By their very nature, some horror movie villains are almost unstoppable and impossible to get the better of, leading to many a tense, atmospheric picture where our protagonists are properly put through the wringer as they battle to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds.
However, the horror genre has offered up certain rogues who can be taken down with one very simple trick. Whether they’re otherworldly menaces, demonic figures, or hulking powerhouses, some of horror’s finest wrong ‘uns have been taken down due to having one fairly daft, silly, or basic weakness. Should a heroic character become aware of this weak spot, it’s pretty much game over for that villain, as they either lose all their powers or simply end up dead. Granted, they may return for a sequel outing down the line, but still that weakness often remains in place.
With that in mind, then, here are ten horror villains – some of which rank amongst the greatest the genre has ever served up – who, despite their devilish dominance and sinister intentions, all had an incredibly simple way to have their rampage brought to a crashing halt.
While TNA’s Joe Hendry appears when you say his name (hey, wrestling fans!), The Conjuring franchise’s Valak goes one better than that.
To be fair, The Nun II shows that Valak can be banished by the Blood of Christ, which is obviously pretty far from a lame weakness. However, as seen in The Conjuring 2: The Enfield Case, there is one vastly easier way to take Valak down.
In that 2016 James Wan picture, Valak lurks in the shadows, causing all kinds of chaos and sinister torment for the Warrens and the poor Hodgson family. At this point, this demon is presented as a mysterious nun figure who Lorraine Warren has visions of being involved in the death of her husband, Ed. Desperate to stop this evil and save Ed from his predicted demise, Lorraine realises that she can defeat this beast simply by saying its name.
So, when Lorraine remembers the demon’s name is Valak, she berates this nefarious force and uses its own moniker to send it packing straight to Hell.
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