Greatest Villains of All Time: Eric Sparrow
The Search for the Greatest Villain of All Time
It might sound unexpected, but one of the most unforgettable villains in video game history came not from an epic fantasy or gritty shooter—but from a skateboarding game. Players who dove into Tony Hawk’s Underground back in 2003 still carry a special kind of grudge. Eric Sparrow didn’t just annoy; he ignited a lasting hatred. With his manipulative antics and backstabbing ways, Eric stands out as perhaps the most infuriating, want-to-punch-in-the-face character to ever grace a video game.
True Hatred
It's often said that a villain’s greatest weapon is fear. After achieving power and reputation, they rarely ever have to use their power because of their reputation. The dread they inspire keeps the world in check. But they are only feared because the average person cannot oppose them. People merely hope they will never have to face the villain’s wrath, often going out of their way to stay out of the villain's way. That fear, passive and paralyzing, is how nearly every villain is viewed—and understandably so.
But Eric Sparrow invokes a different response: hatred. His villainy isn’t grand or terrifying—it’s pathetic, petty, and personal. You are not afraid of him, because you are better than him. You can not only oppose him; you can defeat him. You hate him because he slithers through every consequence, weaseling out of punishment again and again. With every smug grin and unearned victory, Eric becomes a living insult to justice itself—a walking reminder that sometimes the worst people never get what they deserve.
Wanting
Cowardly, petty, and borderline malicious, Eric Sparrow nonetheless anchors the entire story of Tony Hawk’s Underground. Every major twist and setback traces back to him—from sabotaging your shot at a life-changing skate competition, to stealing the footage of your death-defying trick over a helicopter in Hawaii, to stranding you in a Russian jail for a crime he committed. He isn’t just a thorn in your side; he’s the engine behind the entire plot.
What sets Eric apart though isn’t just his actions, but the cruel clarity with which he carries them out. He knows exactly what he’s doing. He doesn’t stumble into villainy—he dives into it, fully aware that he doesn’t have the talent or charisma to succeed on his own. So, instead of earning the spotlight, he hijacks it. He doesn’t simply envy your success—he wants to erase it. He doesn’t want what you have; he wants you to have nothing.
I played this game to death when it came out, and what I remember most after all these years aren't the levels, the skater cameos, or special moves—it's Eric Sparrow's face, and I want to punch it.
Our Cruel Reality
The root of this hatred comes from the fact that we all know someone like him. We all have, or have had, an Eric Sparrow in our lives. The so-called “friend” who repeatedly took advantage of your trust. The believable liar who we naively kept forgiving, only to be betrayed again. In Tony Hawk's Underground, Eric Sparrow is your “best friend”, and yet he wants to hurt you. Every time you rise, he’s there to drag you back down—not out of necessity, but out of spite.
His character stings because he is a harsh reminder of our cruel reality. He embodies that bitter world where the worst people not only survive, but thrive. He represents the injustice of seeing liars, manipulators, and cowards be rewarded while the decent ones are left picking up the pieces. He’s a reminder of the gut-wrenching moment when a bullied kid finally speaks out—only to find that the world doesn’t care.
