22 Movie Villains Who Might've Just Been Misunderstood And Actually Not That Evil

Justice for Sharpay Evans.

Recently, we asked the BuzzFeed Community which movie villains they think don't really deserve all they hate they get. Here are some of the most compelling arguments:

(You can vote on whether you agree with each one too, btw.)

1. Jason Voorhees, Friday the 13th

Paramount Pictures

Yes, he’s a psychopathic, undead serial killer but he used to be a mentally challenged, physically deformed boy who was bullied and drowned while everyone ignored him. So I can sympathise with those issues. –PHM8

2. Yzma, The Emperor's New Groove

Walt Disney Pictures

She did all the work for an entitled little prick who fired her for basically no reason at all, after a lifetime of loyalty to the throne. –Lolathedreamer

3. Sharpay Evans, High School Musical

Disney Channel

She might've come off as bitchy and stuck-up, but most of her actions were justifiable. Here come these kids, who have never even considered being in a musical, and they get the lead roles when Sharpay and Ryan have been doing this their entire life and are damn good at it. Also, in HSM 2 she kept setting Troy up for interviews and job opportunities that could have greatly benefited him had he taken advantage of them. Basically, Sharpay wasn't a bad person and doesn't deserve all of the hate she gets. –tdray0125

4. Dolores Umbridge, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Warner Bros.

She was evil, but she wasn't evil like Voldemort who basically wanted you on his side or you die. Umbridge just wanted the Ministry rules to be followed. She didn’t want to kill Harry Potter, she just wanted to overpower him and show him who’s boss. –gabyp4be02194c

5. Clarissa Payne, What a Girl Wants

Warner Bros.

All that Clarissa from What a Girl Wants wanted was a dad, even though she probably shouldn't have tried to push Daphne out of the way to get it.

–nickyc49a29d6cd

6. Hades, Hercules

Walt Disney Pictures

I mean, imagine having to live in the Underworld for eternity just because he had some bad luck and drew the short stick? Then also being in the shadow of his little brother Zeus, who gets to have a huge palace in the heavens? That must SUCK. Especially when he has to be surrounded by dead people while the Gods of Olympus get to sit around having fun all day. –sarahpark160

7. Arthur Brooks, Big Daddy

Columbia Pictures

Sonny had no idea how to raise a child, and only did it to gain the approval of his girlfriend. Arthur Brooks, the social worker, then got a foster family that would have been able to take care of Julian, but Sonny lied again and said that as his father, he wanted to keep him. During his time as guardian, Julian didn't bathe for weeks, renamed himself Frankenstein, started peeing in public even when bathrooms were readily available, and started tripping rollerbladers. The social worker was completely in the right to remove Julian from this household. Julian wasn't his son. He lied to Social Services. He was a bad father for most of the time he was a guardian. Arthur Brooks wasn't the villain. This was a man who was looking out for a child who was living with an incapable, barely-employed idiot who fed him horribly and put newspapers on the bed instead of changing the sheets. –swinnie239

8. Carrie White, Carrie

Red Bank Films

Yes, I know, she burned her entire prom to the ground and killed mostly everyone in there, but the only reason she did that was because of the abuse she endured. From her mother's extreme religious beliefs to being seen as a freak at school, it all just came to a point. In my opinion, the entire thing could have been prevented if the bullies at school would have just left her alone. Carrie is not a villain, she's a victim. –elainiy

9. Mother Gothel, Tangled

Walt Disney Pictures

Sure, she is the bad guy for stealing a baby that wasn't hers. But she did not intend to kidnap the baby, she just wanted the powers of the flower that the King and Queen cut down. She intended to just steal some of Rapunzel's hair to stay alive. Then when that did not work, she stole Rapunzel and raised her with love. She gave her gifts and things to do, with the only rule to not leave the tower because outside is dangerous. But Rapunzel did just that, fell in love with a criminal, almost got arrested, and escaped being murdered by bandits... therefore, only proving Mother Gothel was right. In the end she reconnects with her real parents, who she barely knows, and kills her fake mom who raised and protected her as her own. Wtf. –freddiea401788aa8

10. Miranda Priestly, The Devil Wears Prada

20th Century Fox

She’s obviously passionate about her job and cares about her magazine. She knows how hard it is to get to the top and stay there. I think she knows she’s not going to be there forever, and wants to find the right person to eventually replace her. She sees potential in Andy which is why she’s extra hard on her - she’s testing her to see if she’s willing to work hard, and make the tough decisions and sacrifices for Runway. She even tells Andy that she sees herself in her. Then after Andy deserted her in the middle of the most important week of the year, she still helped Andy by telling a potential employer that they would be an idiot if they didn't hire her. A true villain would ruin any chance for success. –iheat

11. Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, The Lion King

Walt Disney Pictures

Mufasa banished the hyenas to starve to death in a graveyard. They really just end up helping Scar because he offers them actual food and, hopefully, a spot in the Circle of Life. –a45278afaa

