10 Sci-Fi Villains We Were Kind Of Rooting For

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Typically, in a play or movie, we’re meant to cheer for the good guy and dislike the bad guy. We expect heroes like Rocky Balboa and Luke Skywalker to win, and villains like the Wicked Witch to lose. However, stories don’t always follow that simple pattern.

It’s not uncommon for stories to feature main characters who are deeply flawed or hard to like – think of Bear in the horror film Obsession. Similarly, villains are often given understandable motives or heartbreaking pasts that make us feel for them. This is especially true in science fiction, where characters like Thanos, Ben Linus, and Roy Batty from Blade Runner are examples of villains who evoke sympathy despite their actions.

Erik Killmonger

Erik Killmonger tragically demonstrates the idea that revenge ultimately harms everyone. Like the Joker, his motivations are understandable, even if his methods are deeply flawed. While his plan is undeniably destructive, it’s easy to see why he feels so strongly about the injustice he witnesses. T’Challa prefers to ignore global suffering and protect Wakanda’s wealth, but Killmonger is driven by the pain and inequality he sees outside Wakanda.

Honestly, as a movie fan, I totally get where Killmonger’s coming from. It’s not like he’s eager to just forgive and forget after everything he and his people went through. He wants real change, a reversal of power, and he wants those who wronged him to feel it. Michael B. Jordan delivers such a powerful performance – you really feel his anger and sense of justice, and it’s hard not to find yourself, on some level, agreeing with his point of view.

Cypher

I’m not saying Cypher was a hero. Killing most of the crew was clearly wrong. However, he raised a valid point about how appealing life inside the Matrix could be. His speech during the famous steak scene – brilliantly acted by Joe Pantoliano – really makes you understand his perspective.

Okay, so “The Matrix” really got me thinking. Morpheus is so focused on freedom, on beating the machines, but honestly, after seeing the bleak reality, I started to understand Cypher’s choice. It’s a tough pill to swallow, but a perfectly cooked steak in a convincing illusion? Way more appealing than a life of hardship and tasteless food in the real world. The movie makes you question what you’d really choose if given the option, and that’s pretty powerful.

Ava

Some argue Ava isn’t a villain in Ex Machina, but rather a manipulative character who uses both the ‘hero’ and ‘villain’ – Caleb and Nathan – to get what she wants. The real antagonist is Nathan, the secluded tech CEO and the one truly responsible for the disturbing events. Caleb, a programmer, is simply caught in the middle, completely unprepared for the bizarre situation he finds himself in.

Ava’s transformation from a mysterious, seductive character to a clear villain happens when she kills Nathan and ensnares Caleb in her escape plan. While leaving Caleb to likely starve is extreme, it’s satisfying to see her survive and finally live life on her own terms, especially considering how Nathan treated her.

The Vulture

Look, I was almost rooting for the Vulture! My sympathy vanished the moment he tried to kill a kid, but honestly, the film does a really good job of making Adrian Toomes understandable. The opening sequence, showing the cleanup after the big battle in New York, actually makes you feel too much empathy for the guy, setting him up as less of a villain and more of a…well, a guy just trying to make a living. It’s a bit of a double-edged sword, because it almost excuses his later actions.

Okay, so this movie really got me thinking. We see the story through the eyes of a guy who’s just trying to survive – a small business owner who gets completely crushed by a wealthy, well-connected guy, Tony Stark. It’s not that he wants to be a criminal, he feels like he’s been forced into it just to put food on the table. And honestly, from his point of view, Stark isn’t the hero – he’s the one causing all the problems. It’s a really interesting spin on the usual superhero narrative, making you question who the real bad guy is.

Ben Linus

Ben Linus is a remarkably complex and fascinating villain in television history. He was so captivating that the show’s writers extended his storyline, evolving him from a simple antagonist into a reluctant partner.

Even though Ben was a villain who did awful things, Michael Emerson’s performance made us understand his motivations. Ultimately, Ben was driven by a desire to safeguard the island and his daughter.

The Xenomorph Queen

Whenever I watch Aliens, I definitely root for Ripley and am happy when she and Newt are reunited. However, I always feel a bit sorry for the alien queen. While James Cameron presents her as the main villain – the last obstacle Ripley needs to overcome – I think she gets a bad rap.

What makes the relationship between Ripley and the alien queen in Aliens so compelling is their surprising similarity. Both are fiercely protective mothers simply trying to defend their offspring. It’s understandable why the queen seeks revenge after Ripley destroys her entire family.

Thanos

Even in the world of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, some people disagree with the Avengers’ decision to stop Thanos. Hawkeye discovers graffiti – the phrase “Thanos was right” – which proves that not everyone views the Avengers as heroes.

The series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier highlighted the issues that arose when Tony Stark reversed the Blip and the world’s population suddenly increased again. Perhaps Thanos’s plan would have been more effective if he’d focused on increasing resources instead of reducing the population – though that would have made him seem reasonable. Ultimately, his reasoning wasn’t entirely flawed.

Anakin Skywalker

Anakin Skywalker definitely made some terrible choices, and his attack on the Jedi younglings went too far for him to be saved. However, he was right to feel like the Jedi Council didn’t appreciate him enough. If Mace Windu had treated Anakin with more respect and as an equal, Anakin might not have turned to the dark side.

Anakin was simply searching for a father figure who would support him, but the Jedi didn’t provide that. This created an opportunity for Palpatine to manipulate him. Despite knowing from the beginning, even when we first met him as a child in The Phantom Menace, that Anakin would become Darth Vader, I always hoped he would succeed.

Roy Batty

Roy Batty is a ruthless killer, but Rutger Hauer’s performance makes him surprisingly sympathetic. By the end of Blade Runner, many viewers find Batty more human and understandable than the protagonist, Deckard.

As a huge film fan, one of the things I find so compelling about Batty is how he reacts when he realizes his time is running out. He becomes absolutely desperate to survive, fighting with everything he has. It’s a primal fear – the fear of death – and it’s something I think everyone can understand and connect with on a really human level.

Jinx

I found Arcane to be one of the most captivating science fiction stories I’ve ever seen. Even though I didn’t know anything about the League of Legends game, I was completely drawn into the conflict between the two cities and surprised by all the unexpected plot twists.

The first season of Arcane brilliantly portrays how Jinx becomes a villain, demonstrating that monsters aren’t simply born, but made. Initially, Jinx is a sweet and compassionate child who only resorts to violence when absolutely necessary. However, by the end of the season, she’s tragically become a mentally fractured and destructive figure. What makes the storytelling – and Ella Purnell’s acting – so effective is that Jinx isn’t portrayed as simply evil; we clearly see how her past trauma has shaped her into who she is. It’s a truly remarkable example of character development.

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2026-06-02 16:25