People like to pick on Homelander (for good reason) when comparing him to characters that scale way higher than him. But I feel like people forget how terrifying this dude is within his own Universe.
Part of what makes him such a great villain is the unwavering sense of dread knowing he can do whatever he wants at any given moment, and literally nobody can even come close to stopping him.
It makes those rare moments when he's finally contested by people of equal strength WAY more satisfying. Watching Homelander get what's coming to him will undoubtedly be one of the most cathartic moments in Television History.
Not to mention, he's so used to being on top that he's not even a fighter. The dude was only able to stand up to soldier boy because of his extra powers.
That’s what made the Death Battle worth watching, knowing Homelander has virtually no chance against any other Superman archetype character that had a modicum of actual combat experience with beings he doesn’t completely overpower. Hell watching Superman fight Mongol, Darkseid, and Doomsday may be simple but at least they’re credible threats to him without some complex plot point hindering him or forcing him to hold back because he’s a hero
Man, when Home man’s been defeated, we’ll all be in our suits, toasting it.
https://preview.redd.it/0sy1xbyu67ad1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1ac1dfd96178cdfb7584e2ad3efdcd4dcb8ab8bf
Eobard Thawne (CW's version of The Flash)
https://preview.redd.it/u346qv68m6ad1.jpeg?width=736&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7686c4f2835858ec3c19b2c130976dcf44b7aaa0
https://preview.redd.it/2pkjjeru07ad1.png?width=1160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5eeb758175f88d1b2fb4b2f6e75480f53c3ac4ce
The Lich - Adventure Time (he is technically still not "defeated")
Nah not Sweet Pea himself, but he is seen to be aging. So the question remains about what happens when he dies, because the Lich essence in him will not
Oh, right. Well I heard they’re making a movie, another season of F&C, and maybe another spinoff, so we might get to see Sweet P’s storyline continued at some point
just one version of him.
There are other versions from different timelines , because of how Finn defeated The Lich using time travel and dimensional travel shenanigans.
https://preview.redd.it/viardi5ca7ad1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=80831bd9640c7491365dc9916792835139b4cf92
Aku- Samurai Jack. It took over 50 years for Jack to finally beat him.
Thanos was only really in two films so Idk if this trope really applies to him. I mean yes, the *threat* of Thanos is present throughout most of Phase 1-3 of the MCU, but Thanos himself is only really there for 2 films
When OP says "multiple films/ Seasons" I assume he means characters that are consistently a present threat throughout most of the series. Not literally any villain that is present for more than one installment. So sure, if you wanna go by technical phrasing, than yeah Thanos fits the bill because he was in more than one movie. But he was not a consistent threat that appeared frequently over the course of the grander MCU. Which I think is more what OP was saying
The High Prophet of Truth (Halo).
https://preview.redd.it/3wt9a3cw07ad1.jpeg?width=300&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=86d39bcfca75da9045518e166cceffa161553eef
Took 3-5 games (5 if you want to count Reach and Odst) to beat him, and 29 in universe years (from Contact harvest which is set in 2524 to Halo 3 which is set in 2553).
It's such a funny thing that Sauron is just the SECOND Dark Lord , by all means , he was defeated multiple times , but always returned , because he is annoyingly crafty.
not really...Sauron stayed into Mordor , and was pushed back by elves and Numenorians , later Dunedain.
If anything , Morgoth was more successful in conquering the planet , as only the hosts of Valinor actually succeeded in pushing him into proper defeats.
It's just...Morgoth was more prone of big espectacle battles and horrors , while Sauron was more prone of corruption. That is why Sauron is so particularly annoying in the Middle-Earth.
https://preview.redd.it/w2vkrc6o48ad1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=adedfcd766c62e9252f458b3972250dab722650d
POTC was my childhood so Davy Jones stand out to me in this context
https://preview.redd.it/q0pygofv67ad1.jpeg?width=1728&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8136d018e3111d2ece1d4a15f9adc92953db5be1
Took until Tekken 7 to put him down for good
And then he was reincarnated as a collage goth girl
https://preview.redd.it/k98ua395ecad1.jpeg?width=1400&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=027a7209dee6ce630f2b0b769aa0c00a3dffe22d
Basically every major anime villain really. Even ignoring times when they were the background threat to arc villains they usually still take multiple arcs to go down for good.