12. Kylo Ren, Star Wars

Walt Disney Pictures

He did kill his father, but I don't think people realise that Snoke has been manipulating and abusing Ben Solo (Kylo) for his entire life. Snoke was the one who ordered to kill Han Solo. Ben just wanted to belong somewhere. His parents sent him to his uncle, who tried to kill him in his sleep. He was heartbroken and Snoke told him everything he needed to hear to turn to the dark side. I don’t think of him as a villain. A villain doesn’t cry, they aren’t as vulnerable. They don’t care, while Kylo seems to care too much. –annasykes

13. Catwoman, Batman Returns

Warner Bros. Pictures

It is clearly laid out that she is horribly abused by men, after her boss tried to murder her. She miraculously survives and decides to attack and kill the man who has done this to her, doing a great service to Gotham. She crossed the line that Batman never would... seriously, re-watch the movie and try to tell me she is not a hero. –manningl428

14. Betty Rizzo, Grease

Paramount Pictures

She was only hostile towards Sandy because she found out Sandy was dating Danny (Rizzo's former lover), and all the bitchiness somewhat escalates when she has the pregnancy scare. The song "There Are Worse Things I Could Do" symbolises the fact that Rizzo herself is really vulnerable, and deep down she isn't such a bad person despite the bitchy exterior. –celuiquireste

15. John Kramer, Saw

Lionsgate Films

Let's be real, most of the people he tortured were awful. Technically his plans did work. In Saw III, Amanda got off drugs and if Daniel Rigg would have just visited his wife or quit rushing into things, he would have been fine. Eric Matthew's son was in a safe place, all he had to do was listen and follow instructions. In Saw V, all they had to do was put their selfishness aside and work together. By the second trap, they should have realised that the pipe was big enough for more than one person. –seriouslywoow

16. Tamatoa, Moana

Walt Disney Pictures

He wasn't doing anything unusual for an animal. He collected shiny things to decorate himself and attract prey. He was playing by the finders keepers rule when he picked up Maui's hook. Sure, he went after the heart, which wasn't any good, but then the audience is supposed to believe he's a bad guy for feeding himself and wanting to look good? I'd wanna be shiny too, if that was all it took to sustain myself. –jadeu4891b66a4

17. Magneto, X-Men: First Class

20th Century Fox

He was a Holocaust victim who sees parallels between what he went through and the anti-mutant agenda, and he doesn't want that to happen again!! Are his methods hypocritical? Maybe. But that doesn't mean he's not one of the most sympathetic villains to ever be written. –meganhash13

18. Maleficent, Sleeping Beauty

Walt Disney Pictures

When the King and Queen didn't invite her to the party for Princess Aurora she was obviously going to feel left out. You can't blame the girl for getting mad about not getting invited to the biggest party of the year. She only put the curse on Aurora because of not getting invited, so technically it's the King and Queen's fault. –nikishapuncham

19. Theodora, Oz the Great and Powerful

Walt Disney Pictures

Oz cheated on Theodora after making her believe she was his person. Then she became evil because she was looking for something to relieve her pain, and happened to fall in the wrong person's arms. Can you blame her?? I don't, and I think he was 100% being an asshole. –itswel

20. Ursula, The Little Mermaid

Walt Disney Pictures

She's a strong woman who got kicked out of Atlantica for unknown reasons and decides to teach people lessons about self-worth. So, when people ask her to change them physically to be more appealing, she agrees but tells them they'll become little, ugly sea urchins later. Yet, they still go through with it because they're that shallow! Then some idiot teenager shows up saying she's in love with a man that she's seen for five minutes, and wants to grow legs to be with him. Ursula recognises the pure stupidity and agrees to give her legs if she gives up her greatest gift, her voice. Ariel, like all the other morons, is willing to give up her talent for a man. Ursula warns her that if she doesn't pull off a kiss from Eric she'll be doomed to be a mermaid and become her captive. And what does Ursula get? Stabbed, while Ariel enters into a marriage that would be illegal in most countries. –caitlinm18

21. Loki, Thor

Paramount Pictures

I mean, yeah, Loki was evil and mischievous, but his life was pretty sad. He would never be next in line for the throne to Asgard, even when he was always obedient towards his father, Odin. Thor was literally a douche and just played around with his hammer, abusing that power. Also, he came to realise that he was adopted and that he came from the frost giants, who are considered enemies. He has so much magical capability too, and everyone has always looked down upon him. Bro, that kind of sucks. –allyd4a32f4453

22. Sid Phillips, Toy Story

Pixar

Any kid who takes things apart to see how they work and then reimagines them in a new way, is either very smart or very curious, both of which are positive attributes. He got the short end of the stick that the movie was from the perspective of the toys, and also that he happened to look and laugh like a young Satan. –jennyg40c13a1a0

Responses have been edited for length/clarity.

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