7 Great TV Heroes Who Perfectly Turned into Villains

The landscape of modern TV features many shows with complex narratives following equally complex characters. Many of the best TV shows follow a character’s journey through various moral trials, often forcing them into uncomfortable situations that require compromise, conflict, or a combination of the two. While this usually makes for truly mesmerizing television, it has also seen a pattern develop, in which beloved characters rarely remain that way. Those who didn’t die a hero unfortunately often go on to see themselves become the villain, with the tragic trope growing to be an especially popular one in the past two decades of small-screen TV action.

Many great TV characters start out as heroes – or, if not as heroic characters, at least as ones with the best of intentions. However, over the course of their narrative journey, events transpire that see them shift to a villainous aspect, taking on a more sinister or unsettling role in the later part of their story. The best of these characters still manage to retain a little of their former charm, making audiences feel conflicted even as they watch them slowly turn into an outright villain.

7) Shane Walsh (The Walking Dead) 

While Shane Walsh’s role in The Walking Dead was limited compared to many of the other survivors he lived with, he still made for one of its most interesting characters. After beginning the show as the well-meaning partner of Rick Grimes who ensured the safety of his former colleague’s wife and son, Shane began to slowly grow into one of The Walking Dead‘s best villains. Seeing his authority challenged by Rick’s return prompted a shift in Shane’s personality, and watching his more heroic aspects evaporate as he became increasingly dangerous was a tragic and compelling part of the show’s early seasons.

6) Morgana Pendragon (Merlin) 

BBC’s Merlin is one of the most underrated fantasy TV shows of all time, and its ability to deliver powerful character arcs is just one key part of its charm. Morgana Pendragon begins her story in the show as the illegitimate half-sister of Arthur, but later seasons see her shift to become a full-blown antagonist. Though her villain turn was unsurprising to those familiar with the legends the show was based upon, Merlin‘s early depiction of Morgana as a kind-hearted and empathic figure slowly corrupted by the evil Morgause is exceptional.

5) Patricia “Trish” Walker (Jessica Jones) 

Adapting Marvel characters into grittier and more realistic versions saw the shows of the Defenders Saga make many changes to figures from the comics, and Trish Walker’s revised story was one of its most interesting. Introduced as Jessica Jones’ best friend and adoptive sister, Patricia “Trish” Walker is a former child star who aids her superpowered friend. Over the course of the show, Trish becomes increasingly hungry for power of her own, eventually resulting in a full-scale heel turn that sees the one-time supporting hero character become an all-out villain.

4) Jinx (Arcane) 

Netflix gave Arcane a big budget, and that helped to give the animated show set in the world of League of Legends a cinematic feel. That atmosphere only amplified the heartbreaking story of Jinx, a character who began her story as a hero only to slowly become a villain. Being blamed for the death of a loved one by her sister pushes Jinx away, and ultimately sees her side with the villainous Silco, turning into a full-blown antagonist herself in a complex and emotional journey.

3) Walter White (Breaking Bad) 

Breaking Bad is one of the most well-known stories of a character slowly becoming a villain in recent TV history, and its success and popularity speak to how well it tells that story. It sees high-school teacher Walter White learn that he is dying, then resort to making crystal meth to provide for his family. Despite his good intentions at the beginning of the show, Walter is slowly transformed by the world in which he chooses to operate, making his character shift from a likeable hero to an outright villain all the more compelling.

2) Willow Rosenberg (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) 

Often considered one of the best Buffy the Vampire Slayer characters, Willow Rosenberg begins her time on the show as Buffy’s socially awkward but academically gifted best friend. Over multiple seasons, Willow becomes increasingly involved in Buffy‘s supernatural world, discovering her latent magical abilities along the way. After a personal tragedy, the show saw Willow seduced by the power of dark magic, finally completing her transformation from a down-to-earth hero sidekick to an interesting villain over the course of several years.

1) Daenerys Targaryen (Game of Thrones) 

Although Game of Thrones famously didn’t have a single protagonist, one of its most important characters from beginning to end was Daenerys Targaryen, who sought to reclaim the Iron Throne of Westeros. Daenerys was first introduced as a vulnerable young noble used as a bargaining tool in the complex political world of Game of Thrones, only to grow into an increasingly fierce and compelling figure. However, Game of Thrones‘ final season saw Daenerys succumb to the same villainous tendencies as her ancestors, completing her journey from a well-intentioned hopeful to a dragon-backed genocidal dictator in one of the biggest character shifts in TV history.