It is all about being good or bad for comic book lovers. Characters are either heroes or villains. However, some superheroes who were fans’ favorites turned out to become supervillains. It was not entirely down to their decisions or choices. In some cases, a previously disastrous decision haunted the minds of heroes. One could also find some who villains had grievously hurt and could not control their anger. Meanwhile, some allowed the cheers and accolades to carry them away and fell for supervillains. In other cases, a higher demonic force simply possessed them. Demons? Yeah! That is a familiar storyline in the world of comics.
Many fans may not enjoy watching their famous superhero play the hunted position that sets off the atomic that destroys the world. But it is that uniqueness that has kept favorites of comic books till now.
Presenting 10 heroes from comic books that turned to villainy.
10. Cyclops
For years, the X-men series was about Charles Xavier and his team of well-behaved mutants against their traditional foe Magneto and his team of falsely oriented mutants. However, one of Charles’ super kids who had learned so much from him would end up becoming a foe as fierce as Magneto himself, though some would argue his actions, as necessary.
The emergence of Cyclops as a villain began with the Scarlet witch, who was known as a character who regularly alters reality with her powers. Her latest move made a lot of mutants powerless and can potentially eradicate their existence. As usual, the X-Men searched for options until an alternative presented itself. The Phoenix force, which stands for a life that is yet to be in existence, was approaching the earth, and Hope Summers was the destined host of the force, but Cyclops forced himself into the scenario and took possession of the Phoenix. The consequence was that Cyclops went rogue and became a supervillain, a move that ended the life of his teacher.
Although Cyclops was later relieved after Hope intervenes and controls the Phoenix, no one nor power could undo his damage.
9. Sinestro
Was Sinestro ever a particularly good superhero? That is a very controversial question that bothers your perspective of his character or whether you judge him by intentions or his method of leadership. Sinestro did not acquire his power like every other character. It was a taste of the ring he got from Prohl Gosgotha that drove him crazy. Though the ring was a temporary gift, Sinestro took it and made it permanent at the expense of the heavily injured Gosgotha.
Sinestro was heavily obsessed to protect his planet after joining the guardians. His obsession saw him degenerate into a firm dictator. Later, the guardians banished him then sent to Qward. The move was a blessing in disguise, considering the long-standing hatred between the Qwards and the green lanterns. Sinestro forged a formidable alliance with the Qwards and became a supervillain. He introduced the yellow ring, which emitted fear, and threw his all against the green lanterns.
Sinestro was the biggest adversary of the green lanterns.
8. Scarlet Witch
The Scarlet witch will be the first character to appear as both a supervillain and a superhero, and she was extremely good at both. Being the daughter of the X-Men nemesis, Magneto, alongside her twin brother Quicksilver. The Scarlet witch had immense powers, including the very uncommon power to alter reality. The weight of her powers made her a weapon of mass destruction in the hands of the villains and a nightmare for villains when she is on the right side.
The news about her children and the wiped memory of their existence hit the Scarlet witch hard and adversely affected her fragile mindset. The news made a beast out of her, and the effect was the destruction of some of the members of the avengers. Not even Professor Xavier could tame the Scarlet which who almost wiped out the mutants and made a sizable number of them lose their powers.
However, she soon returned to the avengers and was crucial to their victories.
7. Daredevil
If there was one coincidental superhero, it must be the daredevil. He was not a man with the morality of other characters, a chronic womanizer with a terrible temper, and a manipulative character. Daredevil was just a name that perfectly suits his traits, yet the contradiction made comics more interesting.
A demon possessed Daredevil and made a lot of poor decisions, including leading the “Hands.” A group of elite murderers with no sense of morality. The daredevil got along as the leader of the Hands and went extremes with the group, including killing fellow superheroes like him. His long-term foes and fellow superheroes joined forces to stop the devil’s replica. They ended up realizing that the real devil had been possessing Daredevil.
6. Jason Todd
Like the daredevil, Jason Todd did not have the morality of a superhero. Batman picked him up while he was trying to steal the tires from the Batmobile. Honored with the title of being named Robin. Jason was different in character and methods to Robin Hood. He was young, aggressive, and violent. His violent methods were in sharp contrast to Robin’s styles. Initially, Bruce Wayne rejected Jason as his new Robin, but Jason saw this as an opportunity to engage in the task of looking for his biological mother.
