10 Hidden Villains Who We Thought Were Supposed To Be Good

Elizabeth Olsen in WandaVision (2021)

Writers sometimes make the mistake of trying to force characters into a good guy or bad guy narrative. They want this person to be the bad guy, so nothing they do makes sense unless it is geared toward opposing the main character. They are somehow inherently bad when it should be that our interpretation of their behaviors, due to our own biases, perceives them that way. In the same vein, the good guys seem to be good just because the writer wants them to, no matter what the character does in service of that good. But life is more nuanced than that, and sometimes even the good guys are villains when observed closely.

1. Dominic Toretto – Fast and Furious

Fast and Furious
Image Credit: Universal Pictures.

One user on the platform says that the Fast and the Furious series are all fun films, but Dominic Toretto is a proven criminal with little regard for the destruction he weaves. Someone else adds that, at the very least, Dominic committed multiple vehicular murders, and we don’t usually associate that behavior with good people. “In real life,” they say, “when you intentionally smash a car off the road so hard it flips several times, the driver doesn’t just crawl out, kick the car, and yell about how they got away. They die, Dom.”

2. Sue – Crocodile Dundee

Crocodile Dundee
Image Credit: 20th Century Fox.

Someone says Sue in Crocodile Dundee cheats on her boyfriend with Mick, then lies to her employer to have them pay to fly her new side piece back to New York City. She then brings her side piece on a date with her boyfriend; he sees what’s going on, is unhappy, and gets knocked out for being unhappy. But then SUE accepts her boyfriend’s proposal only to break things off the next morning to chase Mick down and tell him she loves him. Sue is actually the bad guy in Crocodile Dundee.

3. Professor Snape – Harry Potter

Harry Potter
Image Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures.

Someone on the platform suggests Professor Snape. He has continually been portrayed as an antihero/hero, but that doesn’t, in the least, excuse his treatment of children. The fact that he loved Harry’s mom and loathed her orphaned son because he didn’t marry her isn’t something that can be easily explained away. Snape also blamed Lilly’s death on Neville because if Neville were chosen instead of Harry, she’d still be alive.

4. Wonder Woman – Wonder Woman 84

Wonder Woman 84
Image Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures.

Wonder Woman 84 was a movie where the protagonist allowed the spirit of her ex to take over the body of some random innocent guy and then “did things” to his hijacked body. She took over an innocent person’s body because she couldn’t get over her ex. “I’m amazed Patty Jenkins co-wrote and directed it,” someone said, “And at no point did she realize her hero was evil.”

5. Mack – Love Actually

Love Actually
Image Credit: Universal Pictures.

“Don’t pretend to be a guy’s best friend, ” someone online said, “then sneak his wife out of the house to bombard her with love signs. What a jerk. What is she supposed to do with that now?” In what world is this okay and part of the bro code? Mack really stepped over a big line here.

6. Daniel – Mrs. Doubtfire

Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
Image Credit: 20th Century Fox.

One user suggested Daniel in Mrs. Doubtfire. He used to be considered a dedicated father back when the film came out, but now he’s seen as a sociopath. The “villain” of the movie is also just a regular guy who happens to be dating his love interest. He tries to be a good father figure while their actual dad is pulling disguise schemes.

7. The Family – My Big Fat Greek Wedding

My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Image Credit: IFC Films.

One user says that about 80% of the characters in the My Big Fat Greek Wedding series can be placed in this category of villains. “The woman is in an extremely abusive family dynamic,” a user opines. “Yes, they are Greek. It’s not an excuse. Her family doesn’t want her to leave the house, and she has to lie to get the tiniest bit of her own life for herself.”

8. Ted Mosby – How I Met Your Mother

How I Met Your Mother
Image Credit: 20th Century Fox Television.

A lot of sitcom characters were written in a way that they’re supposed to be loved, but they’re not good people in reality. One that strikes some fans the most is Ted Mosby from How I Met Your Mother. He’s basically Brian from Family Guy. He’s selfish and sees himself as the last guy left in the world.

“Recently watched How I Met Your Mother,” said someone, “and the show constantly goes out of its way to point out Ted isn’t a great guy. There are entire episodes and season arcs where characters go out of their way to point out that Ted sucks.”

9. P.T. Barnum – The Greatest Showman

The Greatest Showman
Image Credit: 20th Century Fox.

The fact that this movie got made is surprising, says a commenter. P.T. Barnum is pretty well known and held up as an example of a charlatan and abusive businessman in real life. “That movie is straight-up propaganda,” someone responds. “I legit thought it was going to be a gritty biopic; it’s a straight-up musical of a notorious person with all his wrongs swept under the rug.”

10. Wanda – WandaVision

WandaVision
Image Credit: Marvel Studios.

The show laughably tried to paint Wanda as a victim at the end with the line, “They’ll never know what you sacrificed for them.” Completely sweeping all the crimes she had committed, keeping people trapped, and essentially torturing them under the rug for the entirety of the show.

Source: Reddit.