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* Emmeraude, from the latter end of [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/4588507/marcus00721 marcus00721]]'s ''Fairy Tail'' series, was the illegitimate child of the Pergrande King and lived in poverty with her mother. After becoming a top soldier in the Pergrande's army she was exiled after a failed experiment on the King. All she wanted was to [[WellIntentionedExtremist create a better world]] so people like her mother wouldn't have to suffer. Her plans were delayed when [[spoiler:Lucy]] unknowingly took a key part of Emmeraude's plans while investigation disappearances. When she captured [[spoiler:Lucy]] Fairy Tail took on everything Emmeraude threw at them to get their friend back. Eventually they succeed in bringing her down. In the process Emmeraude losses almost everything she cared about. Her [[AMotherToHerMen subordinates]] either died during the battle or were taken back to Pergrande to be executed as they were soldiers from said kingdom. The daughter she created [[HeroicSacrifice sacrificed]] herself to save everyone. Her dreams are now in ruin. The only good thing she still has going for her is that her mother is alive and well.
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* [[https://m.fanfiction.net/s/14168168/1/Fairy-Tail-The-Complete-Series Fairy Tail: The Complete Series]] Emmeraude, from the latter end of [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/4588507/marcus00721 marcus00721]]'s ''Fairy Tail'' series, was the illegitimate child of the Pergrande King and lived in poverty with her mother. After becoming a top soldier in the Pergrande's army she was exiled after a failed experiment on the King. All she wanted was to [[WellIntentionedExtremist create a better world]] so people like her mother wouldn't have to suffer. Her plans were delayed when [[spoiler:Lucy]] unknowingly took a key part of Emmeraude's plans while investigation disappearances. When she captured [[spoiler:Lucy]] Fairy Tail took on everything Emmeraude threw at them to get their friend back. Eventually they succeed in bringing her down. In the process Emmeraude losses almost everything she cared about. Her [[AMotherToHerMen subordinates]] either died during the battle or were taken back to Pergrande to be executed as they were soldiers from said kingdom. The daughter she created [[HeroicSacrifice sacrificed]] herself to save everyone. Her dreams are now in ruin. The only good thing she still has going for her is that her mother is alive and well.
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[[AC:''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'']]
* ''Fanfic/TheKarmaOfLies'': While Marinette's old classmates are undeniably selfish and entitled in their relationship with her, it's hard not to feel a little bad for them in Chapter 10 when they all recount just how much worse off they all are for their acquaintance with Lila. As a direct result of Lila's actions, all of them except Kim, Ivan, and Rose (who only lost a couple of valuables to her) and Juleka (who turns out to be the OnlySaneMan) are going to be feeling the consequences of losing their intellectual property to her for years down the line. In particular, Sabrina had several wealthy people's phone numbers sold to advertising agencies under her name, pissing off influential college donors across the country and quite possibly costing Sabrina her entire post-high school education, while Alix is told she's benched permanently, and that Bunnyx was a sentimonster Marinette made to simulate what she described Bunnyx as, meaning she never actually got to properly use her canon Miraculous, and even the hope that Bunnyx was an Alix who learned her lesson and was trying to help her past self is dashed. [[spoiler:It only gets worse when they all find out Adrien knew what Lila was doing and did nothing.]]
* ''Fanfic/TheKarmaOfLies'': While Marinette's old classmates are undeniably selfish and entitled in their relationship with her, it's hard not to feel a little bad for them in Chapter 10 when they all recount just how much worse off they all are for their acquaintance with Lila. As a direct result of Lila's actions, all of them except Kim, Ivan, and Rose (who only lost a couple of valuables to her) and Juleka (who turns out to be the OnlySaneMan) are going to be feeling the consequences of losing their intellectual property to her for years down the line. In particular, Sabrina had several wealthy people's phone numbers sold to advertising agencies under her name, pissing off influential college donors across the country and quite possibly costing Sabrina her entire post-high school education, while Alix is told she's benched permanently, and that Bunnyx was a sentimonster Marinette made to simulate what she described Bunnyx as, meaning she never actually got to properly use her canon Miraculous, and even the hope that Bunnyx was an Alix who learned her lesson and was trying to help her past self is dashed. [[spoiler:It only gets worse when they all find out Adrien knew what Lila was doing and did nothing.]]
