15 Villains That Were Actually Right

Villains are typically the antagonists of a story, while heroes are the protagonists. However, it is not always that the villains do what they do with a bad intention. Here are 15 villains that were actually right, even when their method was wrong, and a lot of us may find ourselves agreeing with them. 

Magneto (X-Men)

Magneto is a popular Marvel villain. He grew up in the Holocaust, where traumatic events led him to believe that humans would always persecute mutants. Therefore, Magneto takes extreme measures to protect mutants, including violence. His methods are far from ideal, although his fears are not entirely groundless, given the discrimination mutants face.

Thanos (Marvel Cinematic Universe)

In the Marvel movie Infinity War, the main villain, Thanos, wanted to use the Infinity Stones to reduce overpopulation by killing half of all living beings. But, despite being defeated by the Avengers, some people still question whether Thanos had bad intentions. And the main reason for that is he tried to save the universe and possibly protect it from other celestial beings. 

Killmonger (Black Panther)

Erik Killmonger is the Marvel character who challenges the isolationist policies of Wakanda, which is a technologically progressive nation in the African continent. He thinks Wakanda should use its wealth and technology to help mistreated African people around the world. Although Killmonger’s actions are extremely violent, his cause is to reduce global racial abuse.

Ra’s al Ghul (Batman)

Ra’s Al-Ghul, the leader of the League of Shadows, wants to bring peace in troubled areas like Gotham City by releasing a toxin that kills most of the population. While Batman stops him, the sequels show that Gotham is still filled with criminal activities, which puts Ra in a different light. But then again, his actions of killing innocents to bring peace were illogical.

Ozymandias (Watchmen)

Ozymandias is a superhero who devises a plan to deceive everyone by saying that aliens are attacking the Earth. He thinks this will end the fighting among the countries and unite them instead. By killing countless people to make his plan work, he hopes to stop the whole world from nuclear war. Although his intentions were good, his way of achieving them was totally unacceptable.

Kaecilius (Doctor Strange)

In the MCU, Kaecilius is not an ordinary villain. After losing his family, he wanted to use dark magic to achieve immortality. Later, when he realizes that his mentor, the Ancient One, uses the same thing she prohibits him from, he feels betrayed. He had his reasons for joining Dormammu, even if they seemed on the wrong side of things.

Syndrome (The Incredibles)

Syndrome is a character who wishes all people had superpowers so no one is called special only because they were born with them. He is outraged because he was not born gifted and was turned down by his hero, Mr. Incredible. His version of equality is giving power to everyone—and he is ready to hurt people in the process.

The Machines (The Matrix)

The Matrix portrays a world where humans live in a virtual reality created by machines because the real one is ruined. The machines do this to salvage humanity’s existence and use the human body to generate energy instead. The Matrix is a scenario where machines preserve humanity and, at the same time, exploit them.

Roy Batty (Blade Runner)

Roy Batty is an artificial human, known as a replicant, who wants to live longer than his short programmed lifespan. He fights for the right to exist and have a full life, just like humans. His struggle raises questions about what it means to be human and what rights artificial beings should have.

The Wicked Witch of the West (The Wizard of Oz)

The Wicked Witch of the West is considered a bad character, but if you think about it from her side, she wants to reclaim the ruby slippers and take revenge for her sister’s murder. It is not like she is bad just to be bad; she has her intentions and justifications.

General Hummel (The Rock)

General Hummel is a military man who threatens to attack San Francisco with dangerous chemicals. He wants the government to give money to the families of soldiers who died in secret missions. He wants them to be recognized and rewarded, but his way of solving the problems is dangerous and unethical.

The Operative (Serenity)

The Operative is a character who believes in creating a perfect society without any problems. He thinks that to achieve this, it is okay to take away people’s freedom and even kill those who stand in the way. He is willing to do terrible things because he thinks the end result will be worth it.

Talia al Ghul (The Dark Knight Rises)

Miranda Tate, also known as Talia al Ghul, wants to destroy Gotham City to get rid of its corruption, just like her father wanted. She believes that this is the only way to make things better, even though it means harming innocents. She is trying to finish what her father started.

Darth Vader (Star Wars)

Darth Vader is one of the most famous villains, but his actions are driven by a desire to bring order to the galaxy and protect his loved ones. He makes a lot of bad choices, but his intentions are not entirely evil. He is a complex character who struggles with his own inner conflicts.

Mr. Freeze (Batman)

Mr. Freeze is a scientist who turns to crime to save his sick wife. He is willing to do anything to find a cure for her illness, even if it means breaking the law. His actions are wrong, but they come from a place of love and desperation to save someone he cares about.