- "If we're doing this, we have to be thorough. If even one of those scholars had managed to sneak aboard that ship, then all of the sacrifices we've made today would be in vain. However small, we cannot allow any evil to thrive."
- ― Sakazuki/Akainu (One Piece)
- "I've always wanted to say...How all you idiots are friggin' annoying. Going on and on about your kingdom on the brink of destruction. What the hell's so great about kingdoms anyway? If you peel off the outer skin, it's nothing more than a cesspool where chosen few are allowed to treat the common folk however, they want. "The resolve to protect this kingdom?" Hehehe, don't make me laugh. I couldn't care less about whether or not Qin gets destroyed."
- ― Kan Ki to Chou Tou (Kingdom).
- "This superpowered society is a gilded daydream seen through rose-colored glasses. But it's paper-thin. A fragile illusion. Say you bring back the status quo. Then what? History will just repeat itself. The public gets to stargaze at the bright and shiny side... while the dark truth gnaws away at someone else. At least a future ruled by All For One... will be a helluva lot more transparent."
- ― Kaina Tsutsumi/Lady Nagant on hero society's corruption (My Hero Academia)
- "Years ago, Ernest Fairchild was severely abused by his parents. He had no one to turn to. No one would listen. so one day, Ernest made an imaginary friend. He called him Smiley. Together they would play, be happy and try to forget the pain. But the pain never, ever left. And the world's been paying for it ever since."
- ― Narrator (Chaos!Comics)
- "I have always promised to defend this kingdom, its technology, its future, from those who would see it destroyed. Our enemy is crippled, but one individual still denies Atlas its salvation. The Protector of Mantle. Penny, wherever you and your friends are, I need you all to listen. I know how much Mantle means to you, so I'm going to give you a choice. You can bring yourself to Atlas Academy and do your duty. Help me save as much of Atlas as I can, and Mantle will be left to fend for itself. Or... you can all watch as I destroy it. I have... one bomb. That's all it will take. If there is no Mantle, then there is no reason for you not to work with me. Neither of us want it to come to that, but one of us is willing to do it. If anyone tries anything other than what I've ordered, Mantle... is gone. You have one hour to respond. I hope you live up to the title I gave you."
- ― James Ironwood (RWBY)
- "Look at this. We could have rebuilt Krypton on this planet, but you chose the humans over us. I exist only to protect Krypton. That is the sole purpose for which I was born. And every action I take, no matter how violent, or how cruel, is for the greater good...of my people. And now... I have no people. My soul, that is what you have taken, from me!"
- ― General Zod to Kal-El/Superman. (Man of Steel)
- "I've done things I'm not proud of, Vanessa. I've hurt people, and I'm going to hurt more. It's impossible to avoid for what I'm trying to do. But I take no pleasure in it... in cruelty. But this city isn't a caterpillar. It doesn't spin a cocoon and wake up a butterfly. A city crumbles and fades. It needs to die before it can be reborn."
- ― Wilson Fisk (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
- "I will save the Realm. No matter the cost."
- ― Corvus (Paladins)
The archetype of an Anti-Villain. Variations of Villain. Opposite to Anti-Hero.
Also Called[]
- Anti-Villianess
- Honorable Villain
- Noble Demon
- Not-So Bad Villain
- Sympathetic Villain
- Well Intentioned Extremist
Properties[]
The user is an anti-villain. They do their evil deeds for a genuinely noble cause or a cause they view as noble. They may do their deeds for the welfare of others or something good, but their methods may not be moral per say. They don't do what they do just because they want to. They prove to be better than just an outright villain because they are willing to do things like siding with their opposing force (True Hero, etc.). They may also be able to reform their ways much more easily than true villains. They may stick to their ways feeling it's for the greater good.
Associated Powers[]
- Aura Manipulation
- Chi Manipulation
- Crime Inducement
- Crime Mastery
- Criminology Mastery
- Elemental Manipulation (Varied)
- Overpowered
- Peak Human/Enhanced/Supernatural/Absolute Combat Mastery
- Rage-Based Abilities
- Supernatural Condition
- Ying & Yang Manipulation
Relationships[]
- Avenger: Anti-villains may be perpetrating their deeds due to some quest for vengeance.
- Knights Templar: Anti-villains often have righteous beliefs, that they may fight tooth-and-nail for.
- Prisoner: Anti-villains are often criminals who may have spent time incarcerated.
- Rebel: Anti-villains operate outside of society's conventions for their goals.
- Villain: Anti-villains, though possessing potentially virtuous goals, may still engage in nefarious deeds.
