Ambition, cunning, recklessness, wild abandon. These are the defining characteristics of bad guys. And who says they can't be good to look at? Sometimes being a villain only makes them more attractive. Here are the hottest bad guys (and girls) on both the big and small screens.

There's nothing hotter than a reformed villain who fights crime. This is especially true if she fights crime in a crop top and pigtails.

It's nice to know that, between abusing his wife and murdering infants, Ramsay still has time to fit in a daily ab workout.

Mystique has the power to look like anyone she wants, but nothing is sexier than her stripped-down, true blue self. Which might be because she is played by supermodel Rebecca Romjin in the original X-Men.

He may have led a mass murdering genocide, but Benedict Cumberbatch has the perfect face to play this genetically engineered tyrant.

Claire lies, manipulates, schemes, and undermines her way to the top and out of her husband's shadow, and she looks damn good doing it. No one makes a conservative shift look quite as badass as Robin Wright.

It's not easy being the head of a large, chaotic family that's trying to take you out at every turn. It's even harder to look this ridiculously handsome. But somehow Terrence Howard manages.

As a member of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, Vivica A. Fox shows off her utterly perfect knife skills. There's nothing hotter than a woman who can handle a weapon, amirite?

For those of you who prefer your super villains with a side of emo angst, Kylo Ren is the dreamiest in the galaxy. Look at that long flowing hair! Just don't ask him about his dad.

Not only does Rose manage to run her own crime ring, but she (spoiler alert!) also evades death. Which is fantastic, because we can't imagine a season of Jane the Virgin without Bridget Regan's beautiful face.

According to Patrick Bateman, the best way to maintain a rock-hard body is with an extensive workout routine, which includes lots of senseless killing.

David McCall would be the perfect boyfriend -- with his sculpted arms and school boy grin -- right up until he starts carving your name into his chest and threatening your life. But it might be worth it just for that Ferris wheel ride...

Be honest: You'd make a deal with the devil and feed off of teenage boys, too, if you got to be as hot as Megan Fox, wouldn't you? Thought so.

She may have killed her parents, but how else are you supposed to go from being a police officer's wife to insanely hot super villain (early theories are that Barbara will become Harley Quinn!)?

There's nothing hotter than a man who'd do anything for his family. I guess it doesn't really count if "anything" includes backstabbing, murdering, manipulating and betraying, though.

No one quite captures the phrase "You sexy devil" more than Elizabeth Hurley as the Devil herself in this film from 2000.

Mirror, mirror on the wall ... Charlize Theron is definitely the fairest of them all. What was the mirror thinking telling her she wasn't?!

She'll play you like a toy, just a shiny toy she likes to play with. Then she'll tease you, tempt you, and destroy your social life -- and she'll do it in a corset and four-inch heels. We're still devastated NBC decided not to pick up the Cruel Intentions pilot, so that Sarah Michelle Gellar could reprise this role.

She's so sexy it can be hard to remember she's evil. Unless she's talking.

Denzel can make any character look good. Even a corrupt Los Angeles cop. But with that face and that coat, do you really blame us for liking him?

There's a reason every dorm room is still plastered with Brad Pitt's abs. No one looks hotter sporting bruises and dripping with sweat.

Psylocke may have been the strong and silent type as part of Apocalypse's evil squad in the latest X-Men, but words aren't needed to convey attractiveness.

Technically, he broke the law, so, technically, we get to put him on this list. Because, technically, as in, scientifically speaking, Joseph Gordon Levitt is hot. He transforms from dutiful employee to America's Most Wanted after leaking national secrets as Edward Snowden.

Even though it goes against everything we stand for, Brett Dalton has us thinking "Hail Hydra!" every time he appears on screen. That scruff!

Not even True Blood's heroine Sookie could stay away from resident bad boy Eric. But can you blame her?!

Hester frames the popular girls in her sorority for a murder spree. But only after she's convinced them to give her a makeover so she could look and feel her best doing it.

He'll propose to you, then cheat on you, and break up with you as soon as you decide to run away with him. But Freddie Stroma's British accent and undeniable charisma will have your head spinning and wondering why you were mad at him to begin with.

Alex's testimony may have landed her ex-girlfriend in prison, but could you really stay mad at that face? It's no wonder she and Piper are constantly on and off.

Kilgrave is a disgusting murderer, rapist, and kidnapper, able to bend the will of all his victims. But even a truly awful human being, when played by David Tenant, will be charming. It's just... criminal.

Watching The Fall had us so twisted. We've never seen a more attractive family man than Jamie Dornan. It's just, you know, the killing of all the young women that had us a little upset. But everyone has their flaws, right?

Scott Foley's stunning green eyes and ripped physique only add to the fact that he's now playing with the good guys. Sometimes it's easy to forget he was a part of the plot to murder the president's son. Ugh.