Sometimes, all a villain needs to change their ways is love and acceptance. Often, what makes these characters villains is their detachment from the rest of the world either because they are unaccepted by others or they have failed to be shown love. This causes them to be angry and lash out at those around them.
However, sometimes these villains are redeemed and can finally find acceptance and love. Thanks to that, they can see the error of their ways and switch to the side of good. No matter how evil they started out, these villains turned good after experiencing love in some way.
10 Zuko Became A Hero After Realizing His Uncle’s Love Was What Really Mattered In Avatar: The Last Airbender
Prince Zuko went through a lot of trauma as a child and teenager, and because of that, he desperately sought his father’s love and acceptance, ignoring the love and acceptance his Uncle, Iroh, was already giving him. It was not until he betrayed Iroh that he realized his father’s love was not real love.
Eventually, the guilt he felt for betraying his Uncle, who loved him unconditionally, was too heavy, and the lies his father told him became too obvious. So, he switched sides to help Team Avatar. He also made amends with his Uncle and was able to rejoin him in his good graces.
9 Yukako Changed Her Mind When Koichi Saved Her In Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable
Yukako’s love for Koichi Hirose was misplaced, and she put him through a lot of trauma, torturing him in an attempt to “better” him. When Koichi tried to escape, she attacked him and almost killed him. Unfortunately, she ended up being the one who almost died, and Koichi saved her at the last minute.
This action by Koichi made Yukako realize how terrible she had been and just how unhelpful her “help” really was. Though she still has some misguided tendencies, she eventually becomes an ally to Koichi and his friends, and it is suggested that they can work past these differences and date.
8 In Naruto, Gaara Finally Learned The Meaning Of Love And Became The Kazekage
Gaara was a victim of childhood neglect and abuse. His father, the Fourth Kazekage, sealed a demon within him, killing Gaara’s mother, and later tried to kill Gaara when the demon proved uncontrollable. So, Gaara grew up without understanding the concept of love. Eventually, he met Naruto Uzumaki, another child with a demon sealed within him, and his worldview changed.
After meeting Naruto and learning from him, Gaara returned to the Hidden Sand Village determined to make the village acknowledge and accept him. He fought for their love, and they eventually gave it to him, making him the next Kazekage.
7 Greed Learned Acceptance And Friendship In Fullmetal Alchemist
Greed was a homunculus who committed atrocious acts. However, after spending time with Ling Yao, he began to understand his true desire, which was friendship and acceptance. In the last moments of Greed’s life, he became a hero by helping the protagonists defeat Father.
Greed was a homunculus who was created to be the embodiment of a toxic feeling, and yet he was able to break away from that path and turn good (even only for a moment). The love between friends and comrades was powerful enough to achieve this.
6 Inuyasha’s Sesshomaru Learned How To Accept Humans And Eventually Married The Girl Who Showed Him Love
It was no secret that Sesshoumaru was a reticent character with a complicated relationship with humans. For a long while, he hated them. However, things changed when he was shown kindness by a young human girl named Rin.
When he was injured, she nursed him, and when she was attacked, Sesshoumaru saved her. Through that experience, the two bonded and Rin traveled with him. By the events of the Inuyasha sequel, Yashahime, it was revealed the two had two children.
5 Orochimaru Changed A Lot After Taking Care Of Mizuki In Boruto
Orochimaru was a huge villain throughout Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden. He kidnapped children, experimented on them, and used their bodies to prolong his life. He was pure evil, and any help he gave was primarily fueled by his greed and ambition.
Therefore, it was really strange to see his character change so much by the events of Boruto. He now has a child, though not a “normal” child by any means. Mitsuki was created in Orochimaru’s lab. However, Orochimaru seems to show Mitsuki a lot of love, and he has become an ally for the Hidden Leaf Village.
4 Dracula Became Good For A Time Thanks To Lisa In Castlevania
Dracula was an evil vampire who turned good because of his relationship with his wife, Lisa. She suggested for him to travel and learn from human civilization and culture, and he did. However, his benevolent status changed on several occasions. He turned evil once again when she was killed by the church.
Just as love had turned him good once, it turned him good for a brief moment when he fought Alucard, his son. At this moment, Allucad was able to finally defeat and kill Dracula, who realized that in his attacking his son, he was already dead.
3 Isabella Decided To Quit Being A Mama And Protect Her Kids In The Promised Neverland
Isabella was a Mama who cared for her children, in a twisted sort of way. She knew what their fate was when they left the house, but she was born and raised in this system and saw no escape. However, when her kids found a way to outsmart the system and break out of the farm, she was touched.
Eventually, she was sentenced and learned that even her higherups were not protected. At that point, she lost any misguided sense of loyalty. She wanted to protect her kids, instead.
2 Mai Betrayed Azula Because She Wanted To Protect Zuko In Avatar: The Last Airbender
Mai was one of Azula’s best friends and henchmen, along with the bubbly Ty Lee. Azula had a history of treating them poorly, so when Mai was forced to choose between her duties in the Fire Nation with Azula and her love, Zuko, she chose Zuko.
She became a hero by helping Zuko escape Boiling Rock prison with Sokka and other escapees who would later become important to the destruction of the Fire Lord’s plans. Her relationship with Zuko saved the day and had ripple effects that turned the war in Team Avatar’s favor.
1 Erza Inspired Jellal To Become Good And Attone For His Sins In Fairy Tail
Jellal Fernandes and Erza Scarlet grew up together, but Jellal was manipulated and controlled by a Dark Mage, becoming the main villain of the Tower of Heaven Arc. As a result, he became a villain and hurt many people, some of whom Erza knew.
Erza confronted him, along with Natsu Dragneel, and Jellal was soon defeated. Upon waking up, he became determined to hunt down other Dark Mages as a way to make up for his crimes. This was all thanks to Erza, a childhood friend he used to love, and Natsu.
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