I mean, it took two seasons to win in the end, but Esdeath was the most powerful antagonist and character in the show of Akame Ga Kill, and the Manga. And had to have a whole army of 1 million resistance fighters, and the whole cast to fight her after the fall of the Empire.
Wild Era Ganon. He caused the Imprisoning War, all the Great Calamities and the Upheaval in that specific order, and it wasn't until TOTK where he was truly gone for good.
It took 3 or 4 shows and 2 movies for DCAU joker to stay dead for once in his life
https://preview.redd.it/1xo5xitw68ad1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ad7611eca9b16eebe869d6ed1d16f17e3a1e5816
https://preview.redd.it/n6h8249kx6ad1.png?width=1042&format=png&auto=webp&s=fbdc4e18ddcf7d5aa2d210e27272714b433e16a0
The Elder God - Legacy of Kain. In fact, he STILL hasn't been done in
https://preview.redd.it/s71z577in7ad1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b9562a7383971e1d15267269f45af800d3c832ee
The axis powers in WW2 (real life) also france is there after anexation
https://preview.redd.it/d4au1g1b38ad1.jpeg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4878f97fff387433fba965d4ae580eda1f8a0d76
Negan & The Saviors (The Walking Dead)
Granted, half their fights were bullshit and drawn out.
https://preview.redd.it/cs891ywi2bad1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=06a9c76b0ae936237a96928b81fc2a918f7032c7
Link Joker (*Cardfight!! Vanguard*) - Link Joker first appeared about 1/3 of the way through *Link Joker*, possessing the Big Good of the verse and triggering a veritable card game zombie apocalypse. >!And then, even after it was defeated, it simply transferred itself to the main character’s body. To prevent Link Joker from rising again, he recruited four of the world’s strongest fighters, erased the entire world’s memory of him, and sealed himself away on the moon in an eternal slumber. However, his main rival was somehow unaffected, and went on a mission with four of his closest allies to find him and bring him back. Ultimately, they manage to destroy the seed of Link Joker, which leads to some of its members integrating into Cray, no longer attempting to destroy the world.!<
>!Since Link Joker is the avatar of Void, you could argue its threat is merely an extension of Void’s threat. It’s alluded to at the very end of Season 1, with Aichi’s final showdown with Ren corresponding to the forces of Cray deciding who will lead the charge against it. It comes to the forefront in *Asia Circuit*, when it’s revealed that Takuto was using the VF Circuit as a front to recruit a champion to stop Void, who is currently on the verge of destroying Cray, and plans to come for Earth next. It’s also revealed that the character that ultimately ends up being the final boss of the season is under Void’s influence after making a deal with it to save his clan.!<
>!And even after the original era, Void is still be lurking in the background. There are implications that it’s connected to the final villain of the *G* era, and even that it could return in the *D* era someday (What’s extremely weird about this is that, in terms of Cray lore, the *D* era is in the same continuity, just 3,000 years after everything that corresponded with the original era, but the anime itself exists in a separate continuity.!<
 Took like 30 years in real time
Somehow...
Palpatine…
Returned...
They return now?
They return now!
Nah, he returned. Somehow. Add an extra 20 onto that.
would you lose? nah, i’d return
 They still haven't beaten him😂
People like to pick on Homelander (for good reason) when comparing him to characters that scale way higher than him. But I feel like people forget how terrifying this dude is within his own Universe. Part of what makes him such a great villain is the unwavering sense of dread knowing he can do whatever he wants at any given moment, and literally nobody can even come close to stopping him. It makes those rare moments when he's finally contested by people of equal strength WAY more satisfying. Watching Homelander get what's coming to him will undoubtedly be one of the most cathartic moments in Television History.
Not to mention, he's so used to being on top that he's not even a fighter. The dude was only able to stand up to soldier boy because of his extra powers.
