8 Movie Characters Whose Villainous Intentions Turned Out To Be Justified

Nowadays, villains with understandable and relatable motives are highly sought after.

Damjan

• Published in Film & TV
• February 13, 2023

Life is rarely black and white. It is often filled with complexities and shades of grey. Not every decision we make is easy, and not every outcome is desirable.

We often have to make difficult choices, and sometimes our own morality is put to the test. Not everything in life is cut and dry.

Even when faced with what we perceive as bad or evil, we should take a step back and look at the situation from all angles. There may be underlying issues that are driving the person's actions, and understanding those can provide more insight into why they are doing what they are doing.

We should not be quick to judge and instead try to understand and empathize with their situation. Nowadays, villains with understandable and relatable motives are highly sought after, sometimes more than heroes.

We, as the audience, want to comprehend what caused them to become so wicked and why their reasons for doing so are so convincing that we are left thinking, “Hmmm, they might have a point.” Although their actions are certainly abhorrent, the tragic backgrounds of these characters cannot be used to justify their wrongdoings.

Nevertheless, there are some villains whose motivations make a lot of sense. Can you recognize any of your favorite characters among them?

1. Erik Killmonger From Black Panther

Erik had a difficult life growing up in poverty, and the tragedy of his father's death at the hands of the Wankada was a scar he would never forget. His birthright was denied by his home kingdom, which had the capability to help him but chose not to.

His rage was understandable, and while his methods were extreme, his motivation was recognized and respected by T'Challa. In the end, T'Challa chose to follow Erik's wishes but with a more diplomatic approach.

2. Gorr From Thor: Love and Thunder

At first glance, Gorr might seem like a heartless villain in Thor: Love and Thunder. However, when you take the time to comprehend why he holds such resentment towards the gods, it's hard not to sympathize with him.

Gorr pleaded and begged the gods to come to the aid of his people and his daughter, only to witness them pass away. When he finally encountered the god he had been praying to, he discovered that this god was, in fact, a tremendous jerk.

This god jeered and snickered at Gorr's distress.

3. Ken From The Bee Movie

Ken, the boyfriend of the florist from the Bee Movie, may seem like a villainous figure who is out to get the main character. However, this is far from the truth. In fact, Ken is the most ordinary character in the film.

If the same events were to unfold in real life, any guy would react the same way when his significant other is talking to a bee and ending the relationship due to it.

4. Syndrome From The Incredibles

It's no surprise that Syndrome ended up becoming the villain; his hero rejected his dream of wanting to be like him one day. At a young age, Buddy had a goal to be like his favorite superhero, Bob, but he didn't have any superpowers.

Had Bob responded differently, Buddy could have gone down an entirely different path. His talent for inventing was remarkable!

5. Red Hood From The Batman

Before Jason Todd became known as Red Hood, he was Batman's most trusted sidekick. Sadly, the Joker tortured and killed him. But Todd was resurrected and returned to find that Batman had not killed the Joker in retribution.

Instead, the Caped Crusader had only beaten him up and sent him back to Arkham Asylum. To make matters worse, Batman had taken on a new Robin.

Todd was filled with rage; he viewed Batman's method of handling criminals as inadequate. He believed that if the villains were just eliminated, there would be less chaos in Gotham.

Hence, Red Hood began killing criminals in an effort to stop their reign of terror.

6. Magneto From X-Men

It is understandable why Magneto has such a mistrust of humanity. After all, he was a young boy who was exposed to the horrors of the Holocaust and saw firsthand how cruel people could be when they were scared and did not understand something.

His points are valid, as seen in the X-Men movies, where humans keep betraying mutants. This is true in both X-Men: First Class and X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Although his methods may be extreme, Magneto's approach does help to contain humanity's most harmful impulses.

7. Ice King From Adventure Time

Most of us can agree that Ice King is not truly a villain. The only "evil" actions we see him take on the show are the kidnapping of princesses, which is mostly due to his yearning for companionship.

He is simply a scientist whose mind has been twisted by the power of the crown, and his past is full of sorrow and tragedy.

8. AUTO From WALL-E

AUTO, from WALL-E, is certainly one of the most impressive artificial intelligence villains to date. Despite his menacing presence, he was not created to do harm but instead followed his programming of safeguarding the humans and keeping them from returning to Earth.

It's easy to see why, as the people on the spaceship appear to be ill-equipped to thrive on the planet.

We must also remember that some people may be driven by their own sense of morality or a moral code that is different from our own. We should not be quick to label them as bad or evil but rather recognize that we all have our own beliefs and values and strive to understand those of others.

At the end of the day, not everything in life is black and white. We must strive to recognize and appreciate the nuances of life and be willing to look at people and situations from all angles and understand that the world is not always

Damjan