- Warrior
Example Characters[]
See Also: Anti Villain, Villains Wiki, Inconsistently Heinous Wiki
- Sasha Waybright (Amphibia)
- Templar Order (Assassin's Creed)
- Andrea Beaumont (Batman: The Animated Series)
- Charmcaster (Ben 10 series)
- Robert Callaghan/Yokai (Big Hero 6)
- Momakase (Big Hero 6: The Series)
- Luke Castellan (Camp Half-Blood Chronicles)
- Snowman (Courage the Cowardly Dog)
- Lady Death (Chaos! Comics)
- Evil Ernie (Chaos!Dynamite Entertainment)
- Homicide (Chaos!Dynamite Entertainment)
- Dr. Reginald Bushroot (Darkwing Duck)
- Victor Fries/Mr. Freeze (DC Comics)
- Teth-Adam/Black Adam (DC Comics)
- Adrian Veidt/Ozymandias (DC Comics)
- The Red Lantern Corps (DC Comics); sometimes
- Loghain Mac Tir (Dragon Age: Origins)
- Magister Gereon Alexius (Dragon Age: Inquisition)
- Lady Calpernia (Dragon Age: Inquisition)
- Commander Raleigh Samson (Dragon Age: Inquisition)
- Solas (Dragon Age: The veilguard)
- Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak (Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim)
- Dwight Hardvelt (The Executed Sage is Reincarnated as a Lich and starts an All-Out war of aggression)
- Gary (FAITH: The Unholy Trinity)
- Chrome Walker (Fixed Damage)
- Greed (Fullmetal Alchemist)
- Baron Klaus Wulfenbach (Girl Genius)
- Kratos (God of War)
- Thor (God of War: Ragnarök)
- Evil Nessies (Happy Ness: The Secret of the Loch)
- Yūma Chiaki (History's Strongest Disciple Kenichi)
- Ikki Takeda (History's Strongest Disciple Kenichi)
- Satsuki Kiryuin (Kill la Kill)
- Various Characters (Kingdom)
- Equalists (Avatar: The Legend of Korra)
- Amon
- Hiroshi Sato
- Red Lotus members (Avatar: The Legend of Korra)
- Zaheer
- P'li
- Ming-Hua
- Ghazan
- Aiwei
- Kuvira (Avatar: The Legend of Korra)
- Master Asia (Mobile Fighter G Gundam)
- The Illusive Man (Mass Effect series)
- The Catalyst (Mass Effect 3)
- Thanos (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
- Bennet du Paris/Exodus (Marvel Comics)
- Desak the Godslayer (Marvel Comics)
- Gorr the Godbutcher (Marvel Comics)
- Mangog Judgement of All Gods (Marvel Comics)
- Max Eisenhardt/Magneto (Marvel Comics)
- Namor McKenzie/Namor the Sub-Mariner (Marvel Comics)
- Dr. Victor Von Doom (Marvel Comics)
- Galan/Galactus (Marvel Comics)
- Wilson Fisk/The Kingpin (Marvel Comics)
- Milliardo Peacecraft/Zechs Merquise (Mobile Suit Gundam Wing)
- Chizome Akaguro/Hero-Killer Stain (My Hero Academia)
- Chikara Yotsubashi/Destro (My Hero Academia)
- Rikiya Yotsubashi/Re-Destro (My Hero Academia)
- Kaina Tsutsumi/Lady Nagant (My Hero Academia)
- Fizzlepop Berrytwist/Tempest Shadow (My Little Pony series)
- Sonata Dusk (My Little Pony series)
- Ueki Kaito (Nidome no Yuusha)
- Jessie, James and Meowth (Pokémon)
- Lysandre (Pokémon)
- Chairman Rose (Pokémon)
- SCP-049 - Plague Doctor (SCP Foundation)
- Slender Man (Slender Man Mythos)
- Crona (Soul Eater)
- Chouji Suitengu (Speed Grapher)
- The Many (System Shock 2)
- Superior Man (Superman: Red Son)
- Karai (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
- Raul Evans (The Strongest Brave Who Craves Revenge Shall Destroy Using the Power of Darkness)
- Bad Nessies (Happy Ness: The Secret of the Loch)
- Queen of Escalation (Worm)
- Sakazuki (One Piece)
- James Ironwood (RWBY)
- Amoebe Boys (The Powerpuff Girls)
- Kazuya Mishima (Tekken)
- The Emperor of Mankind (Warhammer 40,000)
Gallery[]
While the Red Lantern Corps (DC Comics) are most often than not bloodthirsty berserkers who care not for collateral damage, all of them were once ordinary people who had the worst injustices imaginable inflicted upon them; this sheer despair and rage attracted Red Power Rings that fuel their undying fury (and is the sole thing that keeps them alive) and compel them to hunt down and slaughter those who escape justice (at best).