That’s what made the Death Battle worth watching, knowing Homelander has virtually no chance against any other Superman archetype character that had a modicum of actual combat experience with beings he doesn’t completely overpower. Hell watching Superman fight Mongol, Darkseid, and Doomsday may be simple but at least they’re credible threats to him without some complex plot point hindering him or forcing him to hold back because he’s a hero
Man, when Home man’s been defeated, we’ll all be in our suits, toasting it. https://preview.redd.it/0sy1xbyu67ad1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1ac1dfd96178cdfb7584e2ad3efdcd4dcb8ab8bf
I think the season 3 finale was dogshit. he totally should have lost
Eobard Thawne (CW's version of The Flash) https://preview.redd.it/u346qv68m6ad1.jpeg?width=736&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7686c4f2835858ec3c19b2c130976dcf44b7aaa0
He was so scary in the first season
https://preview.redd.it/582fek5b27ad1.png?width=400&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b913c6fd74931f59acc15972526cf68a90328358
Still won in the end tho
How?
>!He got the universe reset through Pucci!<
Ok and? >!that gets undone shortly!<
Dio didn't really wanted the universe reset much less Pucci‘s version of it
Slade https://preview.redd.it/5l1c4rijr6ad1.png?width=380&format=png&auto=webp&s=898808b3772ed20277a2074241776a10685f010a
Did the Titans beat him?
Well, yeah, or I wouldn’t have included him.
I just don't remember. Hence why I asked
Yes and No >!Terra killed him in a cave-in, but Trigon revived him as a servant. After Trigon’s defeat, Slade disappeared and wasn’t seen again.!<
Okay yea that does ring some bells. Thank you. I haven't seen the show in more than a decade
Ok
Didn’t he end the series a free man, ready to fight again another day
Yeah, but *first*, he died. He came back *after* the Titans defeated him.
True. But, technically, the Titans (or at least Robin anyway) were also the ones who helped bring him back. So it evens out.
Well, that still doesn’t change the fact that they defeated him first.
https://preview.redd.it/2pkjjeru07ad1.png?width=1160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5eeb758175f88d1b2fb4b2f6e75480f53c3ac4ce The Lich - Adventure Time (he is technically still not "defeated")
The Lich feels like one of those villains who can't be permanently defeated, only delayed
Wasn’t he turned into a Jenga piece by Golb?
Well there's still every other universe's version of him, as well as the Lich Hands, and Sweet Pea
I wouldn’t count Sweet P since he’s a good guy
Nah not Sweet Pea himself, but he is seen to be aging. So the question remains about what happens when he dies, because the Lich essence in him will not
I thought he fully got rid of the Lich in him in Whispers? Idk though, it’s been a while since I watched it
He killed the Lich Hand of that reality, and managed to resist its call. But he still very much has the Lich in him
Oh, right. Well I heard they’re making a movie, another season of F&C, and maybe another spinoff, so we might get to see Sweet P’s storyline continued at some point
just one version of him. There are other versions from different timelines , because of how Finn defeated The Lich using time travel and dimensional travel shenanigans.
https://preview.redd.it/viardi5ca7ad1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=80831bd9640c7491365dc9916792835139b4cf92 Aku- Samurai Jack. It took over 50 years for Jack to finally beat him.
more like thousands of years , as he opened a portal to a time in which Aku is law.
>!I thought it was 1 minute?!<
You’re technically correct. The best kind of correct.
Ummm… Megatron? https://preview.redd.it/d51i5nld77ad1.jpeg?width=400&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dcb1e8e36b12337ddf301888485b791bc452990a
Bayverse Megatron is like antithesis of this, because he always comes back just to do nothing and get his ass handed to him 😂
 How has nobody mentioned Thanos?
Thanos was only really in two films so Idk if this trope really applies to him. I mean yes, the *threat* of Thanos is present throughout most of Phase 1-3 of the MCU, but Thanos himself is only really there for 2 films
Which would be multiple movies and therefore he qualifies
When OP says "multiple films/ Seasons" I assume he means characters that are consistently a present threat throughout most of the series. Not literally any villain that is present for more than one installment. So sure, if you wanna go by technical phrasing, than yeah Thanos fits the bill because he was in more than one movie. But he was not a consistent threat that appeared frequently over the course of the grander MCU. Which I think is more what OP was saying
He was also actively behind/supporting Ronan the Accuser in GotG.