In the course of his ambition, Jason met Joker, who had beaten him thoroughly before he gave up in the hands of Batman.
Luckily for Jason, his time in the grave was short-lived following the effect of Superboy’s attempt to avoid paradise. At his resurrection, a lot changed about Jason. Talia, who helped Jason revived his memories, became an ally to a man engrossed with a vengeance. Jason later gets his revenge, but he soon became a supervillain by becoming the second red hood. Although he stays committed to fighting corrupt gangs, his violent approach made him meet many superheroes in physical combat, including Batman.
5. Hulk
The Hulk is a unique character-driven by anger. It does not matter whether you call him a hero or a villain. That may depend on your definition of heroes and villains. Hulk beats up whatever gets him angry and spares whatever pleases him. A universal moral principle does not guide his actions, as does every other superhero.
In the future, Hulk, who later became Maestro, the leader of a new world of survivors after nuclear weapons wiped out the earlier world. Hulk (Maestro) became a fascist that led with severe and inhumane principles. With no superhero left to face the Maestro, the only choice was to go back into the past and bring the only man capable of resisting his tyranny, the past Hulk.
The two engaged in several fights, with Maestro emerging the stronger. But the Hulk from the past soon finds his way against his future self by sending him back to the past. The Hulk continued the unpredictability that surrounds his character.
4. The Laughing Batman
It was the bitter feud between Batman and Joker that soon led to the creation of DC’s deadliest villain. Having learned of Batman’s identity, Joker exposed a lot of people in Gotham to the same chemicals that made him. He intended to create a new form of Batman. However, the Batman suffered from exposure to the chemical and became the “Batman that laughs.” Retaining the intelligence, strength, and technical skill of Batman while having the cognitive ability of Joker. The laughing Batman was a disaster in human form. His technical ability coupled with his use of military weapons was too brutal to behold. The Batman that laughs was one of DC’s deadliest villains.
3. Green Lantern (Hal Jordan)
There have been so many shocking names on this list, but one that comic admirers will not forget soon is a green lantern. Hal Jordan, leader of the guardians, received news of the destruction of his city, the coast city. Hal’s mind broke, and his ego dominated him. He tried using his rings to reestablish his city, but the use for personal gains did not resonate well with his bosses. Hal grew worse, haunted by memories of the destruction of his helpless people. He soon turned against his fellow guardians and killed anyone who stood his way. There were very few villains with such strength and tenacity as Hal.
2. Superman (Injustice)
A familiar foe and manipulator, the Joker, was again behind the emergence of Superman as a villain. Having tricked the extremely strong superhero into killing his wife, his unborn child, and his hometown, Superman had created a disaster that will twist his fate. He did not spare the man who tricked him (Joker), making him his first victim in an unfamiliar path. Superman adopted aggressive and violent approaches in dealing with crime. Like the green lantern, Superman fought like a wounded beast, though the morality behind his actions has depleted, his compassion was still clear in some few scenes. The strongest hero became a fierce supervillain.
1. Phoenix
Jean was another student of Professor Xavier who went rogue. While that was not a new event to a man who recruited mutants, who were unpredictable and delicate, Jean was a completely different member of the X-Men. Although it was protecting other members of the group with her powers that she became the host of the Phoenix force, an extremely powerful ability.
Her early exposure to the Hellfire Club, a team of dark foes against the X-Men, manipulated her and gave her the wrong lessons. Jean became a power-hungry beast that wanted to acquire more to her ability. Although she ended up realizing that was not her identity, Jean had wreaked havoc more than any other X-men adversary.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, the dark twists and turns in the tales of our favorite heroes proves that they are human. While some may seem like untouchable gods, they all have the ability to fall to their darker sides. Still, a lot of these heroes turned villains remained favorites of comic fans who did not accept the reality of their changing role.
Author: Chris Ingledue
Contact: email
Bio: I am the founder and owner of Wheeljack’s Lab pop Culture and Toy Shop. My vision has always been to reunite customers with their favorite childhood toys and pop culture, triggering fond memories, and reigniting their imaginations. Every day, I work in the “lab” where it’s Christmas 365 days a year. I scour the internet, like when we had the Sears Catalog of yesteryear, for the next great treasure. Then, I await the arrival of the postman as if he were Santa Claus himself and helping collectors worldwide with their own versions of Christmas. Every day as a vintage toy buyer is an absolute joy!