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[[AC:{{Crossover}}s]]
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!!General
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'':
** There's a slew of fics that give one-shot villains [[JerkJock Gilda]] (from "Griffon the Brush-Off") and [[MilesGloriosus the Great and Powerful Trixie]] (from "Boast Busters") some sympathy, CharacterDevelopment, and a shot at redemption, sometimes with [[FreudianExcuse a tragic backstory]] thrown in for good measure. There's also a bit of fanart and fanfic out there that depicts [[AlphaBitch Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon]] in a sympathetic light, either giving them some CharacterDevelopment, showing them as {{Lonely Rich Kid}}s who only have each other as friends, or even having one or both as victims of [[AbusiveParents emotional neglect or abuse]]. There's even one or two such fics for [[PrinceCharmless Prince Blueblood]] (from "The Best Night Ever"), who most fans regard as completely unsympathetic.
** The major villains of the series aren't immune to this. In fact they might even get this more than the aforementioned characters. [[SuperpoweredEvilSide Nightmare Moon]] is often written as a tragic figure, since many writers believe that she's an aspect of [[EnsembleDarkhorse Princess Luna's]] negative emotions. [[ManipulativeBastard Discord]] is hit with this by writers who create a [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds tragic motive behind his actions]] or by those fanfictions that [[HeelFaceTurn make him see the light]]. Even [[TheVamp Queen Chrysalis]], the most evil villain on the show to date, is sometimes painted by writers as a being who [[WellIntentionedExtremist only wants what's best for her race and genuinely believes that conquering Equestria and enslaving its inhabitants will benefit her race]].
* Used so often by ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' fanfics that it's become something of a DeadHorseTrope in that field. A large number of fanfics try to make the Kyuubi into a likable character using this strategy. Apparently, the savagely murderous and vile Kyuubi was just angry because somebody was picking on it or its family; the resulting murderous rampage that killed hundreds and orphaned just as many was a mistake it's very sorry for. Oh, and it's a girl. This backstory has been in use for several years now and has changed little since then, even ignoring key revelations in the manga that would negate it. The funny thing is, [[spoiler:Kyuubi really isn't all that bad when you get to know him!]]
!!Specific
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'':
** There's a slew of fics that give one-shot villains [[JerkJock Gilda]] (from "Griffon the Brush-Off") and [[MilesGloriosus the Great and Powerful Trixie]] (from "Boast Busters") some sympathy, CharacterDevelopment, and a shot at redemption, sometimes with [[FreudianExcuse a tragic backstory]] thrown in for good measure. There's also a bit of fanart and fanfic out there that depicts [[AlphaBitch Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon]] in a sympathetic light, either giving them some CharacterDevelopment, showing them as {{Lonely Rich Kid}}s who only have each other as friends, or even having one or both as victims of [[AbusiveParents emotional neglect or abuse]]. There's even one or two such fics for [[PrinceCharmless Prince Blueblood]] (from "The Best Night Ever"), who most fans regard as completely unsympathetic.
** The major villains of the series aren't immune to this. In fact they might even get this more than the aforementioned characters. [[SuperpoweredEvilSide Nightmare Moon]] is often written as a tragic figure, since many writers believe that she's an aspect of [[EnsembleDarkhorse Princess Luna's]] negative emotions. [[ManipulativeBastard Discord]] is hit with this by writers who create a [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds tragic motive behind his actions]] or by those fanfictions that [[HeelFaceTurn make him see the light]]. Even [[TheVamp Queen Chrysalis]], the most evil villain on the show to date, is sometimes painted by writers as a being who [[WellIntentionedExtremist only wants what's best for her race and genuinely believes that conquering Equestria and enslaving its inhabitants will benefit her race]].
* Used so often by ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' fanfics that it's become something of a DeadHorseTrope in that field. A large number of fanfics try to make the Kyuubi into a likable character using this strategy. Apparently, the savagely murderous and vile Kyuubi was just angry because somebody was picking on it or its family; the resulting murderous rampage that killed hundreds and orphaned just as many was a mistake it's very sorry for. Oh, and it's a girl. This backstory has been in use for several years now and has changed little since then, even ignoring key revelations in the manga that would negate it. The funny thing is, [[spoiler:Kyuubi really isn't all that bad when you get to know him!]]
