Not every villain theDC Universeis a complete monster and many are actually capable of finding themselves on the side of the angels. Over the years, DC Comics has redeemed a number of villains, even making them allies of the heroes they once fought.
Characters like Pied Piper, Catwoman,and Black Adam vexedtheir rivals for years, but they eventually found themselves working alongside the heroes, often to face an even greater threat. As time goes on,DC has explored the nuances of its villainsand shown that redemption isn’t out of the question for many. Read on to see 10 DC Comics villains that could ultimately find real redemption.
10Klarion, the Witch Boy
A Powerful Youngster Who Could Turn It All Around
Despite his young age, Klarion is one of the most powerful magic users around and, unfortunately, for the world around him, he often uses it to create mischief for those unlucky enough to cross his path. WhileKlarion rarely offers a helping hand, his actions come more from a place of selfishness rather than genuine malice. He’s even got a sweet side to him, often taking care of his familiar, a cat named Teekl.
Klarion has teamed up with heroes before and was even crucial to saving the world in Seven Soldiers (albeit indirectly). While he could really use a good (and extremely patient) mentor, it’s not outside the realm of possibility thatKlarion could one day grow up to become an ally who uses his powerful magic for the good of the world rather than himself.
9Giganta
She Could Use Her Might for Right
Wonder Woman has a lot of powerful villains, but none that are as large and in charge as Doris Zeul, aka Giganta. Since the Golden Age, Giganta has used her overwhelming size and strength to take on the Amazing Amazon, though she’s rarely ever been able to get a win over Diana. While Doris has allied herself with villains over the years,more modern incarnations portray the Wonder Woman foe as someone who uses her powers for profitrather than a desire to conquer the world.
Doris has even shown a preference for heroes, namely Ryan Choi, the Atom, whom she briefly dated prior to the New 52.It’s not crazy to think that the right influence (i.e., not Wonder Woman) could show Giganta how she can use her size-changing powersto be a force for good.
8White Rabbit
A Small-Time Villain Who Just Needs the Proper Guidance
When it comes to Gotham villains, Jaina Hudson, aka White Rabbit, is admittedly one of the lesser-known foes. But she’s been quite the nuisance to Batman and his allies, using her powers to distract the Dark Knight and cause chaos whenever she gets involved in bigger situations. That being said, Hudson appears to be reconsidering her villainous ways. After falling in with the Man-Bat cult inBatman and Robin,White Rabbit was forced to work with the Dynamic Duo when the cult attempted to kill her.
Despite being a villain since the start of the New 52, White Rabbit doesn’t have that bad of a record. And, as of her last adventure, she seems fine working with heroes. It wouldn’t be surprising in the least tosee her walk away from a life of crime after her last run-in with Batman and Robin.
7Two-Face
Half of Him Genuinely Wants to Be Good
Once upon a time,Two-Face was simply Harvey Dent, a man who wanted nothing more than to work within the justice system to clean up his city. But an attack disfigured him and fractured his mind, turning Dent into one of the most ruthless crime bosses in Gotham.Batman has always considered Dent a close friend and has tried repeatedly to get him the help he needs. Sadly, Dent’s worse half just refuses to ever go away for good.
But that spark of goodness within Harvey refuses to be extinguished. No matter how far his alter ego goes, Harvey never cedes over control to Two-Face permanently. Dent has beaten Two-Face before, and though he always comes back, Dent continues to fight. That spark may be all that Batman’s friend needsto ultimately find himself back on the side of good.
6Metallo
Finally Seems to Be Turning it All Around
It seems hard to believe that a man with a kryptonite heart could actually do some good in this world, but Metallo has surprised even Superman himself. John Corben has lost much of his humanity over years, to the point that his body is almost completely synthesized. While he was ready to stay down for the count,Lex Luthor gave Metallo an upgrade utilizing material salvaged from Mongul’s Warworld, making Corben more powerful than ever.
