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Movie Villains With Heartbreaking Origin Stories
Vote for the cinematic bad guys whose backstories are the saddest and most humanizing.
Often, it’s the most wicked villains who turn out to have the most tragic pasts. Movie villains with sad backstories can be found throughout the history of film going back to classic horror films like Frankenstein. And while some villains initially come off as one-dimensional such as Cruella de Vil or the Wicked Witch of the West, humanizing prequels help put their stories in context. In fact, it could be argued that some of the villains on this list were never truly bad, or at the very least were forced down a dark path.
In the list below, we look at movie villains with sad origin stories to learn how they turned from victim to antagonist, drawing bad guys from Ranker's list of the Best Movie Villains of All Time and focusing on those high-ranking villains whose origins are most heartbreaking.
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- X-Men: First Class
- 20th Century Fox
As first introduced into the MCU, Magneto is the leader of the Brotherhood of Mutants with plans to use a machine that would turn world leaders into mutants as well. Wolverine manages to destroy the machine, while Magneto is cast as a diabolical villain whose backstory is complicated by his having survived the Holocaust.
Magneto has one of the most tragic pasts of any villain in cinema as depicted in X-Men: First Class. Magneto, who used to be Erik Lehnsherr, was sent to Auschwitz with his parents. A fellow mutant, Sebastian Shaw, worked as a doctor at the concentration camp and befriended Erik. However, when Erik is unable to use his telekinesis to move a coin, Shaw shoots Erik's mother in the head in an effort to ignite his powers. A grief-stricken Erik spends years tracking down Shaw in order to avenge his mother's senseless murder.
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Frankenstein's monster is depicted as a villain in the original 1931 film Frankenstein. In the film, Dr. Henry Frankenstein attempts to reanimate a corpse using the body parts of recently deceased criminals, but an accident leads to a “corrupted” criminal brain being placed inside the monster. The monster at first seems childlike, but quickly turns violent when frightened, murdering Dr. Frankenstein's assistant as well as a little girl from the nearby village. The townspeople eventually kill the monster in the film's resolution.
The novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and the film Mary Shelley's Frankenstein paint a distinctly more complex picture of Frankenstein's monster. Throughout the book and film, the monster simply wants someone to share his life with, but has no real way of integrating himself into society. He lives a sad, lonely life, sometimes leading to acts of violence, but he's ultimately a sympathetic character, with Dr. Frankenstein arguably acting as more of a villain than his creature.
Sad origin?The Best Actors Who Played Frankenstein's MonsterSee all
- 1Boris Karloff444 Votes
- 2Fred Gwynne252 Votes
- 3Lon Chaney, Jr.217 Votes
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Carrie White, the titular main character from the film and Stephen King novel Carrie, is largely remembered for being soaked in pig's blood and killing all of her classmates. But there was a lot of lead up to Carrie's deadly prom night. At home, Carrie was raised by a single mother and religious zealot, Margaret White. Margaret kept Carrie extremely sheltered, leading to the film's opening scene, where Carrie is pelted with tampons and maxi pads after not understanding she's having her first period. When she goes to her mother for help, Margaret forces Carrie to get on her knees and pray in a tiny closet.
After the events of prom night, Carrie uses her powers of telekinesis to kill her mother, who she realizes will never truly love or understand her. Margaret is killed by flying knives, but a distraught Carrie drags Margaret's corpse into the prayer closet as their house collapses around them.
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Benjamin Barker spent 15 years in jail for a crime he didn't commit because of the corrupt Jude Turpin in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Upon returning to London, Barker learns from Mrs. Lovett that his wife, Lucy, took her own life after being assaulted by Turpin and that Turpin is raising the Barkers' daughter, Johanna. Reopening his old barber shop, Barker takes on the persona of Sweeney Todd and begins killing his customers, whom Mrs. Lovett bakes into her meat pies.
In the film's end, Todd thoughtlessly kills a beggar woman who gets in the way of him killing Judge Turpin. It's only after the beggar woman is dead that he realizes it was Lucy all along and that Mrs. Lovett had lied to him. Sweeney Todd grieves over the body of his dead wife as he too is killed by his own razor blade.
