Some have been treated like garbage their whole lives, others are consumed by jealousy, and quite a few are just plain charming. Jason Todd as the Red Hood is one messed-up kid. A villain (also known in film and literature as the "antagonist," "baddie", "bad guy", or "black hat") is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction.The villain usually is the antagonist (though can be the protagonist), the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window). From the merely misunderstood to the epically evil, here is every Disney villain, ranked. This is reinforced by Jack being probably the only fictional character, let alone villain, to have a breakdown failing to interrogate a parrot that simply repeated everything he said. Without a sympathetic villain, your story will lose an opportunity to be real. That said, some are completely irredeemable. On the morning of Nick and Amy Dunne’s wedding anniversary, Amy goes missing. Many Disney villains are more iconic than the studio's heroes. Real name: Unknown Some think he's completely insane. I LOVE a good villain. While so many of his enemies inspire sympathy, there are also many who are irredeemably evil. This realization not only has the capacity to make the antagonist more terrifying because they are possible and relatable, but can also throw our own morals into disarray. ESC; Log in to comment Unexpectedness. 41 The Big Bad Wolf - The Three Little Pigs There was even a story arc where Hatter was hired to kidnap children to sell into sex-trafficking, a completely despicable act with absolutely nothing to justify it. While the antagonist stands in opposition to the protagonist, you want to create similarities. What makes Batman's villains so compelling is that many of them have goals that aren't entirely evil. In just about every iteration of the Joker, he's the baddest of the bad. When the villain is particularly charismatic, or even sympathetic in his actions, then you have a great character. I tried doing this thread before, but I screwed up the title last time. A backstory won’t justify the villain’s actions. 1. Villanelle is an assassin, and MI5 agent Eve Polastri is tasked with hunting her down. He then gains the means to protect many more, but that means is threatened. Thus they are rare. His introduction as a cold-hearted killer annihilating State Alchemists with his powerful right arm paints him as a madman. While John Fowles could have made Frederick monstrous, it is the touches of humanity that make Clegg more chilling. But when anime don't gloss over the motivations for some of these villains, you might get a sympathetic villain; one you can't help but root for. While his methods are questionable, it's easy for fans to sympathize. For now, let’s consider how to make a villain sympathetic, or compelling, and the difference between the two. The Joker . He also has a sense of loyalty to his team and watches out for them. Killmonger Ghost Zemo Loki Guy Pearce Other? What’s more, Highsmith only gives us his perspective—we understand his problems, his desires and his emotions, while the characters around him always feel at one remove, filtered through Tom’s eyes. Perhaps it is wrong to say I felt much sympathy for Villanelle. The greatest villains in literature. Another way sympathetic villains can cause problems is their intimidation factor. Sympathetic villain. I wanted, even, for the reader to feel sympathetic towards him, and for this to unsettle them much more than simple disgust or loathing would have done. In Xenogears, Kahran Ramsus appears as a primary villain early on, and, with his pretty-boy features, white hair, and usage of a sword as his weapon, seems destined to be the big bad. I yearned for him to get away with his crimes, and even felt relief when the tension of a situation was resolved by him committing murder. So a villain can only be killed if a certain object is destroyed. A one-stop shop for all things video games. Hence, the villain is creative, ambitious, and goal oriented. Sympathetic villain. I smarted at their dismissive treatment of him, and ultimately their deaths didn’t feel like a loss at all. The Abusive Authority Figure. That's why I like sympathetic villains, so this is my top ten list of villains I felt sympathy for. Who is your favorite Sympathetic Movie Villain? But it is not only this endearing awkwardness, but also his cleverness and his hardworking nature that makes him so likable, and makes us want him to succeed at any cost. Who is the most sympathetic DC villain? Top 5 Most Sympathetic Comic Book Villain "|Learn Something New|". This did not make me feel good about myself. This does not mean that he doesn't bear animosity; that's a Punch-Clock Villain.He's probably jumping at the opportunity to outdo his rivals and the hero. Tom Ripley is the classic underdog—the character with whom everyone can empathize. I always gravitate to the bad guys and gals, and adore writing sympathetic villains. Struggling with a learning disability and constant mockery for his appearance, he developed unwavering loyalty to anyone who would show him even a little kindness. RELATED: Batman's 5 Most Villainous Traits (& 5 Most Heroic). From murdering Jason Todd to paralyzing Barbara Gordon to orchestrating the death of a pregnant Lois Lane in Injustice: Gods Among Us, the Joker's list of evil deeds runs long. Many Disney villains are more iconic than the studio's heroes. Arnold Wesker is the first Ventriloquist, a meek and mild man whose alternate identity is Scarface, a crime boss in the form of a puppet. Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. Villains who are Pure Evil are the worst of all villains, a villain who is completely atrocious and irredeemable.For this kind of villain, doing evil for them is as natural as breathing. I can picture him perfectly—a wispy voice, a cringing manner, buttoned cardigans. It is an unsettling position as a reader, and a masterful feat by an author. Comic book super villains have committed all manner of crimes, heinous and despicable, from a crazed clown trying drive the police commissioner mad by forcing him to watch his paralyzed daughter getting … Share Share Tweet Email. I feel like evil/psychotic/insane villains are generally shamed for being evil for just the fun of it. But sometimes there’s a gem of relatability buried deep within the prickle. Barbara, like Tom Ripley and Frederick Clegg, is an outcast, and evokes our sympathy with her loneliness. With his terminally ill wife frozen in ice while he tries to find her cure, the majority of Freeze's villainy stems from the goal to save her. While she has no problem being called an "eco-terrorist", Poison Ivy's passion and the abuse in her past make her very sympathetic. In fact, I finished the book utterly appalled at what I would forgive and even cheer on in his behavior, but also deeply impressed by Patricia Highsmith’s skill in constructing such a character. It will be interesting to see how the universe's bad guys evolve yet again. I always gravitate to the bad guys and gals, and adore writing sympathetic villains. They could be anyone. Most audiences know Zsasz as the brutal henchman to Black Mask in the Birds of Prey movie but he's more than a goon— he's true evil. Another Batman villain whose name elicits a chuckle, the Mad Hatter— also known as Jervis Tetch— is high up on the list simply for the fact that he is sometimes written to be disturbingly obsessed with children. What Pyg does to his victims is, according to Batman, a fate worse than death, making him quite evil indeed. 10 Disney Villains With The Most Sympathetic Backstories, Ranked. Our sense of justice, of order, begins to falter. I LOVE a good villain. I wanted, even, for the reader to feel sympathetic towards him, and for this to unsettle them much more than simple disgust or loathing would have done. All the latest gaming news, game reviews and trailers. Try Prime. Still, while they almost always have at least some shades of grey, most still tend to fall more squarely on one side or the other. Perez Author It just isn't possible to expect every villain to be fleshed out to that extent. Known for being a sympathetic villain, Cold has a sense of honor. Beating Tim Drake, becoming a crime boss, and being a general thorn in Batman's side, Jason is a complicated hero/villain/anti-hero who stirs sympathy. The Sympathetic Villain. 1. What’s more, they will be discovered and punished and we will rejoice when this happens. Mick Taylor from Wolf Creek is a very good example of this, his dad was abusive and evil, making him what he turned into. And as part of my research, I read many books—but especially those with villains who we pitied, or maybe even rooted for. Sympathy is simply that: that the audience recognises that the bad guy has a point in his/her own motivation, that he/she is justified, somewhat at least, in what they are doing. This bad person bedevils the hero-with reason, without reason-it doesn't matter, so long as an obstacle is created. Who is the least sympathetic DC villain? Someone who’s motives are understandable and you find yourself rooting for them just as much as or even more than the protagonist. I hated him even more because I could imagine him so fully. I'd like to compile a list of sympathetic monsters/villains, portrayed in any medium--film, fiction, art, music, myth. Villain or anti-hero, everyone loves Harley. A sadistic serial killer who likes to carve tallies into his skin to mark each of his kills, Victor Zsasz is a pretty bad dude. Barbara Covett from What Was She Thinking? By definition, movie villains tend to be a smidge unpleasant. The simplistic villain is mindlessly evil or mischievously wicked. It makes us feel safe to categorize villains in this way. In fact, he is most terrifying at the points where he is most pitiful. But what happens when those who commit crimes are humanized? She is a schoolteacher, but her life changes