!!Specific
to:
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'':
** There's a slew of fics that give one-shot villains [[JerkJock Gilda]] (from "Griffon
%%
%% This page has been alphabetized. Please add new examples in the
%%
%%%
CryForTheDevil moments in FanWorks.
----
[[AC:{{Crossover}}s]]
[[AC:''Manga/FairyTail'']]
* Emmeraude, from the
** The major villains
* Used so often by ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' fanfics
** [[SubvertedTrope However]], you may loose some of that
!!Specific
[[AC:''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'']]
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%%* There is an ''WesternAnimation/IronManArmoredAdventures'' fanfic that does this for Gene Khan. In the order they occurred, he's [[spoiler:seen his father shot in front of him, had his house burned down, his now dirt-poor and homeless mother married a man who later killed her, spent the majority of his childhood being beaten and verbally abused by said man, and then his stepfather casually admitted to raping and killing Gene's mother just to hurt Gene even more.]] To quote the author, 'he never had a chance at being normal'.
* ''[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/3189956 Aftershocks]]'', a fanfic for ''Film/{{Heathers}}'', doesn't gloss over J.D.'s [[SerialKiller violent past]] or taste for violence, but by the end, he's [[ShellShockedVeteran so haunted by the war]] and it's put such a strain on his family, even as he attempts to have a normal life, that you have to feel sorry for him.
* ''[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/3189956 Aftershocks]]'', a fanfic for ''Film/{{Heathers}}'', doesn't gloss over J.D.'s [[SerialKiller violent past]] or taste for violence, but by the end, he's [[ShellShockedVeteran so haunted by the war]] and it's put such a strain on his family, even as he attempts to have a normal life, that you have to feel sorry for him.
to:
* ''[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/3189956 Aftershocks]]'', a fanfic for ''Film/{{Heathers}}'', doesn't gloss over J.D.'s [[SerialKiller violent past]] or taste for violence, but by the end, he's [[ShellShockedVeteran so haunted by the war]] and it's put such a strain on his family, even as he attempts to have a normal life, that you have to feel sorry for him.
[[AC:''Franchise/HarryPotter'']]
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* In ''Fanfic/BadFutureCrusaders'' we have the WildCard Silver Spoon. She's cruel, has a nasty sense of humor, is fully willing to kill, and probably one of the evilest characters in the storyline (even outdoing a lot of the ''actual'' villains), yet what little details you get about her past and the fact that she is CoveredInScars make it ''very'' clear she has suffered greatly. Her interactions with Trixie and Clear Rivers imply there still is goodness in her, but even ''she'' has given up on ever changing her ways.
* In ''Fanfic/CodexEquus'', the villainous residents of [[VideoGame/StoryOfTheBlanks Sunnytown]] have received this treatment. In the original game, the Sunnytowners had little personality as individuals beyond being fanatical zombies who killed a young filly for gaining a Cutie Mark and nearly did the same to Apple Bloom. Their introduction into the Codexverse ''massively'' [[AdaptationExpansion expanded on the Sunnytowners' backstories and personalities]], humanizing them and turning them into otherwise sympathetic individuals who were influenced into doing bad things by an insane stallion. Each of their Codex entries also show how damaging fanaticism can be, depicting those who followed Grey Hoof as traumatized individuals who took a long time to recover from their experiences once they are freed from Sunnytown. Because of this, many readers have expressed sympathy for the Sunnytowners - up to the main author of ''Codex Equus'' himself - while at the same time expressing fear and disgust towards Grey Hoof's actions.
* In ''Fanfic/EquestriaAHistoryRevealed'', this occurs many times throughout the fic. In the case of King Sombra, it is hinted that some evil discovery, or just [[spoiler:the constant annoyance from the crystal ponies drove him mad.]] In the case of Luna, it was [[spoiler:the national trial and Luna Bill]] that caused her to believe her sister didn't love her anymore. And it even happens a bit for the LemonyNarrator, who throughout the fic was shown to be clearly insane and hate-filled, and later it is revealed [[spoiler:that her tough life and rejection from the Canterlot School for Gifted Unicorns was partly responsible for her turning out this way.]]
