Tragic villain
A tragic villain is a character type in fiction, usually an antagonist who does not truly intend to be a villain. They are perhaps misled or not entirely in control of their feelings and/or actions, or pursuing morally ambiguous logic. This archetype originates as an antithesis to the more classic tragic hero of Aristotelian tragedy which continued into use as a basis for Shakespearean plays. In most cases, the character can be referred to as a "sympathetic villain", someone who the audience can empathize with or have pity for in spite of their bad deeds.
Examples from popular media[edit]
Although not at all uncommon in literature, the use of the tragic villain in movies (and video games) has only become popular within the last few decades, as early films tended towards more polarized pro and antagonists, the traditional "good and evil" layout. The following are some examples of tragic villains in popular media, both past and present:
Quasimodo from The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Dr. Jekyll from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Frankenstein's Monster from Frankenstein.
Darth Vader from the Star Wars series.
Davy Jones from Pirates of the Caribbean.
Ganondorf from The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker.
Count Bleck from Super Paper Mario.
Dhaos from Tales of Phantasia.
The Toy Taker from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys
Mewtwo from Pokemon: The First Movie (Japanese Version)
King Dedede from Kirby's Adventure
Dr. Cossack from Mega Man 4
Ancient Minister from Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Mr. Freeze from Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero
Replica Riku from Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories
Ghadius from Klonoa: Door to Phantomile
The King of Sorrow from Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil
See also[edit]
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