Henchmen are an important part of video games. Without them, many titles would be very short, as nothing would stop the protagonist from reaching and defeating the antagonist. Of course, that’s not the case with every game, it depends on how the adventure is structured. But in most cases, henchmen are vital in prolonging a story.
There are different types of henchmen. Some are on the front lines and are nothing more than cannon fodder. However, there are others who are more well-defined characters who themselves play important roles in the story. The only real definition of an accomplice is one who carries out the orders of an usually evil ruler. These are the most legendary examples of such figures.
8 Saren Arterius – Mass Effect
For much of the original Mass Effect, the highly skilled Specter known as Saren appears to be the main villain. However, halfway through the story, you find out that he is just a pawn for an advanced synthetic race called The Reapers. They partly control his mind, but he also joins them out of fear.
He believes that the heartless machines are unstoppable and that they are going to wipe out civilization. He does whatever they want to demonstrate his usefulness. At least that’s what he claims. He could therefore be seen as a sympathetic accomplice. Yet he is still one of the worst characters in the series.
7 Goombas – Super Mario Series
When it comes to video game enemies, there aren’t many as famous as Goombas. These cute little mushroom boys appear in most Super Mario games. In fact, they are usually the first enemy the Italian plumber faces. You could say they are in charge of Bowser’s army, but that makes them sound more impressive than they actually are.
In reality, they just walk slowly towards the main character and can be hit on the head with a single punch. Plus, they don’t seem to have any brainpower. Still, they remain iconic video game henchmen.
6 Goro – Mortal Kombat Series
This four-armed brute is an iconic Mortal Kombat character. In canon, he is not far behind the strongest fighters in the series, as evidenced by his several wins in Mortal Kombat tournaments. Yet he rarely fights for himself. He usually serves either Shang Tsung or Shao Khan.
He’s not the type of henchmen to plot or lead troops around. His way of helping is to brutalize anyone who causes trouble for his master. He certainly has the skills needed for such a role.
5 Harley Quinn – Batman Arkham Series
Harley Quinn is one of the most iconic henchmen (or henchmen) in various types of media. So much so that she’s kind of outgrown the roles these days. But she’s definitely a henchman through most of the Arkham series.
Her boss is, of course, The Joker. Technically, they’re lovers, but the Clown Prince mostly keeps her around to help with his plans. And she’s doing well, whether she’s stealing life-saving drugs or taking Director Sharp hostage. As always, her behavior is crazy and unpredictable no matter what she does, but she stays true to her puddin’.
4 Grunts – Halo Series
Throughout the Halo series, The Covenant has to face a slew of highly skilled and powerful Spartans. So you’d think they’d be willing to deploy their best troops to take on the likes of Master Chief and Jameson Locke. However, they usually opt for small, cowardly and easy-to-kill creatures known as Grunts.
Frankly, they are unlikely to expect a victory if they send these soldiers out. They probably only use them to slow down the Spartans. It works a bit, because it takes the heroes some time to slaughter them all. Despite not really posing a threat, they are memorable guys due to their constant presence in the Halo games and the fact that they make lots of hilarious comments.
When selecting an accomplice, you want to stay as far away from Revolver Ocelot as possible. It’s not because he’s an ineffective second-in-command. In fact, he is extremely effective for his ability to outwit and outsmart everyone in the Metal Gear Solid universe. Unfortunately, this also includes the person he is currently working for, as he betrays everyone.
Colonel Volgin, Liquid and Solidus are just some of the iconic characters he has stabbed in the back. It also usually follows the same pattern as he performs his duties pretending to be their straw man before finally revealing who he really works for at the end of the game. No one ever seems to find out about his deception until it’s too late. That’s what makes him such a legendary figure in gaming.
2 Vase Montenegro – Far Cry 3
Sometimes a villain is so iconic that they overshadow the hero. Such is the case with Vaas in Far Cry 3. Still, this madman isn’t quite the title’s main villain. Hoyt runs the show and Vaas is his right-hand man. However, he is not the most loyal of the henchmen as during the game it is revealed that he is planning a mutiny.
It never happens, but Vaas still steals the show with his long, captivating speeches. While he’s clearly an unstable and bad guy, you can’t deny his incredible charisma, which helps him become the most memorable part of the entire game. And in hindsight, he probably should have served as the real big bad guy.
1 Arthur Morgan – Red Dead Redemption 2
Main characters are not often seen as henchmen, but that is certainly the role Arthur Morgan plays in Red Dead Redemption 2. Its leader is the charismatic Dutch Van Der Linde, who leads the Van Der Linde gang. They are a criminal group that robs and kills people for their own gain. Morgan is one of the crew’s most celebrated members, and he shares an almost father-son relationship with Dutch.
During the game, however, things go wrong for everyone involved. In the process, Dutch begins to lose his mind and make many irrational decisions. As a result, Arthur struggles to stay true to his leader. It’s an incredible story and Morgan is one of the best game protagonists ever.
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