However, during his last encounter with the Super-Family, Metallo opened up about his past, and the abuse he and his sister suffered at the hands of their father.Corben even worked alongside Superman and his allies to defeat the Cyborg Superman, showing that there’s a real hero within Metallo. He’s a work in progress, but one that could be ultimately be a real asset to Metropolis.
5Bane
His Code Shows a Strong Moral Fiber
It’s hard to imagine that the man who killed Alfred Pennyworth could ever be a hero, but it’s not that outrageous. Bane had an incredibly hard life growing up and yes, he’s used his brains and brawn to make Gotham’s heroes’ lives hell. But if there’s one thing that can be said about the iconic foe, it’s that he’s one of the most principled villains around. His time with the mercenary squad, the Secret Six,showed just how deep Bane’s code ran and how uncompromising he was when it came to his values.
Bane isn’t likely to be throwing his hat in with the Justice League anytime soon (as if they would take him). ButBane’s evolved quite a bit in the last few years, and it’d be easy to see him permanently move from straightforward villain to solid antihero.
4Captain Cold
Once Made it Into the Justice League
Speaking of villains with codes, Leonard Snart, aka Captain Cold, runs his crew expecting everyone to abide by collectively agreed-upon standards. Captain Cold is largely a blue-collar criminal, preferring to knock over banks or plan heists rather than go for bigger scores. Butbecause he operates in Central City, home of the Flash, Cold has strict rules for how he and his Rogues operate, namely, no killing women or children and no killing speedsters, ever.
For a brief time,Captain Cold even served in the Justice League(though it was admittedly a way for the Flash to keep his eyes on Snart). But Cold lived up to the challenge and even managed to impress the Scarlet Speedster. It might not be anytime soon, but Cold could one day find himself working alongside his longtime nemesis.
3Talia Al Ghul
Despite Her Misdeeds, She’s Really Grown
This might be hard for some to swallow, but yes, Ra’s al Ghul’s daughter, Talia isn’t incapable of finding redemption. It’s hard to believe given that Talia has largely followed in her father’s footsteps,led attacks against the Bat-Family, ran a global conspiracy network, and even arranged the death of her own son. But despite all of that drama, there’s love in her heart for the two people most crucial to her possible redemption: Bruce and Damian.
Batman remains Talia’s beloved and though they’ve had their troubles in the past, she cares for her son who, surprisingly enough, forgave his mother for her past. Talia has chilled out in recent years and has even encouraged her son’s growth. It’d be hard to see her as a true hero,but Talia being redeemed in the eyes of Batman and Robin is possible.
2Riddler
Once Went Straight and Could Easily Do It Again
Yes, the King of Conundrums might be an egotistical madman, but him leaving his villainous ways behind is possible. Why? Because he’s already done it before. In the years leading up to the New 52, Edward Nygma had abandoned his crimes and grand public stunts and opted to showcase how brilliant he was in a different way: by solving crimes as a private investigator. But it wasn’t just about showing the Caped Crusader up,the Riddler made a real difference as a detective.
Unfortunately, Riddler had a major backslide after being caught in an explosion that re-triggered his villainous persona. But with proper therapy and guidance, Nygma can be made into a force for good. He’s got a brilliant mind and if Bruce or someone helps him get the right treatment,Batman and the Riddler could really change Gotham for the better.
1Sinestro
Has Real Potential to Return to Heroism
In Sinestro’s mind, he’s always been the good guy, even though his ‘might makes right’ way of thinking led him disgracing what the Green Lantern Corps stood for. While Sinestro has antagonized the Corps for years, he still holds its principles close to his heart.The former Green Lantern still believes in law and order, he just wants it to be done his way (and only his way).
But for all the attacks on the Green Lantern Corps, Sinestro’s perspective has expanded over the years and he still highly regards the organization that gave him power in the first place. Sinestro has been given several opportunities to start over and deep inside, that’s all he really wants. Don’t be surprised if at some point,Sinestro fully commits to being a good guy in the DC Universe again.