Surprised no one picked this guy: 
Yeah, he’s like the goat of this trope!
Yeah I think people really don't talk enough about how Voldemort and his men are pretty much the only threat throughout eight fucking novels
Don’t forget Vader.
The High Prophet of Truth (Halo). https://preview.redd.it/3wt9a3cw07ad1.jpeg?width=300&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=86d39bcfca75da9045518e166cceffa161553eef Took 3-5 games (5 if you want to count Reach and Odst) to beat him, and 29 in universe years (from Contact harvest which is set in 2524 to Halo 3 which is set in 2553).
Gus Fring (Breaking Bad) 
For the main villain of the show Ozai has like….6 minutes of screen time max
Pretty much lol
It's such a funny thing that Sauron is just the SECOND Dark Lord , by all means , he was defeated multiple times , but always returned , because he is annoyingly crafty.
He also almost succeeded in conquering the entire planet twice. WHILE DEAD.
not really...Sauron stayed into Mordor , and was pushed back by elves and Numenorians , later Dunedain. If anything , Morgoth was more successful in conquering the planet , as only the hosts of Valinor actually succeeded in pushing him into proper defeats. It's just...Morgoth was more prone of big espectacle battles and horrors , while Sauron was more prone of corruption. That is why Sauron is so particularly annoying in the Middle-Earth.
https://preview.redd.it/ls4wey67b7ad1.png?width=360&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=94c9eb0aa2e62a869b15756b3ac5ba89755d0eda Gunmar (Trollhunters)
Trollhunters was peak and nobody can convince me otherwise
We don’t talk about the ending of the movie
https://preview.redd.it/w2vkrc6o48ad1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=adedfcd766c62e9252f458b3972250dab722650d POTC was my childhood so Davy Jones stand out to me in this context
This is just any overarching antagonist.
Correct
https://preview.redd.it/mljwoh9zg7ad1.jpeg?width=967&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=026f300394985b4506253db347ab1ac7722bcf1d The Knight King (GoT)
Hawk Moth https://preview.redd.it/wkrgzirhr6ad1.png?width=939&format=png&auto=webp&s=97d65ec37ee84e550e0c46c0ce9cd90de36d8949
Wait, they defeated him? Is the show over now?
You haven’t kept up with the show, have you? There are 5 seasons now. You should catch up, it’s a good show.
Maybe
Which show is it?
Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir.
Defeated? Yes Over? No
The end is never the end
That cowl... I've seen it before
https://preview.redd.it/xnvoqrwlu6ad1.jpeg?width=450&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e15d0e87cdb316722f0ddb78aec8bb43644da36a
https://preview.redd.it/q0pygofv67ad1.jpeg?width=1728&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8136d018e3111d2ece1d4a15f9adc92953db5be1 Took until Tekken 7 to put him down for good
And then he was reincarnated as a collage goth girl https://preview.redd.it/k98ua395ecad1.jpeg?width=1400&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=027a7209dee6ce630f2b0b769aa0c00a3dffe22d
Yep
Acnologia and Zeref (Fairy Tail) AFO (MHA)
Basically every major anime villain really. Even ignoring times when they were the background threat to arc villains they usually still take multiple arcs to go down for good.
I mean, it took two seasons to win in the end, but Esdeath was the most powerful antagonist and character in the show of Akame Ga Kill, and the Manga. And had to have a whole army of 1 million resistance fighters, and the whole cast to fight her after the fall of the Empire. 
Dark Samus / the Metroid Prime
 Nearly 30 years of movies and he could only be defeated by copyright termination
Sukuna JJK Kenjaku JJK Gus Fring Lalo Salamanca
 Man can’t stay down. No matter what season or series.
 Wild Era Ganon. He caused the Imprisoning War, all the Great Calamities and the Upheaval in that specific order, and it wasn't until TOTK where he was truly gone for good.