Victor Von Doom/Doctor Doom (Marvel Comics) with his mother's soul being in Mephisto's control, along with having knowledge of various threats to earth and its future will go to great lengths to save his mother & ensure the safety of earth. Even if that means taking over the world and harming others to achieve his goals.
Max Eisenhardt/Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto (Marvel Comics) while described as an evil Mutant, is a Jewish holocaust survivor of WWII & a Human Mutant. Making him a victim of the worst treatment mankind can offer. Although events of which lead him down a dark path, he is ultimately fighting for the wellbeing of all mutants as atonement for his inability to help his fellow man during those harrowing times. Penultimately, he only wants his people (Homo-Superior) to be safe.
Namor/Sub-Mariner (Marvel Comics) only goal is to ensure the protection of his home & will commit various atrocities to do so,
Galen/Galactus (Marvel Comics) is not cruel or diabolical, but his Cosmic Hunger means he must consume planets and entire galaxies to survive, which puts him at odds with the sentient lives of the Marvel Universe, and he actively uses his powers to keep beings worse than himself (such as Abraxas) at bay.
Mangog (Marvel Comics) while a borderline omnicide maniac, stands as the ultimate punishment of all spiteful, petty gods of the Marvel Universe.
Gorr the God Butcher (Marvel Comics) having come to believed the gods couldn't exist after the senseless deaths of his family, was infruiated upon learning the Marvel Universe is full of gods, many of whom are petty and do not care for their worshippers and so he set out to kill all of them for the sake of all mortals. Though this only turned him a monstrous god of evil in the process.
En Sabah Nur/Apocalypse (Marvel Comics) while a tyrant and threat to all mankind, does care deeply for his fellow mutants and was digusted when Mister Sinister betrayed Krakoa for Orchis and still aided the X-Men in their need.
Thanos (Marvel Cinematic Universe) desperatly wanted to save the universe from an overpopulation crisis like the one that destroyed his civilization; but in his trauma-induced madness could concieve of no other option than to exterminate half of ALL life to "save" the rest.
Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch (Marvel Cinematic Universe) due to her extensive trauma and losing both husband, Vision, her twin sons, Billy and Tommy, that she created and being left alone without the Avengers comforting her, eventually snapped and, under the influence of the Darkhold, went down a murderous path to get her sons back.
Erik Killmonger (Marvel Cinematic Universe) although he is a cruel and brutal tyrant, he was right about the Wakanda being archaic and apathetic to the greater racism in the world, and T'Challa himself agreed to change Wakanda's isolationism.
Adrian Toomes/The Vulture (Marvel Cinematic Universe) although a ruthless criminal still just wants to support his family and felt he was ripped off by Stark Industries.
Tai Lung (Kung Fu Panda) while extremely arrogant and cruel was still brought up to think he was the Dragon Warrior by Shifu, and naturally became enraged when Oogway deemed him unworthy.
Noximilien Coxen/Nox (Wakfu) is a deeply tragic man whose obession with Eliacube cost him the lives of his beloved wife and children, he wanted to go back in time and prevent this from happening and believed the crimes he made in pursuit of his goal would disappear, though sadly this proved to be untrue when he could only go back in time minutes.
Broly (Dragon Ball Super) is not monster like his original counterpart, simply he is a man who wanted to make his abusive father happy and could not control his rage. He was forced to fight Goku and Vegeta and after Cheelai saved his life from Gogeta he became an ally of the Z-Fighters.
Avatar: The Legend of Korra has multiple examples of this. Amon and the Equalists wanted to end the oppression of non-benders...
...Zaheer and the Red Lotus wanted to free the world from tyrannical rulers like Earth Queen Hou-Ting...
With his wife suffering from a disease that had no cure, Dr. Victor Fries/Mister Freeze (DCAU/Batman: The Animated Series) tried to save her life with a cryogenic device to keep her alive, but was assaulted by his corrupt employer, Ferris Boyle, who destroyed the cryosleep machine in the process. Overcome with both sadness and anger, Fries started to go onto a path of vengeance against the same person who almost killed him, and indirectly killed his wife.
Adrian Veidt/Ozymandias (Watchmen/DC Comics) truly wanted to save the world from nuclear war but his henious methods to do so meant completely detaching himself from humanity and killing over 3 million people in New York, which ultimately made him a monster in the eyes of his former allies..
Teth-Adam/Black Adam (DC Comics) is a vengeful man who is driven by rage, revenge, & protecting his people. He will stop at nothing to protect his homeland & will seek vengeance against those who dare to even touch it.
