – Coupe is a self-driving car that won’t let SpongeBob go to the Krusty Krab because it is too disgusting. The car locks the seatbelts and won’t let SpongeBob control the steering wheel.
  • Cuddle E. Hugs – a hamster that only SpongeBob can see. It turns out that only those who have eaten an old Krabby patty can see it. Soon enough, it is revealed that the E stands for Eat.
  • El Diablo – a villain from The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run, played by Danny Trejo. He is the leader of the Flesh-eating cowboy pirate zombies.
  • Cyclops – Cyclops is a human from The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie who works as a taxidermist that turns sea creatures into decorations.
  • Plankrab – a rather repulsive fusion of Plankton and Mr. Krabs, who is created when Plankton used DNA from his antenna and Mr. Krabs’ hair.

Two or More Episode Villains

Tattletale Strangler

  • Tattletale Strangler – the Telltale Strangler is a typical criminal with only one weakness, SpongeBob and the sponge’s annoying demeanor. He spends his feature episode attempting to strangle SpongeBob – disguised as SpongeBob’s bodyguard – but can’t because of the latter’s frequent, bombastic interruptions.
  • The Moth – The Moth is one of Mermaid Man’s arch-nemeses who is voiced by none other than Mark Hamill. He is attracted to the light of SpongeBob’s house. SpongeBob eventually captures him and the enemy says he’ll see him in 57 years.
  • Helen the Felon – Helen is a simple criminal that is also a little girl. She is extremely violent and has been seen selling cookies without a license as well as escaping prison.
  • Jumbo Shrimp – Jumbo Shrimp is another villain who fights against Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy. He doesn’t play a large role in the series but is mentioned at least six times.
  • Sinister Slug – Sinister Slug is an ugly mutant slug that attacks Mermaid Man with slime. He causes trouble by traveling around Bikini Bottom to harass residents, shooting slime whenever possible.
  • Victor – Victor is an enemy in the SpongeBob movie who sees SpongeBob blow a bubble and says, “All bubble-blowing babies will be beaten senseless by every able-bodied patron in the bar.”
  • Stickyfins Whiting – Stickyfins is a thief that escapes Bikini Bottom jail. SpongeBob is tricked into being his getaway driver as he steals from stores around the town. After getting injured by SpongeBob’s horrible driving, he runs back to solitary confinement in an attempt to get away.
  • Swamp Natives – this group of villains live in the swamp and make an illegal hot sauce – likely a reference to moonshining.
  • Atomic Flounder – Atomic Flounder is the result of an experiment gone wrong. He is an elderly supervillain who once used his atomic breath to take on the heroes.
  • Dirty Bubble – Dirty Bubble is one of the main villains that rival Mermaid Man. He has a weakness to sharp objects and likes to trap the good guys inside of his bubble.
  • Dorsal Dan – Dan is a criminal from the slammer that Mrs. Puffs bonds with and eventually has a crush on.
  • Lord Poltergeist – this villain is a ghost who takes on standard ghostly tasks, blackmailing residents and convincing them he has their souls.
  • Madame Hagfish – Madame Hagfish is an old hagfish who is kind as long as people offer to help her. But she becomes quite hostile and abusive when someone doesn’t bend to her will.
  • Miss Gretel Puss – she is an older fish who attempts to band Krabby Patties for being too fun and delicious. She gets the Krusty Krab closed down and destroys SpongeBob’s house.
  • Carl – Carl was the manager of Krabby O’Monday’s, the restaurant that the Krusty Krab is turned into when Mr. Krabs retires. When it is found out that he is selling synthetic patties, Mr. Krabs takes over once again.
  • Planktonamor – a medieval wizard ancestor of Plankton who is also the main antagonist of the series version of D&D.
  • Puffy Fluffy – this small monster – that SpongeBob brings home as a pet – who acts sweet until SpongeBob turns his back. Then he gets scary, attacking Gary at every turn.

FAQs

Question: Who is the Main Antagonist in SpongeBob SquarePants?

Answer: Plankton is considered the main villain of SpongeBob. While there are dozens of other villains throughout the series, Plankton is the most prominent. 

Question: How Many Villains are in SpongeBob?

Answer: It is difficult to keep track of how many villains are in SpongeBob SquarePants. However, the answer is 80 to 90, depending on what you consider a villain.

Question: Does SpongeBob Have An Arch-Nemesis?

Answer: SpongeBob doesn’t have a direct nemesis and can even be seen attempting to make friends with Plankton. He does his best to befriend everyone, giving them the benefit of the doubt. 

The Severity of SpongeBob Villains

SpongeBob villains aren’t exactly as “evil” as villains from other shows. Some villains are simply mischievous, making waves wherever they go. However, others have attempted murder, making them the worst of all. Since there are over 80 villains throughout the series, it isn’t easy to keep them straight. But we each have a handful of the villains that we can’t stand and those that we can’t help but like. 

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