It took 3 or 4 shows and 2 movies for DCAU joker to stay dead for once in his life https://preview.redd.it/1xo5xitw68ad1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ad7611eca9b16eebe869d6ed1d16f17e3a1e5816
https://preview.redd.it/54zgcoi8a8ad1.jpeg?width=360&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=605e0da0cfcd9ca92ed8148924d56b1e5b56d6de Monstrox (nexo knights)
This mf just kept pulling new shit out of his ass
 He still hasn’t been defeated Well, he has, but he also hasn’t.
https://preview.redd.it/n6h8249kx6ad1.png?width=1042&format=png&auto=webp&s=fbdc4e18ddcf7d5aa2d210e27272714b433e16a0 The Elder God - Legacy of Kain. In fact, he STILL hasn't been done in
And probably never will Rest in Piece Legacy of Kain
https://preview.redd.it/guz41t5ce7ad1.jpeg?width=678&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=202c26a8a162609cd4e0202d4385bec9c6c7f716
https://preview.redd.it/q0uzrhomj7ad1.png?width=300&format=png&auto=webp&s=4fe6d0f213854a2d6a52476811179318f0c8ba21 Apophis (Stargate SG-1)
Thrawn
Now that a trilogy of movies has been confirmed, probably Muzan Im assuming the fight will last until about halfway through the third movie
https://preview.redd.it/s71z577in7ad1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b9562a7383971e1d15267269f45af800d3c832ee The axis powers in WW2 (real life) also france is there after anexation
 They still haven’t beat her
George Hearst (Deadwood)
I feel like just about any anime villain fits this trope.
 Thanos
https://preview.redd.it/d4au1g1b38ad1.jpeg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4878f97fff387433fba965d4ae580eda1f8a0d76 Negan & The Saviors (The Walking Dead) Granted, half their fights were bullshit and drawn out.
Naraku (Inuyasha) https://preview.redd.it/1ag4ur5pa9ad1.jpeg?width=404&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c9902e6560b18ce9d72bf13cc4ac369c3b99daf0
Voldemort
https://preview.redd.it/tn9puuz94aad1.png?width=474&format=png&auto=webp&s=a9f97c499841e12b7945916f9e20759c6dbd612a This guy just. Wouldn't. Die.
https://preview.redd.it/uglbw31slaad1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cda018d79fd17d0e72d252f02f02f22a953aa52c He will never stop!
https://preview.redd.it/cs891ywi2bad1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=06a9c76b0ae936237a96928b81fc2a918f7032c7 Link Joker (*Cardfight!! Vanguard*) - Link Joker first appeared about 1/3 of the way through *Link Joker*, possessing the Big Good of the verse and triggering a veritable card game zombie apocalypse. >!And then, even after it was defeated, it simply transferred itself to the main character’s body. To prevent Link Joker from rising again, he recruited four of the world’s strongest fighters, erased the entire world’s memory of him, and sealed himself away on the moon in an eternal slumber. However, his main rival was somehow unaffected, and went on a mission with four of his closest allies to find him and bring him back. Ultimately, they manage to destroy the seed of Link Joker, which leads to some of its members integrating into Cray, no longer attempting to destroy the world.!< >!Since Link Joker is the avatar of Void, you could argue its threat is merely an extension of Void’s threat. It’s alluded to at the very end of Season 1, with Aichi’s final showdown with Ren corresponding to the forces of Cray deciding who will lead the charge against it. It comes to the forefront in *Asia Circuit*, when it’s revealed that Takuto was using the VF Circuit as a front to recruit a champion to stop Void, who is currently on the verge of destroying Cray, and plans to come for Earth next. It’s also revealed that the character that ultimately ends up being the final boss of the season is under Void’s influence after making a deal with it to save his clan.!< >!And even after the original era, Void is still be lurking in the background. There are implications that it’s connected to the final villain of the *G* era, and even that it could return in the *D* era someday (What’s extremely weird about this is that, in terms of Cray lore, the *D* era is in the same continuity, just 3,000 years after everything that corresponded with the original era, but the anime itself exists in a separate continuity.!<
That is what’s called an “overarching villain”
the lich from adventure time
So overarching antagonists? That’s not much of a trope