There’s hardly anyone out there who has put away more masked criminals than Scooby-Doo and the rest of Mystery Inc. They’ve taken down quite a few actual monsters here and there, but masked criminals are certainly their forte. From bad guys dressed as robots to others dressed as witches or zombies, they’ve stopped them all. It hasn’t been easy, though. Plenty of them have been almost too scary to handle. Here are the scariest masked criminals Scooby and the gang have faced.
10) The San Franpsycho (What’s New Scooby-Doo?)
A disguise of Rutie Banez, the San Franpsycho had sickly green skin, glowing red eyes, and a hook for a hand. This vicious baddie didn’t think twice before derailing a cable car and endangering multiple lives. He was also covered in seaweed that he could manipulate to entangle his victims. Needless to say, the San Franpsycho was horrifying as he terrorized a skateboard competition.
9) Green Ghosts (Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!)
Also known as the Phantom Shadows, the Green Ghosts are simply iconic. This is heavily due to how scary they are. Their long green robes, pointed fingers, orange faces, and long chains make them absolutely haunting. It’s their laughs, however, that are especially chilling. The fact that there are two of them doubles how frightening they are. It’s no surprise that this gruesome twosome is so scary that they’ve become some of the most memorable Scooby-Doo villains ever.
8) Dinosaur Spirit (What’s New Scooby-Doo?)
What’s more horrifying than coming face to face with a dinosaur or a ghost? The answer is being chased down by an entity that manages to be both. It causes massive destruction with its gigantic size and sharp teeth and claws. The fact that it needed to be piloted as a robot rather than just an ordinary costume meant that it wasn’t clear that this monster was another criminal in a mask, making him feel like more of a threat.
7) Ghost of Captain Cutler (Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!)
What makes Captain Cutler’s ghost so scary is that by wearing a sea diving suit, he’s wearing something that a person could have actually died in by drowning or being lost at sea. His greenish glow is positively haunting, plus there’s no escape from him on either land or sea. Giving him a speargun in Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed only made him even scarier.
6) The Mummy of Friar Serra (Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated)
The Mummy of Friar Serra is pure nightmare fuel. He may have just been a disguise for George Avocados, but this costume is terrifying just to look at. His glowing green skin and rotting flesh is extremely uneasy to look at. He’s like a Scooby-Doo-ified version of the “Return the Slab” guy from Courage the Cowardly Dog. This Friar verges on being too scary-looking for a kids’ show. Thankfully, he doesn’t quite do a whole lot.
5) Ghost of Dead Justice (Scooby-Doo, Mystery Incorporated)
The Ghost of Dead Justice is the coolest name for a Scooby-Doo villain, and possibly one of the coolest designs. He’s an undead cowboy with rotting flesh falling from his bones. This guy chasing you on horseback with his lasso at the ready to tie you down is definitely a frightening idea. Let’s not forget that he’s able to fire “demon bullets” from his pistol. These are only CGI projections, but for his victims who don’t know that, being hunted down by the Ghost of Dead Justice must feel life-threatening.
4) Nightmare Ghost (Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?)
The Nightmare Ghost has one of the most unnerving designs in all of Scooby-Doo. Its tall and lanky figure is unsettling and reminiscent of Slenderman or other similar monsters. With coins in place of its eyes, a mouth that’s partially fused shut, and blue skin, this disguise is both incredibly scary and creative. It’s one of the most unique monster designs in the franchise and one of the creepiest. The use of stilts make the disguise look even more like an actual monster. Even the special guest star Whoopie Goldberg wasn’t enough to make this villain any less creepy.
3) Ghost Clown (Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!)
This baddie blended together two of the scariest things ever into one monstrous disguise. What could be scarier than ghosts or clowns? Absolutely a Ghost Clown. His dark eyes and menacing grin has been burned in the memories of many young viewers over the years. The Ghost Clown being a disguise of Harry the Hypnotist also allowed him to hypnotize his victims and goad them into dangerous situations. How can one not be afraid of an undead clown that can hypnotize you?
2) Luna Ghost (Scooby-Doo)
The Luna Ghost was introduced in the opening scene of 2002’s Scooby-Doo movie, making him the first live action Scooby-Doo villain. He also happens to be one of the scariest of all time. His luminous white jester costume with a skull face and black eyes were truly terrifying for a kids’ movie. His spooky appearance paired with the abilities to fly and breath fire made him a thing of nightmares. He manages to be even scarier than the real monsters in the same movie.
1) Spooky Space Kook (Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!)
“Spooky” is literally in this guy’s name, and for good reason. An out-of-this-world entity with a glowing skull for a face is extraordinarily threatening and his high-pitched cackle is absolutely haunting. He’s scary just to see or hear. What makes him particularly intriguing and scary, though, is the time he was introduced. Just a handful of months before the Spooky Space Kook made his debut in Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, Neil Armstrong took the first steps on the moon. For many, the fear of space and the unknown that it offers was kicked into high gear. That made this already-terrifying villain that much scarier. The Space Kook has become one of the most recognizable monsters in the franchise as it so rightfully deserves.
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