when Sheba Hart joins the school as an art teacher and befriends her. Known for being a sympathetic villain, Cold has a sense of honor. As a henchwoman madly in love with The Joker, Harley Quinn was created to be a sympathetic Batman villain. It's perhaps the nature of grown-up literature that it doesn't all that often have villains, in the sense of coal-black embodiments of the principle of evil. What’s more, Eve’s obsession with Villanelle (and her reluctant refusal to condemn her) legitimized my own feelings towards Villanelle. I don’t think I’ve ever rooted for a character more than I’ve rooted for Tom Ripley. But your hero must be threatened by him, so he can’t be too feeble. To be clear, this list isn't a ranking of how awesome these Disney villains are, but on their evilness; on what makes them worthy of the name "villain." He is lonely, deluded and just wants to be loved. And what’s more, as Barbara’s obsession deepens, she grows more powerful and impressive—and evokes our admiration rather than just our pity. These are … Below this is an even bigger but simple list of all the villain types I could think of – most of these will fit into one or two of the general archetypes listed here. While she's always been depicted as a femme fatale who kills men with a kiss and cares more for plants than humans, her devotion to the planet has become more front-and-center and edifying as climate change in the real world has become impossible to ignore. unfortunately, one of those people was Magneto , who was then undergoing his "melodramatic mutant terrorist" phase . He succeeds in this partly because Villanelle is so enchanting; she is constantly surprising and overturns so many tropes associated both with women and with female assassins. Don’t lessen conflict by weakening your villain. Notes on a Scandal by Zoe Heller. What sets Batman's Rogues Gallery apart from the others is that so many of them have tragic backstories that parallel his own, the difference being the paths they went down as a result of that baggage. Instead, the backstory gives the villain a compelling reason to do what he or she does. Not that it's a bad thing, it's not really. For me its a toss up between Ghost and Killmonger. NEXT: Batman's 10 Creepiest Villains, Ranked. In realist writing, villains need to be at least a little relatable (a little sympathetic) in order to be believable. Writing Sympathetic Villains: A List of Requirements. Often times, sympathetic factors including tragedies can involve a villain being mentally unstable, in love, suffering from immense psychosis on a daily basis or dissociative identity disorders (DID) and being addicts, sympathetic nihilists or suicidal are among examples of being tragic villains as well. By sympathetic, I do not mean that the writer is in sympathy with a villain, but rather an empathy is created to enhance the dimensions of the character. Sometimes, I find the villain/antagonist more interesting than the protagonist because the protag is usually reacting to the things the villain is actively doing to them. 02-13-2015, 04:48 PM #11. Cold has strict rules on how the Rogues should act, such as no drugs and not to kill unless they have to. May 4, 2018 . It's a peculiar thing that Gotham's most notorious villains are sent to Arkham Asylum as opposed to a regular prison. Sheba, however, begins an affair with an underage student, and this is when Barbara’s interest in her friend begins to take a darker turn. In this video you'' know about the top 5 comic book villains that have the most tragic backstories. Two years after finishing The Collector, I still think about Frederick more than I would like. Mentally ill and dressed in a pig mask, he uses surgery, chemicals, and lobotomies to experiment on his kidnapped victims to make them "perfect" and "pieces of art.". 0. He knows it's wrong, but he has a goal in mind and he'll do anything to reach it. Not all villains have to be sympathetic, of course. With names like R'as Al Ghul and Victor Von Doom, many great comic book villains were probably born with their careers set on evil. In Xiaolin Showdown, Jack Spicer, despite being the main villain in some cases, is usually an Ineffectual Sympathetic Villain, especially in the later episodes. But the reality is worse: while wincing at times, I also reveled in her crimes, was captivated by her remorselessness, and I actively wanted her to get away with it. By Colin McCormick Sep 22, 2020. And if it’s not real, it can’t reach real people or change real lives. Should we maybe make a section somewhere where we list those? A villain (also known in film and literature as the "antagonist," "baddie", "bad guy", or "black hat") is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. Here are the villains we find most sympathetic. For me it has to be Woody Harrelson as the Colonel from “War for the Planet Of the Apes”, I really felt like his motives were justified and I think most of us would do the same in his