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In the 1992 film Candyman, the Candyman is portrayed as a vengeful spirit who haunts the residents of Chicago's Cabrini-Green neighborhood. He appears wearing a long fur coat and wields a hook for a right hand, which he uses to slaughter victims. Although researcher Helen Lyle believes that the Candyman is merely an urban legend, she quickly discovers that he is very much real and very much deadly.
Although the Candyman comes off as a terrifying villain, he has an unbearably sad past. The Candyman was born Daniel Robitaille, the son of a formerly enslaved person. He became a successful painter and in 1890 was hired to paint the portrait of a wealthy man's daughter. Robitaille and the daughter, Caroline Sullivan, fell in love but kept the relationship a secret since Sullivan was white and Robitaille was Black. However, Sullivan's father learned of the relationship and had Robitaille killed by a white mob. They cut off his hand and smothered him in honey, then set a swarm of bees on him, killing Robitaille. After Robitaille's corpse was burned, the men scattered his ashes on the land that would become Cabrini-Green.
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Hannibal Lecter spent his early years living in his family's castle in Lithuania. In 1941, the castle was overtaken by the nazis and the family fled, In 1944, Lecter's parents were murdered by the nazis, which led to him and his beloved younger sister Mischa being held captive by a group of Soviet deserters. After running out of food, the deserters cannibalized Mischa and left 11-year-old Lecter to wander the forests.
Lecter was eventually taken back to the castle, which had become an orphanage. During his time in the orphanage, he developed his moralistic code of taking care of the vulnerable and making bullies pay. Lecter was adopted by his uncle at age 13 and quickly committed his first murder and act of cannibalization on the local butcher who had insulted his aunt. Despite becoming a successful forensic psychiatrist, Lecter would always return to his cannibalistic tendencies.
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Living as a hermit on Mount Crumpet high atop Whoville, the Grinch was said to have been born with a heart two sizes too small in the 1966 cartoon movie, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The Grinch attempts to upend Christmas in Whoville by stealing all of the trees and presents, but his heart grows when the people of Whoville come together to celebrate despite not having any of their presents or decorations.
In the 2000 live-action film How the Grinch Stole Christmas, it's learned how the Grinch came to be such a… Grinch. Orphaned as a child, the Grinch was raised by two sisters in Whoville and had a decidedly unhappy childhood. The Grinch had a crush on Martha May Whovier, but was relentlessly bullied by Augustus MayWho. The other children made fun of the Grinch's green fur and further mocked him when he tried to shave it off. As a result, the Grinch left Whoville, vowing to seek revenge.
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In the Disney animated film Sleeping Beauty, Maleficent is portrayed as an evil queen who casts a spell on Princess Aurora. Maleficent says that on Princess Aurora's 16th birthday, she and the entire kingdom will fall into a deep sleep until she is awakened by “Love's True Kiss.” Although the spell is enacted, Maleficent is thwarted by the powers of good and destroyed.
In the 2014 film Maleficent, the alleged villainess's side of the story is told. A powerful faerie and protector of the Moors, Maleficent develops a friendship with a human boy named Stefan. They share Love's True Kiss, but Stefan later betrays her. He begins working for the human king, who Maleficent mortally wounds in battle. To inherit the kingdom, Stefan gives Maleficent a sleeping potion and cuts off her wings, telling the king he killed her. Heartbroken and stripped of her ability to fly, Maleficent devises a plan to get revenge on Stefan for choosing power over love.
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Roy Batty is one of four “replicants” who come to Earth in the hopes of extending their lives in the 1982 film Blade Runner. Replicants are essentially clones forced to do hard labor on other planets and not allowed on Earth. Batty rebelled against the colonists he was enslaved by and stole a spaceship so he would travel to Earth with the other replicants. Batty is desperate to extend his life since replicants are only designed to live for four years, which prevents them from attaining too many human emotions.
