DC has grown renowned for its antagonists, who are as well-known as the heroes who fight them. There are shamelessly horrible characters who are unquestionably powerful, such as The Joker and Darkseid. However, some of the most compelling antagonists are also the most difficult to despise. They start out with good intentions and a good personality, but over time, they become twisted. It's awful and unfortunate, but it's required for character growth.
The DC Extended Universe is no exception, with a diverse cast of appealing antagonists. Humans, aliens, and entities from other worlds all have motivations for committing atrocities that, while not justifying their actions, make them more understandable, and in rare circumstances, we actually agree with the notion. Let's have a look at these characters.
#1 Maxwell Lord
Maxwell Lord thinks that people should never have to accept for good enough, and that "life is good, but it can be better," as his slogan reads. That alone makes him honorable: his desire to offer everyone exactly whatever they want. It's difficult to resent Maxwell Lord for striving to improve the world situation for everybody, given his sincere motives and true love for his kid.
#2 Ocean Master
Orm in Aquaman has seen surface inhabitants poison the waters he calls home, and it was a surface person that betrayed Atlantis, leading to her exile. It's simple to understand why Orm considers humans to be the devils, and why he decides to declare war on them as Ocean Master.
#3 Deadshot
He is one of the DCEU's finest anti-heroes, balancing his affection for his daughter and honor with his willingness to kill for riches.
#4 Cheetah
Throughout her childhood, she was seen as an inferior being to be walked over or bullied, but that shifted when Maxwell Lord fulfilled her yearning to be more like Diana Prince. Bullying is a genuine problem, and it may lead to bullied people being more harmful to themselves and others, making Cheetah a more believable villain with her superhuman abilities.
#5 Starro The Conqueror
Starro's origin story is tragic since he was simply an extraterrestrial wandering through the universe until humanity grabbed him and turned him into a research experiment. The Thinker tormented, experimented on, and even sexually assaulted Starro for years on Earth. Even after death, Starro laments, "I was happy floating... staring at the stars."
#6 Black Manta
David Hyde and his pirate dad engaged Aquaman in an underwater fight, which resulted in a large torpedo pinning Hyde's father to the ground. Unlike previous heroes, Aquaman declined to help him, preferring to let the sea decide whether or not to show pity. This puts in place David Hyde's transformation into Aquaman's ultimate foe, Black Manta.
#7 General Zod
The fact is that General Zod is a product of Krypton's problems. From Zod's point of view, Superman is a traitor to his race, causing its destruction, and all Zod wants to do is accomplish the reason for which he exists. To the Kryptonians that serve him, Zod is a hero attempting to preserve their species; yet, to mankind, he is a horror.
#8 Steppenwolf
He was unyielding in his conquest of planets, slaying the innocent, but not just because he is vicious. Steppenwolf owes his master thousands of planets for abandoning his own family. Steppenwolf's only desire is to come back to Apokolips, his home.
#9 Dr. Sivana
Thaddeus Sivana was found to be a decent kid. That shifted when the wizard Shazam not only offered him false hope of being a hero but also condemned him for making the wrong decision that most boys would do. It's easy to see why he has been pulled in this route after the wizard crushed his heart and his own family mistreated him.