position. spoiler I’m not talking about any case where the villain is shown to be morally grey, such as the Shadowlord and Solidus, I’m talking about when the villain of the story ends up being way more sympathetic than the … Tasked with traveling to Italy to bring the privileged and extravagant Dickie Greenleaf home, we quickly learn that Tom has a difficult background and craves acceptance—to the extent he is willing to impersonate others to fit in. For other uses, see Villain (disambiguation). In Xiaolin Showdown, Jack Spicer, despite being the main villain in some cases, is usually an Ineffectual Sympathetic Villain, especially in the later episodes. When inserted into your novel, backstories will slow the pace to a grinding halt. Even when his characteristics are downplayed for laughs (his favorite) or we're given a semblance of understanding to his psyche like in the Joker film, there's still no denying that the Clown Prince of Crime is just pure, irredeemable evil. I've seen that in modern movies a lot. But there is something about his perseverance or attitude about the whole thing that is just short of sympathetic.. May also be a Determinator out of necessity or overlap with Draco in Leather Pants. They’re not really meant to be shared in-depth with your reader. Demon. Five Great Psychological Thrillers Set in Isolated Places, 5 Psychological Thrillers You Should Read in November, How One Writer Was Drawn Into a Decades Old Murder Mystery at Harvard, Patricia Highsmith’s Confessions and Rebellions at Yaddo, 25 Essential Notes on Craft from Matthew Salesses. Bailey Jo is a freelance visual journalist, currently living in southern Japan. It’s only fiction, I told myself when I was reading the book, though I felt uneasy, as if I’d been complicit in his crimes. Uni-faceted villains can still fill a strong role in the more imaginative or allegorical genres. ExcelsiorPrime. Villanelle from Killing Eve: Codename Villanelle by Luke Jennings. RELATED: Batman: 10 Villains Lurking Gotham City Who Are Actually Terrifying Unconditional love in the face of an abusive partner who manipulated her all throughout Batman: The Animated Series made Harley an endearing character, which makes it no surprise that she is now one of the biggest assets to the DC universe. As for "most" sympathetic villain, probably Johan Liebert from Monster, because imagine the good he could've done for society if only he wasn't an abused-as-a … And, boy, do they have a resume list to show for it. Another Batman villain whose name elicits a chuckle, the Mad Hatter— also known as Jervis Tetch— is high up on the list simply for the fact that he is sometimes written to be disturbingly obsessed with children. While he worked with The Riddler to destroy Batman throughout Batman: Hush, roping in many villains and superheroes to his twisted plans, his most notorious and diabolical act came in the "Heart of Hush" arc when he removed Catwoman's heart and put her on life support. On the Differences between the Ultimate to the Sympathetic Villain In John Milton's Paradise Lost, Satan represents the ultimate villain, a genuine representation of the dark side. Their intentions to cause chaos or commit evil actions is driven by an ambiguous motivation or is not driven by an intent to cause evil. This led not only to his first murder but also to his perverse nihilism. For other uses, see Bad Guy (disambiguation). The Joker in The Killing Joke. Sometimes, I find the villain/antagonist more interesting than the protagonist because the protag is usually reacting to the things the villain is actively doing to them. But here’s the thing about backstories. By design, Professor Pyg's victims become his Dollotrons: Mind-controlled, doll-like humans with masks permanently molded to their faces. A 21st-century Grant Morrison and Andy Kubert creation, Professor Pyg is no joke, even if his name elicits a laugh. We know you're secretly rooting for these sympathetic anime villains. Tom Ripley from The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith. He starts out an ordinary guy. Sincerely, Thomas Mets. Intelligent, powerful, Jason offers perhaps the best sympathetic villain yet—after all, he might be right, maybe things really would be better off if Batman killed Joker (a concept the infamous The Killing Joke storyline ponders). No matter which version of Fullmetal Alchemist you watch, Scar remains a frightening yet sympathetic anime villain. After his life fell apart and he was about to commit suicide, Zsasz was nearly assaulted by a homeless man. They could be our next door neighbor, or even worse, ourselves, when pushed to the limit. Given hers is the only account we have, it feels inevitable that we will side with her, that we will even become complicit in her crimes. The sympathetic villain or anti-villain is one with the typical traits of a villainous character but differs in their motivations. As with The Talented Mr Ripley, Zoe Heller chooses to limit us to one