Batty ultimately has a showdown with blade runner Rick Deckard, who has been commissioned to “retire” replicants. Although Batty breaks two of Deckard's fingers and leaves him to fall to his death, Batty saves him at the last moment, even though it leads to Batty dying before he can extend his life.
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- The Wizard of Oz
- Loew's, Inc.
In The Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West terrorizes Dorothy and her comrades as she attempts to get back her sister's ruby slippers. The witch has green skin, a crone-like appearance, and a wicked cackle. She is meant to be terrifying and successfully executes the task. In the end, Dorothy kills her after melting the witch with a bucket of water.
Modern retellings of the story of Oz show the witch in a much different light. Known as Elphaba in the books, musical, and film Wicked, the witch is a girl born with green skin and bullied mercilessly for it. Her attempts at love and friendship are constantly thwarted, and she learns that her real father is the Wizard of Oz, who is also responsible for her green skin. Elphaba has to fake her death at the hands of Dorothy in order to finally be free of the evil persona thrust upon her.
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Norman Bates suffered a traumatic childhood leading up to the events of Psycho. When Norman was six years old, his father died after being stung to death by bees. Norman's mother, Norma, became increasingly protective of him and kept him in isolation at their home next to the Bates Motel. Norma was fervent that all women were evil and wouldn't allow Norman to have anything to do with him. As punishment, Norma even made Norman wear a dress and lipstick, told him he was a girl, and locked him in a closet.
Norma eventually began dating a man named Chet, causing Norman to feel abandoned. Norman's first murders were Norma and Chet, whom he poisoned. He staged the scene to look like a murder-suicide and proceeded to prey on unsuspecting victims staying at the Bates Motel.
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Anakin Skywalker was believed to be the “Chosen One” who would defeat the Sith. However, his faith in the Jedi Order faltered during the Clone Wars and he was manipulated by Darth Sidious. Because Skywalker's ultimate allegiance was to his wife, Padmé Amidala, he turned toward the Dark Side and became Darth Vader in a misguided attempt to keep her safe.
Darth Sidious convinced Vader to kill all remaining Jedis, and in a fit of rage, Vader strangled Amidala but did not kill her. In a subsequent duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi, Vader was disfigured at Mustafar and turned into a cyborg. It's after this transformation that Sidious lied and told Vader that he killed Amidala. Stricken with grief and anger, a bereaved Vader turned fully to the Dark Side, not realizing that Amidala was alive and had given birth to their two children, Luke and Leia.
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In the original Friday the 13th, it's Pamela Voorhees, Jason's mother, who is the murderer at Camp Crystal Lake. Before donning his signature ski mask, Jason Voorhees was born on Friday, June 13th, 1946 in the town of Crystal Lake. Jason had a number of mental and physical abnormalities that made life difficult for him. In the summer of 1957, he went to Camp Crystal Lake with his mother, who had taken a job as a cook. Jason was bullied by the other children for his appearance and thrown into the lake while the counselors who were supposed to be watching him were off having sex together. Everyone believed that Jason drowned, leading to Pamela going on a murder spree in subsequent years.
However, it's learned in later films that Jason didn't die. Instead, he lived in a shack, waiting for his mother to come for him. Thinking her son had drowned, Pamela never knew that Jason was close by, waiting to be rescued. After learning of her death, a grieving Jason began murdering counselors at Camp Crystal Lake, continuing his mother's bloody legacy.
Sad origin?Every Friday The 13th Movie, Ranked By Slasher FansSee all- 1Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives1,377 Votes
- 2Friday the 13th Part II1,265 Votes
- 3Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter1,345 Votes
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Before transforming into the Joker, Arthur Fleck was mentally and physically abused by his mother and her boyfriend. The trauma Fleck suffered caused him to develop an uncontrollable laugh and a series of psychological disorders. Fleck was eventually treated for the laugh and his trauma through therapy and medication provided by Gotham City. Fleck also repressed his childhood abuse and cared for his ailing mother.
Fleck got by taking on odd jobs including performing as a clown, and had hopes of becoming a successful standup comedian. But Fleck's mental state started unraveling, and after losing access to affordable medication and therapy, Fleck became murderous, shooting three associates of Thomas Wayne. After committing murder on live television, Fleck's identity was completely absorbed in the Joker.
