7 Batman Villains Who Turned Into Heroes

Everyone knows that Batman has some of the best villains around, but what people rarely talk about is how many of them found themselves on the right side of the law. Over the years, the Dark Knight has assembled possibly the greatest coterie of supervillains, many of whom have challenged Batman’s mind, body, and spirit. If there’s one thing that doesn’t surprise Batman fans, it’s that his stories are full of great antagonists. But what is surprising is when those villains manage to go from engaging in crime to actively fighting it (or, at least, helping stop it).

Seeing a Batman villain take a walk on the good side isn’t as rare as you might think. After all, Batman stories have been around for nearly a century, more than enough time for Bruce Wayne’s greatest enemies to see how good being good feels. Granted, sometimes it’s more of a temporary jaunt, like the Riddler’s brief foray into the private eye business. But sometimes a villain ends up becoming an ally who has the trust of Batman himself, like Catwoman. Read on to discover 7 Batman villains who, temporarily or otherwise, actually became heroes.

7. Riddler

If there’s one thing the Riddler loves, it’s being able to show off how smart he is. Fortunately for Gotham, he channeled that energy into his brief stint as a detective. Eddie wasn’t fooling around; he ran a legitimate business and even helped Batman with a mystery or two. Sadly, this wasn’t meant to last as Riddler returned to his old ways after a bomb to the face shocked him back to ‘normal’. It was sad because in his short time as a private eye, the Riddler proved how effective he was at making Gotham a better place to live.

6. Man-Bat

Kirk Langstrom is practically cursed with his monstrous other half, but even he’s not completely beyond improving himself. At Wonder Woman’s insistence, Man-Bat joined Justice League Dark, where he worked alongside the heroes, using his brilliant mind to assist them against several dark threats. But this, too, was temporary, and once his time with Justice League Dark was over, Langstrom returned to Gotham, where the Mr. Hyde to his Dr. Jekyll continued to terrorize innocent people. It was a shame because Man-Bat actually seemed like he fit in really well with Justice League Dark before backsliding.

5. Poison Ivy

Maybe ‘hero’ is a bit much, but Pamela Isley has grown much like the flowers and plant life she cares for so much. Once a crook with a botanical theme, Poison Ivy went through some major changes in a post-New 52 world. Ivy started shifting her focus from small-time crime to going after people doing serious damage to the world, most notably CEOs of companies known for polluting. Ivy has an intense connection to the Green and cares more about protecting the world’s fauna than crime. Maybe not a hero, but she’s definitely not a villain anymore, either.

4. Harley Quinn

Similar to the love of her life, Harley Quinn has largely drifted more towards the heroic side of the good and evil continuum in her later years. After ditching the Joker for good, Harley started going her own way. And without the Crown Prince of Crime’s influence, Harley largely veered more towards the life of an anti-hero than a villain. Oh, she still frequently causes chaos, sure. But she has a decent moral center and has frequently teamed up with the heroes, even siding herself with the Justice League from time to time.

3. Clayface

It may be hard to believe, but yes, Basil Karlo, the man known as Clayface, worked alongside the Bat-Family in the Rebirth era. Batman offered Clayface an opportunity to improve his life by joining the team and helping defend Gotham, which Karlo agreed to. He made a great member of the Bat-Family, assisting them through numerous crises facing the city with his unique powers. Unfortunately, his being a featured character in Detective Comics wasn’t meant to last. However, Clayface seems to have mostly cleaned up his act, rarely ever acting in a villainous capacity anymore.

2. Catwoman

Selina Kyle absolutely loves the thrill of being a cat burglar. But if there’s one thing she loves more, it’s Batman, and that influence has actually helped Catwoman go from being a straightforward villain to more of an anti-hero. Oh, she still steals, of course, but more often than not, Catwoman makes an effort to use her skills for good, though she’s not above taking a jewel now and then. Catwoman has worked together with Batman for years, and while they occasionally have their differences, she always ends up on the side of angels.

1. Red Hood

Admittedly, Jason Todd started as Batman’s partner, but he had a brief foray as an antagonist after he returned to life in the mid-2000s. He flagrantly violated Batman’s ‘no-kill’ rule to show up the Dark Knight and spent several years working in opposition to Bruce and the entire Bat-Family. However, Jason noticeably chilled out after enough time, agreeing to trade in his usual weapons for more non-lethal ones. He’s still got a chip on his shoulder, and he still squabbles with his loved ones, but Red Hood has decided heroism suits him a lot better than villainy.

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