10 TV Heroes Who Became Villains (& Why)

Abstract

• A number of beloved tv characters endure a change from hero to villain, both briefly or completely, as a part of their character growth.
• Characters like Andy Bernard from The Workplace, Willow Rosenberg from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Daenerys Targaryen from Sport of Thrones all skilled a descent into villainy of their respective collection.
• This shift in character aligns with the necessity for compelling narratives that discover the morality of those characters, creating twists and including complexity to their storylines.

There are quite a few situations of a tv hero reworking into the first villain. Typically this transition is simply momentary, with the character turning into a villain for a quick narrative arc. In different situations, a personality’s descent into villainy is deliberate from the start and serves as a extra everlasting flip.

When a tv collection endures for a mess of seasons, a sure diploma of character growth turns into crucial. This usually occurs to take care of viewers curiosity and enthusiasm, proffering a compelling narrative that explores the characters’ morality. Nonetheless, a number of beloved tv characters finally grew to become villains of their tv collection whatever the development they’d seen earlier than.

10 Andy Bernard – The Workplace (2005-2013)

Performed By Ed Helms

Andy Bernard is launched in The Workplace season 3. He’s initially introduced as a comparatively variety particular person, albeit an annoying sycophant with anger points. He is portrayed as a sufferer all through his engagement to Angela, and his romance with Erin turns into the emotional core of seasons 6 and seven. Nonetheless, Andy turns into totally unlikable in The Workplace season 9, exhibiting egocentric and merciless habits, notably towards Erin. A lot of this happens in the course of the fallout of Andy’s notorious boat journey, which was written to provide Ed Helms time to look in varied film roles. The unlucky result’s that Andy turns into the villain in The Workplace season 9.

9 Willow Rosenberg – Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)

Performed By Alyson Hannigan

Willow goes by means of a dramatic transformation all through Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She is initially launched as a mild-mannered laptop nerd, too timid to face up for herself. Whereas she develops drastically right into a self-confident and formidable witch, she nonetheless retains elements from her adorably awkward years. This makes it much more jarring when Willow turns into the villain in Buffy season 6. Willow’s overuse of magic is used all through season 5 as a metaphor for dependancy. Regardless of studying to deal with this, Willow relapses violently after her girlfriend Tara is killed. Willow subsequently goes on a murderous rampage and turns into the season 6 Massive Unhealthy.

8 Daenerys Targaryen – Sport Of Thrones (2011-2019)

Performed By Emilia Clarke

All through Sport of Thrones, Daenerys Targaryen is portrayed sympathetically. She overcomes monumental childhood trauma and shows nice ethical fortitude in her makes an attempt to liberate Slaver’s Bay. In some ways, Daenerys represents an moral ideally suited, with audiences rallying behind her as she overcomes rebellions and ascends to energy. After she journeys to Westeros, nonetheless, Daenerys falls sufferer to her lust for energy and her household’s insanity. This culminates in Daenerys burning Kings Touchdown in Video games of Thrones season 8. The girl followers had come to root for disappears as she ruthlessly destroys town she as soon as needed to guard.

7 Will Graham – Hannibal (2013-2015)

Performed By Hugh Dancy

It is easy to presume that Will Graham will turn into the heroic FBI agent depicted in Purple Dragon. Nonetheless, the tv prequel Hannibal handles the character very in another way. Throughout Hannibal, Will is considerably extra influenced by Dr. Lector, even turning into romantically entangled with the killer psychiatrist. Consequently, Will’s psychological and ethical fortitude wavers drastically, and he ultimately turns into a brutal killer himself. Will’s delineation between good and evil progressively blurs, and he finally perpetrates murderous justice upon the serial killer Garrett Jacob Hobbs. Whereas not as villainous because the eponymous Hannibal, Will definitely ends the collection removed from a hero.

