Having a little sister is one of the coolest things ever, because I still get to watch Cartoons. This is probably how my dad feels with the many cartoons we all watched growing up. So how about some cartoon villains for today, yeah? Just because they're kids shows, doesn't mean they don't have some of the baddest villains around. Some of these shows have actually feature some pretty diabolical baddies.

Take for instance Vlad Masters from the show Danny Phantom. This show came out as a stand-alone following the massive success of The Fairly Odd Parents. The series follows a 14-year-old boy named Danny and his Ghost hunting family. Yep, his parents aren't crazy, they're just a bit on the incompetent side. During an experiment gone wrong, Danny gets transformed into a hybrid of sorts. Half human and half Ghost, Danny is able to transform and fight ghosts. Pretty cool, right? Except this wasn't the first of his kind created. Jack Fenton failed at a similar experiment when he was in college, transforming his then friend Vlad into a half ghost/half human. Vlad uses his powers to rise in wealth and social standing. The one thing he was never able to obtain, however, is love. Vlad dedicates his existence to winning over Jack's wife Maddie. Upon finding this, and other evil plots, our Danny is determined to stop the man. Vlad is crazy on a whole other level. He will stop at nothing to achieve his goal. He even clones Danny at one point, creating a girl named Dani. Can you say crazy?
 
Speaking of crazy, does anyone remember Invader Zim? If you do, we're now besties, for real. Zim is kind of a mess up among his alien race, which is why they send him to Earth in hopes he'll actually conquer it. Just kidding, they wanted Zim out of the way entirely. They give him a dysfunctional robot named Gir and send them off. The ship they're sent on transforms into a lovely little house, complete with creepy garden gnomes. Zim dresses as a human boy and attends school to learn more about the planet he's planning to take over. Gir dresses as an adorable green dog, and he's literally the cutest thing ever. Now, there have been arguments that Gir is actually the evil mastermind. That's a blog for another time. Zim has to face many challenges, one of which being a conspiracy theorist little boy named Dib and his scary sister Gaz. Zim gets my villain nod here because he actually has some crazy schemes, but also because he's a cartoon villain that has kids of all ages secretly rooting for him. Zim happens to also be our protagonist, and while he is a bit of a social outcast, he's also genuinely convinced he can be better than what others see him as. Zim is easily a likable villain because he strives to prove everyone wrong about him. And that's a pretty strong message to give kids.

Unlike Vicky from Fairly Odd Parents. Now. Vicky is so straight up evil she's the reason Timmy has magical fairy god parents. Her torturous evil ways have us always hoping Timmy escapes her. This character is so bad, a famous pop star, Chip Skylark, writes a song about her and he calls it 'Icky Vicky.' On several occasions Vicky tries to get Timmy in trouble. She succeeds in getting him grounded a few times and is the reason he runs away once. Still, Vicky also is why Timmy is so close with Wanda and Cosmo. The adventures Timmy goes on to escape Vicky are not just fun, but imaginative and downright amusing. Though, she does give babysitters everywhere a bad rap. Vicky also is good at one thing, and that's always being bad.

There are so many Villains in the world. It was hard to just do a handful of these. I'm back and with three more of my favorite TV villains, because who doesn't love themselves some evil bad guys? They're the driving force behind the main plot, the counterpart to our heroes, and without them, well, there wouldn't even be a story. They help drive the conflict, and above all, they make us hate ourselves for loving them. What more do we need from them? Are they even bad when you jump with joy when they appear on your favorite show? 

The Master is not the only enemy of the Doctor, but throughout the series he has consistently become crazier, his plans more devious, and he even became the elected Prime Minister of Great Britain. During his stint with one of my favorite Doctors, the Master was responsible for a whole year that didn't happen. For a few episodes we were to believe that the Master may have actually won. Our Doctor was beyond old, Jack was imprisoned, and Martha was nowhere to be seen. We'd later learn that the Master wasn't crazy from his own accord; The High Council used the Master as a conduit to free themselves from the Time War, albeit temporarily. When the Master came back as Missy we all rejoiced. Missy was everything we loved about the Master, just wrapped in a crazier bag. But let's not talk about her final appearance with the 12th Doctor, because...my feels...
 
Subsequently Kilgrave is played by former Doctor Who star David Tennant. While we will forever look at Tennant as the 10th Doctor, he's wormed his way into my heart as the infamous Kilgrave. A telepath with an unhealthy obsession with a girl named Jessica Jones, he's dead set on making her, his again. Kilgrave spends the series doing anything a normal stalker would do. Following her, checking up on her, and even giving drugs to her neighbor in exchange for pictures of her. Kilgrave has the uncanny ability to make anyone do anything he wants with just a command. People cannot resist him. Kilgrave isn't just crazy, he's powerful. In a world where mutants or enhanced people are kind of a rarity, Kilgrave crosses all the lines, just because he can. Kilgrave rarely does things without his powers. A telepath capable of making people do what he wants is pretty scary. Seeing Tennant as a bad guy, however, is pretty magical. ​
 
To anyone who watches Steven Universe, it's hard to overlook the latest villain. We always knew Home World was somewhere we didn't want to go, but when Home World Gems check on a super weapon, we get thrown into a whirlwind. We hear much of Yellow Diamond, but we actually don't see her until Peridot contacts her. Turns out Yellow Diamond is not just large in stature, and she's not messing around with the Crystal Gems anymore and is out to destroy the earth. Unbeknownst to the Crystal Gems, a super weapon was hidden in the center of the earth and Yellow Diamond wanted nothing more but to see that happen. Yellow Diamonds' hate for the earth, and her ruthless nature make her one of my favorite TV villains.

The purpose of a villain is pretty important, but the one thing they all have to have in common is their utter conviction to what they're doing. While we may not always agree with their motives, we can certainly understand what drives them to do what they do.