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The Abominable Dr. Phibes Grieved For His Dead Wife
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The 1971 B horror film The Abominable Dr. Phibes stars Vincent Price and is delightfully campy. Price plays Dr. Anton Phibes, a scholar of music and theology who seeks revenge for the death of his wife, Victoria. She died during an operation and Phibes blames her medical team for the death. Phibes is believed to be dead after a car crash, but he survived despite being horribly burned and losing his voice. Dr. Phibes goes on to spend the next four years plotting his revenge.
As Dr. Phibes takes out the medical team one by one, he uses the plagues of Egypt as inspiration. He's eventually tracked to his underground lair, which features a bizarre robot orchestra. Having enacted his revenge, Dr. Phibes drains himself of blood and replaces it with embalming fluid as he lies down next to Victoria's perfectly preserved corpse. Finally at peace, the brokenhearted Dr. Phibes is able to spend eternity with his wife.
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The 2021 film Cruella revealed the heartbreaking origin story behind one of Disney's most nefarious villains. Before she was Cruella, Estella Miller was a young girl growing up in 1960s England and was bullied for her black and white hair. During a freak accident at a party, Estella's mother was killed by a pack of Dalmatians, leading to Estella's hatred of the breed. The orphaned Estella turned to a life of crime before breaking into fashion and embracing a villainous alter ego, Cruella.
As Cruella, Estella learns that her mother, a fashion designer known as the Baroness, was actually a wealthy socialite who wanted her dead in order to keep her husband's family fortune to herself. Cruella was given to her adoptive mother, but was still the rightful heir to a massive fortune. Estella eventually got the upper hand, faking her death and returning as Cruella all while inheriting a massive fortune.
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- Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Erik Killmonger (also known as Erik Stevens and N'Jadaka) was the son of Wakanda's prince, N'Jobu. While Killmonger was still a child, N'Jobu was killed by his brother, the king of Wakanda, as a result of smuggling vibranium out of Wakanda in an attempt to help oppressed people of African descent throughout the world. As a child in Oakland, Erik found his father's body with a panther claw protruding from his chest and vowed revenge.
Killmonger earned his new last name as a result of the killings he committed as a US Navy SEAL. He subsequently returned to Wakanda and seemed to kill his cousin T'Challa in order to take control of Wakanda and become Black Panther. Killmongers need for power and revenge eventually got the better of him, and was killed by T'Challa. Even on the ancestral plane during his conversation with Shuri, Killmonger was fervent about seeking revenge against those who had wronged Shuri.
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Before he became the Jigsaw Killer in Saw, John Kramer was a civil engineer whose wife was going to have a baby. After Kramer's wife miscarried, he fell into a deep depression. He then developed a brain tumor that was misdiagnosed. After learning he had mere months to live, Kramer attempted to take his own life in a car crash but survived.
After the crash, Kramer got a new lease on life and began developing his infamous “games.” He believed that people shouldn't take their lives for granted and began testing his games on certain individuals to see who would survive. Although many participants in the games die throughout the Saw franchise, some like Amanda Young who survived the reverse bear trap in the first film, used their second chance at life to become as villainous as Kramer.
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Syndrome is the main antagonist in the 2004 film The Incredibles. After capturing Mr. Incredible and holding him captive on a remote island, Syndrome attempts to kill the family and enact his long-held revenge plan on Mr. Incredible. However, the Incredibles are always one step ahead, and Syndrome's plan ultimately results in his death.
Born Buddy Pine in 1937, Syndrome's childhood idol was Mr. Incredible. Syndrome even wanted to be Mr. Incredible's sidekick, attempting to win him over. However, Mr. Incredible told Syndrome he works alone. Syndrome then tried to help Mr. Incredible defeat Bomb Voyage, only to be responsible for Bomb Voyage's escape. Mr. Incredible handed over young Syndrome to the police, letting his mother know what a nuisance he has been. Betrayed by his idol, Syndrome became the ultimate villain Mr. Incredible must defeat.
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