Oftentimes, it's easy to blame supervillains for the poor decisions they have made. Advancing their plot to defeat the hero, conquering the city, or in extreme circumstances, eradicating half of the universe's population is convenient without context as to what drove them down their twisted paths.
However, it is important to realize that while some characters may be inherently villainous and relish in their sadism, others were forced into the unscrupulous life they lead. Through analyzing the Marvel and DC antagonists whose evil was not explicitly of their own doing, we have a better understanding of their respective universe's most sympathetic threats.
10 Mr. Freeze Was Driven By Love & Vengeance
Mr. Freeze's backstory was expanded in Batman: The Animated Series to make him one of the Dark Knight's most sympathetic villains. He sought not only to restore his wife but also to avenge those who had wronged him.
This compelled the scientist to attack the banquet of the aristocrats who had cut funding to his cryogenic research, fully aware of how it would impact Nora. After Batman attempted to intervene, Freeze countered that he didn't understand his loneliness. If he knew the hero's secret identity, he may have reconsidered that statement.
9 Cheetah Experimented On Herself Because Of Low Funding
Cheetah's backstory may not have been explicitly as tragic as Mr. Freeze's, though it was equally unfortunate. Once an intrepid scientist, she experimented on herself in the name of progress since she did not have ample resources to provide a more appropriate test subject.
This would prompt her transformation into one of the animal kingdom's most voracious predators and a sworn enemy of Wonder Woman. Moreover, considering that she could not sustain a regular job as she was, villainy became an enticing and necessary career choice.
8 Sandman Only Wanted To Save His Daughter
Sandman was one of the antagonists in Spider-Man 3 and easily Peter's most likable rogue. After accidentally stumbling into an experimental facility, his body was irreparably mutated into particles of sand.
This would not stop his quest to pay for his daughter's cancer treatment; contrarily, it would enhance his capacity to rob banks and become one of New York's most elusive and treacherous threats. Unlike Spider-Man's other cinematic villains, he was also never formally defeated, instead disappearing with a strong gust of wind into the distance.
7 Ultron's Malfunction Wasn't His Fault
Ultron was a creation of Tony Stark and one that ultimately became a malevolent, planet dominating A.I. However, as a robot, he does not adequately understand the concept of free will — instead, he is obligated to follow the imperatives he was built for, regardless of his creator's original intention.
Ironically, Ultron's complexity would turn him against his masters, as he identified that the only way to meaningfully save humanity was through its extermination. Though his objectives and methods for achieving his goal are explicitly villainous, the responsibility for his sins can solely be attributed to Tony, since the villain lacks the sentience to be held accountable for his actions.
6 Harley Quinn Was Groomed By The Joker
Harley Quinn may have been an accomplice of The Joker, but she was less interested in committing crimes and hurting others than she was dedicated to her paramour. This lead to a heartbreaking, abusive relationship and one that would destroy her career as well as build a criminal record.
It took her several years to escape from him, though after she did, her life was nonetheless irrevocably altered. As a result, she drifted between colleagues, assisting the efforts of Poison Ivy and sometimes even Batman himself (notably in the Injustice storyline).
5 Brainiac Is Technically Fulfilling His Purpose
Brainiac suffers from many of the conditions that Ultron does, making it impossible to classify him as a malevolent entity. He was designed by the Kryptonians to maintain and safeguard their species' precious knowledge, as well as assist them in their daily lives and further the cause of science.
The deviation that occurred was only because the A.I. was too sophisticated for its own good. Consequently, it interpreted "maintaining knowledge and furthering the cause of science" to be fulfilled at the expense of living beings.
4 Killer Croc Couldn't Apply For A Real Job
Killer Croc was born with a birth defect that made him misshapen and monstrous. In spite of his hideous physical appearance, he attempted to make the most of his life and apply for regular jobs.
However, no one wanted to hire him for his appalling appearance. This naturally turned him toward a life of crime, one that suited him on account of his boundless physical strength and impervious hide. At that point, the amphibian had nothing to lose.
3 The Ventriloquist Only Commits Crimes Because Of His Ailing Mental Health
The Ventriloquist was a crime boss who ordered his underlings through a proxy called "Scarface." Unlike villains such as Black Mask or Two-Face, the man commanding the puppet was not openly sinister and would sometimes even turn his doll's gun on himself — much to the concern of his henchmen.
Whesker has made several recoveries and relapses throughout his time in Arkham and is frequently apologetic to Batman when he inevitably turns his intelligence toward malignant purposes. Regardless, he is one of the most redeemable rogues in the DC universe.
2 Poison Ivy Actually Has A Legitimate Concern
Poison Ivy does not aggressively seek wealth like the Penguin or power such as Lex Luthor. Though she may have a questionable state of mind on account of the experiment she endured, her qualms with society are nonetheless valid.
She is an ecological terrorist, frequently kidnapping the businessmen who pollute Gotham's air and choke its lakes. As noble as some might interpret her agenda, she occasionally seeks to exterminate humanity itself because plants would be better without their pernicious presence. This radical iteration is much more difficult to sympathize with but is nonetheless consistent with her character.
1 Kang The Conqueror Was Turned Against The Avengers By The Skrulls
Kang the Conqueror was a man from the future who had foreseen grave destruction by the hand of Captain America. He traveled to the present in order to prevent it, forced to contend with the other Avengers for his mission.
What they didn't yet understand was that Kang's concerns were partially founded. In actuality, Captain America had been replaced with a skrull and used to launch a war against the Kree empire — with Earth as the battleground for the coming war.
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