​Colorado Rockies’ Star Wars Night sparked my imagination. As I glanced up at the massive mountainous jumbotron, emblazoned throughout the night with Rockies and Oakland A’s players photoshopped into Star Wars attire, I became curious about what a team full of Star Wars characters might look like. Just as I did when creating football teams full of superheroes and villains, I will assign a character to the position I think best matches their skills. Unlike the heroes’ team vs. villains’ team situation, this won’t be the Rebellion vs. the Empire. This is one baseball team made up of characters from both sides, and they’ll just have to learn to get along.
 
So, without further ado, here is my lineup for a Star Wars baseball team!

Manager: Yoda
This is a pretty easy call, in my opinion. At the Rockies’ Star Wars Night game, they had manager Bud Black’s face photoshopped onto Yoda when announcing the starting lineups. That’s because Yoda would make the quintessential manager. He’s as wise as they come, is even-keeled, and has a knack for doling out tough love. He’d be sure to get the most performance out of his roster; even his talented yet stubborn stars.  
 
Starting Pitcher: Mace Windu
When I tossed around the idea for this article and this team in conversation, multiple people I talked to (separately, mind you) thought that Mace Windu would be an excellent pitcher, just based on their gut feeling. Unprovoked and unguided, the same answer came up. I tend to agree with it. Maybe it’s his unique set of abilities and approaches or his overall presence, but he just seems to be a natural fit. Also, I’d like to think that he’d wear a really cool purple glove.
 
Relief Pitcher: Palpatine
This aging veteran still has what it takes to be a menacing presence late in the game. I imagine that his slider would be electric, a pitch that would baffle any opponent. He definitely has the smarts to work out of potential jams. All around what you need in a reliever.
 
Closing Pitcher: Darth Vader
Alright, imagine you’re headed up to bat. It’s the bottom of the ninth, all your team’s hopes rest upon your shoulders. You’re in the on-deck circle, taking a couple of practice hacks and trying to control your nerves. Just when you think you’ve gotten calmed down, you see the opposing team’s closer coming in, seemingly gliding towards you from the bullpen. And that closer is the towering, powerful, black-clad, mask-breathing, evil Darth Vader in all his intimidating glory. Good luck being composed enough to swing at his pitches. And even if you did manage to get a bat on one, he’d probably Force choke you for doing so. (All that being said, I do have some concerns about previous hand/arm injuries…)
 
Catcher: Lando
I think Lando has all the composure and coolness necessary to be a prolific catcher. He’s a smooth talker, which could both be useful in calming down and communicating with his pitcher or for chirping at and getting in the head of whoever is at bat. In the way of Berra, Piazza, Bench, and Campanella, Lando Calrissian makes for an outstanding catcher’s name too.
 
First Baseman: Chewbacca
Chewie has the height, the durability, and the capacity to stretch out for the ball with his foot on the bag, all of which make him a potent first baseman. Always there when you need him, he would absolutely be willing to play other infield or outfield positions when necessary. He has the sheer strength to bring power to the offense too. Probably a regular MVP candidate with a closet full of awards. A true team player, any franchise would be lucky to have him as a cornerstone of their squad.
 
Second Baseman: Luke Skywalker
Not sure if I’m going with young Luke in his prime here or old, mountain-dwelling retired Luke. Either one has pros. If it’s young Luke, I believe he’s got the athleticism and the sheer determination to carve out a role as a quality second baseman. If it’s old man Luke, he’ll have the added bonus of a good, albeit resistant, chemistry with the shortstop (Rey). Based on his lightsaber skills, he’d be a quick bat on the offensive side of the ball, so nice bonus there. 

Third Baseman: Boba Fett
The accuracy and power of a bounty hunter will come in handy in launching balls from the hot corner over to second for double play opportunities or all the way over to first. Fett could use his jetpack to get vertical and minimize the number of line drives blasted over his head.
 
Shortstop: Rey
Agile and quick, Rey is sure to be seen making acrobatic plays all over the middle infield. Through her staff combat, we see that she has great lateral quickness for defense and a good bat for offense. Top that off with her high IQ and she’ll have no problem reading the play, covering second and third, and defending the field outright. Definite Gold Glove Award candidate.
 
Left Fielder: Poe Dameron
Piloting the outfield, Poe would make for a fearless competitor. He would never give up on a play and would gladly risk himself for the ball at the warning track to try and make any catch. He would become a fan favorite thanks to his charisma and high-motor.
 
Center Fielder: Han Solo
I had originally considered making Han a closing pitcher, but I had some concerns about his temperament there. I think center field is a better spot for him anyway. Speed is necessary in center to cover a lot of ground quickly. Whether completing the Kessel Run or covering Coors Field’s expansive outfield, I bet he could do either in less than 12 parsecs.
 
Right Fielder: Leia
Capping off the outfield, Leia would bring exceptional chemistry with both Poe and Han. She showed flashes of speed on Endor and demonstrated a killer’s instinct with Jabba. She’s a natural team leader and a solid piece of the puzzle that brings the team together.
 
First and Third Base Coaches: R2-D2 and BB-8
I’d like some intelligence along the base paths, so I went to the droids. There could potentially be some communication issues between the players and these coaches, but I think they’d get the job done. Also, I had considered C-3PO as a base coach, but I very purposefully decided against it, as I worried that Threepio would totally be too panicky and would cop out of ever waving the runner around third to home.
 
Umpire: Jar-Jar Binks
Both umps and Jar-Jar are maligned and undervalued in the challenging role they take on. The things they do are often hated, particularly when they go against the wants of fans, and they are jeered and spat upon because of it. But deep down, it’s important to remember that there’s an actual human person behind it all. So, come on. Be a little kinder to Jar-Jar.