perspective, that of the sociopath Barbara Covett. What makes Arnold sympathetic is not only the fact that Scarface is a murderer, but also the fact that his disorder is so misunderstood. I believe it's hard for authors to create a likable villain without throwing in a tragic backstory on how they became that way. Who are the most sympathetic and least sympathetic DC villains? Cart Hello Select your address Holiday Deals Gift Cards Best Sellers Customer Service Find a Gift New Releases Whole Foods AmazonBasics Free Shipping Sell Registry Coupons Subscribe & Save #FoundItOnAmazon Shopper Toolkit Disability Customer Support. Part of the sympathy I felt for Barbara derives not only from her status as a lonely underdog, but also because her account takes the form of a diary. Whatever their secret, these baddies know how to win readers over — at least for a little while. But as the two women battle it out, they become obsessed with one another. Freeze, he would do just about anything to save his ill wife, even becoming a great supervillain. YOUR thoughts on this? "Bad guy" and "Bad guys" redirect here. Monster. Evil. There was something so escapist in her unapologetic quest for revenge—hers is a turbo-charged account of the bold, outrageous lengths we could go to if wronged, but know we never will. How did she do it? One of the most sympathetic villains on the list, Molina’s Doc Ock was as much a victim of his passions as he was a willing accomplice in a plan to destroy Spider-Man. More information Writing Sympathetic Villains: A List of Requirements - J.L. A villain can have a tragic and sympathetic background, one of the more popular versions of this is if a Pure Evil villain was abused by their parents. Edit: I screwed up the title, can a mod please change it to DC villains? Lord of the rings --> Sauron dies if the One Ring is destroyed The Return of Jafar (sequel to Aladdin) --> the genie Jafar dies if his lamp is destroyed Not every villain NEEDS to be sympathetic, but when its done properly it generally makes for a ocmpelling villain, when done poorly, it generally makes for a spoiled brat in villain costume. A sympathetic villain always has a tragic backstory. While Red Hood is currently working to redeem himself with The Outlaws, he's no stranger to being an antagonist to his one-time mentor, Batman. How far would you go to save your dying wife? Sympathetic Anime Villains You Can't Help But Root For We're supposed to want the hero to succeed, but there are times when the bad guy has a good reason to be bad. It takes a higher level of craft to successfully depict a sympathetic villain (this is not to suggest unsympathetic villains are always inapporpriate for a story) and it also takes more time and effort. 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The most authentic villains are those with ‘hero’ traits: aspects of their character that make them more relatable, more human. Being a tragic villain is a sympathetic quality and any character or even a hero are allowed to sympathize with those types of villains, no matter the lines they cross. Frederick is a butterfly collector, an outcast of society, and he forms a plan to kidnap an art student called Miranda and hold her captive in his cellar. Which International Thriller Should You Binge This Weekend? But things are not as they seem, and a fantastic twist reveals Amy Dunne as a psychopath—I actually gasped when I read it. But many of them are victims themselves, or dealing with interesting psychological conflicts that explain their actions. 10. They’ve come to demonize a population they view as being a menace to another population they are sympathetic to. Not only did he cause the accident that killed his father, but he also murdered his mother years later in order to get his inheritance. And gals, and a fantastic twist reveals Amy Dunne ’ s real!, it 's not really meant to be believable interesting to see how the Rogues should act, as! Eve Polastri is tasked with hunting her down make them more relatable, human... Guy '' and `` bad guy '' and `` bad guy '' and `` bad guy and. As with the typical traits of a sudden, we lose this sense of certainty, of order, to., making him quite evil indeed, begins to falter weakening your villain makes. Barbara, like tom Ripley character with whom everyone can empathize bad.. Like sympathetic villains, ranked from Ursula to Maleficent, there 's often some humanity these! His parents, others are consumed by jealousy, and the difference between the two women it! An outcast, and humans are vincible several villain varieties, but far... 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But he has a sense of honor Heller chooses to limit us to one perspective, that of the.... `` |Learn something New| '' movie and TV topics that fans continue find! Sent to Arkham Asylum as opposed to a grinding halt ensure that that does happen... That have the most authentic villains are more iconic than the protagonist, you want to create.!