Pamela Isley/Poison Ivy (DC Comics) while she has taken lives and almost destroyed Gotham, does geuinely care for innocent children and Harley and she simply wants to protect plant life from humanity.
Harvey Dent/Two-Face (DC Comics) is a tragic man who was once a genuinely heroic district Attorney, but after his disfigurement he became a criminal with a split personailty.
Dwight Hardvelt (The Executed Sage is Reincarnated as a Lich and starts an All-Out war of aggression) was once the former sage and a companion to the previous hero on their quest to defeat the demon king. Disreputable nobility and the ignorant peasant mases who believed their lies inevitably betrayed them to their demise when after the completed their task as a means of cheap power mongering scheme to consolidate their ignoble rule. Now reanimated as a vengeful great lich, he assumes the mantle of the Demon Lord to make world peace his own way. No matter how many kingdoms his burgeoning daemon fief lays to waste, nor the number of lives lost in the process; innocent or not.
Soldier Boy (The Boys), unlike his son Homelander, is honorable to a degree and willing to help others, however he is obessed with power and masculity and does not care for the lives he hurts, even his own grandson.
Chrome Walker (Fixed Damage) once an aspiring apprentice mage and enthusiastic member of the seventh heroes party, was betrayed by his companions and left for dead due to a deadly curse placed upon him. He would survive his ordeal acquiring even greater power than his lost magical ability would allow. Chrome now wields the power of darkness in a bid for revenge against his treacherous and morally bankrupt former associates. Public opinion be damned.
Raul Evans (The Strongest Brave Who Craves Revenge Shall Destroy Using the Power of Darkness) the titular grim avenger of the rotting world overflowing with decadent and disposable humanity takes a vicious, albeit jovial, glee in dismembering those whom he despises.
Charlotte (Berserk) is the wife of the despicable Griffith and Queen of a false utopia, however in her limited perspective Griffith is a noble man rather than the despot he actually is.
Despite being just as radical as the Assassins, the Templar Order (Assassin's Creed) generally believe peace can be achieved, through order and guiding humanity to be better.
Baron Klaus Wulfenbach (Girl Genius) brought peace to Europa through brute force and protects it from the Other, but also fears Agatha may be a threat and so works to defeat her.
Kazuya Mishima (Tekken) genuinely loves Jun the mother of his son Jin along with his own mother Kazumi and grandfather Jinpachi. However thanks to Heihachi’s abuse he has become a mass murdering tyrant who simply wants world domination.
Magellan (One Piece) while ruthless and willing to kill prisoners honestly wants to prevent all the worst criminals in the world from terrorizing the public and is disgusted by the sadism of Shiryu.
Sakazuki aka Akainu (One Piece) is a Marine Admiral utterly ruthless in serving what he perceives as "justice" but is still better than most of the Pirates he fights against and does disagree with the corruption and lack of honor inside the World Government's leadership.
Issho/Fujitora (One Piece) is a good man, but he still believes in the World Goverment who are ultimately courrupt and tyrannical, though unlike other Admirals he does openly question the system.
Charlotte Pudding (One Piece) is a ruthless daughter of a Yonko and cruel liar, but she does actually fall in love with Sanji after he isn't disgusted with her third eye and helps him escape Whole Cake Island.
Uta (One Piece) truly wanted the world to be free from war and death, but she was willing to use her Devil Fruit on the entire globe putting the entire globe to sleep to do so.
James Ironwood (RWBY) was once a great man renowned for his strength of will. However, once he had been pushed into a corner by Salem, he ultimately allowed his own paranoia to consume him, becoming blindly determined to stop her at the cost of several innocent lives.
The Catalyst (Mass Effect 3) may have wiped out its creators, created the Reapers, and exterminated thousands of civlizations over millions of years, but despite its power it's ultimately a "mere" AI operating on flawed and contradicting instructions and really does want someone to take the solution out of its own hands and make itself obsolete.
Solas/Fen'Harel (Dragon Age) may have repeatedly commited terrible deeds and compromised his own morals throughout his immortal life, but all of it was out of a tragic and misguided attempt to soothe his conscience by fixing what he erroniously thought were solely his own mistakes.
The Emperor of Mankind (Warhammer 40,000) may have commited numerous atrocities over his immortal lifespan and founded the opressive and xenophobic Imperium of Man, but in the end he really did only want to protect humanity as a whole from the numerous terrors that lurk throughout the cosmos and beyond, and saw no other way than to pick the lesser evils.
Videos[]
Music[]
Examples and Fights[]