10 Villains Who Appear Mean But Are Actually Misunderstood

Horror villains frequently have a bad reputation due to their tendency to harm everyone who dares to cross their path in different ways. After all, it's difficult for most people to understand or sympathize with a character that appears to do evil things without remorse.
However, some horror villains could be more deserving of our sympathy than our initial impressions. While some are simply acting on their own urge to survive, others have backstories and childhoods that are so awful and it's really not unexpected they turned out a little messed up. Tragic villains didn't even commit a fraction of the horrifying crimes that have come to define their identities, and some of them may have even done the world a favor by defeating some of their victims.
They're also not the complete bastards that the media portrays them as but are considered anti-heroes. If you look at these villains with more compassion, you could find that they are actually only a little misunderstood and not all that terrible.

#1 Agent Smith in The Matrix

Source: © The Matrix / Warner Bros. and co-producers

Agent Smith from The Matrix is one of science fiction's most well-known villains. His main purpose, like the rest of the agents in the simulation, was to oppose Trinity, Neo, and Morpheus. Hugo Weaving, on the other hand, began to give him considerably more complicated psychological qualities, and as a result, Smith betrayed the other agents as well as the machines themselves.
Humans were a virus to him, something vile, and The Matrix was indeed a prison from which he had to escape.

#2 Count Dooku in Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith

Source: © Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones / Lucasfilm and co-producers

In the Star Wars saga, Count Dooku was as legendary a villain as Darth Vader. It's easy to understand why he betrayed the Republic.
The Jedi, according to Dooku, had fallen from grace because they could no longer keep the peace. The Jedi Order was too concerned with interfering in politics, allowing their arrogance to get the best of them. Nonetheless, the Sith was a poor option.

#3 Dudley Dursley in the Harry Potter saga

Source: © Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone / Warner Bros. and co-producers

There's no doubt that Dudley made Harry Potter's life at the Dursleys miserable. However, his unfriendly behavior may be influenced by his parents. When we take a step back, we might see a more compassionate side.
It's worth noting that the spoiled cousin occasionally found himself on the wrong side of magic. The zoo encounter with the snake and his unwanted pig's tail may have influenced his distaste for Harry.

#4 King Kong in the movie of the same name

Source: © King Kong / Universal Pictures and co-producers

King Kong is more than just a monster in a movie. People come to Skull Island after becoming stranded at sea and accidentally entering its territory. As the story continues, we see Kong experience feelings, such as becoming protective of Ann.
While humans try to capture, control, and profit from the huge animal, all the gorilla wants is to be alone.

#5 Loki in Thor

Source: © Thor / Paramount Pictures and co-producers

Loki was the villain in Thor for many reasons. Odin had adopted Loki from infancy, concealing his true nature as a Frost Giant with magic. Furthermore, he had to live his entire life in the shadow of Thor, his favorite son, who was extremely selfish and irresponsible.
Finding out he was adopted may have pushed Loki over the edge, but coping with a brother like Thor for decades pushed him over the edge.

#6 Maleficent in the movie of the same name

Source: © Maleficent / Jolie Pas and co-producers

Maleficent played both the evil and the hero in the film. Beyond good and evil, the novel depicts her betrayal by her "true love," a human named Stefan. He eventually steals her wings to offer to the king and becomes heir to the throne. The furious fairy curses the princess into a deep sleep for revenge.
Maleficent gets to know the girl and eventually regrets her deeds, wishing to safeguard her country. Over the traditional romantic love between the princess and the prince, the fairy tale emphasizes familial relationships and female empowerment.

#7 Ruth DeWitt in Titanic

Source: © Titanic / Twentieth Century Fox and co-producers

When we first saw Titanic, we recognized Ruth De Witt as Rose's strict mother and perceived her as one of the story's enemies. There's no doubt about it: she abused Jack and relentlessly pushed Rose to marry Cal.
Sure, she was snobbish, rude, and selfish, but she loved and cared for her kid and wanted the best for her. She refused to join the lifeboat without Rose and even cried after seeing the ship slowly sink into the ocean with Rose and many other passengers still on board.

#8 Scar in The Lion King and The Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride

Source: © The Lion King / Walt Disney Pictures and co-producers

The Lion King's villainous sibling is one of Disney's most outstanding villains. He appeared to be a weak character, yet he was successful in deposing Mufasa and removing Simba from the line of succession to the throne. With his charisma and leadership, he believed that kings should be chosen based on their abilities and capabilities rather than their birth.
As a result, Scar rejected Nuka in favor of Kovu as his successor, breaking with tradition. However, it was the right option because Kovu was actually qualified to be the next king.

#9 Sharpay Evans in High School Musical

Source: © High School Musical / Salty Pictures and co-producer

Sharpay Evans from High School Musical is another iconic villain. Although many of us disliked Sharpay's dramatic and rude attitude, one thing was certain: Sharpay had been acting in plays since preschool and deserved a lead role in the school play. Meanwhile, Gabriella and Troy had little experience other than karaoke singing.

#10 Sid in Toy Story

Source: © Toy Story / Walt Disney Pictures and co-producers

Sid did destroy, abuse, and blow up toys for enjoyment, but he had no idea the toys were alive. In actuality, Sid was a little boy who did not receive care and protection from his parents. Because most of the characters in the film are around 3 inches tall, we only get to see him as an evil giant.
To be fair, at the end of the movie, Woody and the other toys scared him so much that he vowed never to hurt another toy again.