6 Trish Walker – Jessica Jones (2015-2019)

Performed By Rachel Taylor

Patricia “Trish” Walker is launched in Jessica Jones season 1. She aids the titular personal investigator in a number of heroic deeds however quickly turns into jealous of Jessica’s powers. Consequently, in season 2, Trish undergoes a collection of experiments that imbue her with extraordinary talents. Subsequently, Trish begins working as a vigilante. In Jessica Jones season 3, Trish’s mom is murdered. She turns into so consumed with grief that she begins killing these she deems evil. Trish is later confronted by Jessica on the climax of Jessica Jones season 3, having absolutely reworked into the outing’s villain.

5 Walter White – Breaking Unhealthy (2008-2013)

Performed By Bryan Cranston

Walter White is an extremely compelling and complicated character. At first of Breaking Unhealthy, Walter is sympathetic at the same time as he ventures down the unsuitable path. He is a tragic determine identified with lung most cancers and pushed to fabricate methamphetamine to make sure his household is financially steady. Nonetheless, as he slowly transforms into Heisenberg, most viewers cease rooting for Walter White in Breaking Unhealthy. Walter segues from hero to antihero, and he ultimately turns into an outright villain. He thinks nothing of murdering individuals or poisoning a toddler, turning into a power-hungry kingpin who will do something to take care of his empire.

4 Sam Winchester – Supernatural (2005-2020)

Performed By Jared Padalecki

Sam Winchester is one-half of the demon-hunting brothers in Supernatural. Within the first couple of seasons, the Winchesters valiantly battle the forces of evil. Nonetheless, throughout Supernatural season 3, Sam is bestowed magical powers that he slowly grew to become hooked on and corrupted by. Sam grew to become boastful, uncaring, and violent, resulting in a terse confrontation with Dean who warned him he was turning right into a monster. This lastly culminated in season 4 when Sam opened a portal to Lucifer himself. Fortunately, Sam’s villainous antics had been solely transient, and he spent a lot of season 5 repenting his misdeeds.

3 Rick Grimes – The Strolling Lifeless (2010-2022)

Performed By Andrew Lincoln

Rick Grimes advanced dramatically all through The Strolling Lifeless. In his early incarnation, Rick was an ethical hero, striving to guard these dearest to him. Nonetheless, the brutal and merciless world round him quickly takes its toll on Rick, notably after dropping a number of family and friends members. The loss of life of Rick’s son, Carl, gave the impression to be the final straw for Rick, who quickly grew to become as ruthless as these he presupposed to rally in opposition to. Rick engages in a revenge marketing campaign in opposition to the Saviors, regardless of a number of of them saving his life. Rick’s descent into villainy is gradual and considerably justified, however is a notable shift from Rick in The Strolling Lifeless season 1.

2 Lex Luthor – Smallville (2001-2011)

Performed By Michael Rosenbaum

Although it was solely inevitable, Lex Luther’s descent into villainy was one of the vital compelling elements of Smallville. Superman’s notorious nemesis was initially morally ambiguous. He made a number of makes an attempt to counter his father’s despicable actions, but it surely was by no means evident whether or not his motive was altruistic or derived from his animosity in the direction of his father. Certainly, Lex was handled horribly by his father, which garnered plenty of sympathy. In truth, within the early Smallville seasons, Lex was mates with Clark Kent, however this quickly developed an all-consuming obsession with uncovering Clark’s secret. Lex ultimately assumed his evildoer standing in Smallville season 7, when he grew to become markedly dastardly and depraved.

1 Jax Teller – Sons Of Anarchy (2008-2014)

Performed By Charlie Hunnam

Jackson “Jax” Teller was the protagonist in Sons of Anarchy, the compassionate Vice President of the eponymous bike gang. Jax was repeatedly conflicted by his want to take care of the membership whereas additionally decreasing its prison components. Jax additionally made concerted efforts to turn out to be a revered household man. Nonetheless, because the collection continued, Jax encountered violent conditions which pressured him to turn out to be more and more ruthless. This culminated in Sons of Anarchy season 6 when Jax killed his stepfather. By season 7, Jax was a fully-fledged villain, exacting violent revenge on these he believed killed his associate Tara. Consequently, Jax is a main instance of a tv hero who finally grew to become a villain.