From tech bros to traitorous mentors and a literal AI bot with control issues , we ranked everyMission : Impossiblevillain by drama , chaos , and sheer Bollywood potential .

Tom Cruisemay be hanging off planes and scaling skyscrapers, but let’s be honest, what’s a spy without someone chaotic to fight in a dark tunnel or double-cross over an espresso?

From icy agents to anarchist tech bros, here’s our very serious (but also extremely unserious) ranking of every Mission: Impossible villain, with the sass, shade, and maybe a Bollywood reference or two they deserve.

8. Owen Davian (Mission: Impossible III) — Played byPhilip Seymour Hoffman

7. Solomon Lane (Rogue Nation+Fallout) — Played by Sean Harris

6. Alanna Mitsopolis aka The White Widow (Fallout + Dead Reckoning) — Played byVanessa Kirby

5. Gabriel (Dead Reckoning) — Played by Esai Morales

4. August Walker aka Mustache Cavill (Fallout) — Played byHenry Cavill

3. Kurt Hendricks (Ghost Protocol) — Played by Michael Nyqvist

2. Jim Phelps (Mission: Impossible) — Played by Jon Voight

1. The Entity (Dead Reckoning) — Played by AI

So there you have it—the villainous ranking no one asked for but everyone needed. Ethan Hunt might be the one doing motorcycle jumps off cliffs, but these chaos agents? They’re the real reason we keep showing up.

A person clings to the side of a moving airplane, performing a daring stunt

A man with an intense expression yells, "I'll do it!" in a dramatic scene from "Mission: Impossible III."

Bearded man looks surprised as a gloved hand holds a device to his neck. Text says, "It's coming."

Woman in a scene from a "Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning" film, wearing a white suit and looking with a serious expression

A man walks down a dim corridor, looking serious, in a scene from "Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning."

Man in a casual button-up shirt nods slightly, with text at the bottom: "That's the job."

Man in a suit and red shirt talking on the phone looks concerned while standing outdoors

A person in a suit wearing headphones is sitting with eyes closed, appearing to listen intently

A monitor displays a complex pattern of dots, possibly depicting data or a digital interface, set within a technical environment