* Emmeraude, from the latter end of [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/4588507/marcus00721 marcus00721]]'s ''Fairy Tail'' series, was the illegitimate child of the Pergrande King and lived in poverty with her mother. After becoming a top soldier in the Pergrande's army she was exiled after a failed experiment on the King. All she wanted was to [[WellIntentionedExtremist create a better world]] so people like her mother wouldn't have to suffer. Her plans were delayed when [[spoiler: Lucy]] unknowingly took a key part of Emmeraude's plans while investigation disappearances. When she captured [[spoiler: Lucy]] Fairy Tail took on everything Emmeraude threw at them to get their friend back. Eventually they succeed in bringing her down. In the process Emmeraude losses almost everything she cared about. Her [[AMotherToHerMen subordinates]] either died during the battle or were taken back to Pergrande to be executed as they were soldiers from said kingdom. The daughter she created [[HeroicSacrifice sacrificed]] herself to save everyone. Her dreams are now in ruin. The only good thing she still has going for her is that her mother is alive and well.
** [[SubvertedTrope However]], you may loose some of that sympathy with how [[EvilIsPetty petty]] she is. When she captured [[spoiler:Lucy]] she abused the poor girl who was already suffering. When she is defeated she blames [[spoiler: Lucy]] for all of her misfortune. And abandons her dreams and joins [[spoiler: Zeref]] if it means Fairy Tail's destruction and that she can get her hands on [[spoiler: Lucy]]. Emmeraude has already came close destroying [[spoiler: Lucy's keys]] and threatened to kill [[spoiler: Natsu]] in front of her just to hurt the girl.
* Used InUniverse in the ''LightNovel/MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom'' fanfic ''Fanfic/FortuneLoverTGSBetaSaruRipTPlusEng0Point75SincereDotZip''. Because Katarina in the titular GameMod of ''[[FictionalVideoGame Fortune Lover]]'' is modified to act more like the Katarina in the source material, yet the rest of the cast continues with their script, or in other words, treating an AllLovingHero as if she was an AlphaBitch (as in the ''Fortune Lover'' canon). This makes [[CharacterNarrator Parasite_Ib]] find Katarina rather lovely and start to ''hate'' the rest of the cast, [[PlayerCharacter Maria]] included.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/RiseOfTheGuardians'' fic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8751000/1/Guardian-of-Light Guardian of Light]]'', Pitch finds out that [[spoiler:the main character, Helen, is his daughter whom he lost at the end of the Golden Age. He tries to get her back, but when he gets her and tells her, she refuses to believe him. Then the Guardians storm in, and take her back. And then when he gets her back again, she fights against him. While her reactions towards him are understandable, it's really hard not to feel sorry for the guy, since he's only trying to get his daughter back.]]
* In ''Fanfic/HarmonyTheory'' there is Charisma, [[TheDreaded a dreaded]] PsychoForHire and TheDragon to one of the {{Big Bad}}s who ruthlessly and sadistically kills anypony or any other creature in her way. But as the story goes on we find out that Charisma [[UsedToBeASweetKid used to be an innocent and happy filly that loved to dance]], until the day she got glyph/cutie mark which turned out to be ''literally'' the mark of a killer which came with a little voice inside her head that constantly tells her to kill everypony around her and the best ways to do it, which drove her to [[spoiler: '''murder her own brother''', which got her disowned from her family as a child]], before being taken under the wing of ponies that saw her potential as a living weapon and molded her into the monster she would become.
* The ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' fanfic ''Fanfic/AHistoryOfMagic'' did this for the girl who would become [[spoiler:Walpurgisnacht]]. At a young age she had been brainwashed by the Nazi party to be loyal only to them and use her wish for their benefit, and then the witch[[spoiler:/Angel]] Pandora showed her images of other Puella Magi who suffered, causing her to snap even more, [[CallingTheOldManOut calling Hitler out]], and becoming a witch almost immediately after making her wish.
* There's one called ''[[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/87434/mirrors-in-shadows Mirrors in Shadows]]'' which does this for changelings, but with a twist. Rather than the usual DracoInLeatherPants or NotEvilJustMisunderstood treatment the fandom usually gives changelings, this one full on acknowledges that they are evil and heartless predators. Somehow, it ''still'' manages to [[TearJerker drown you in feels]].
* ''Fanfic/MortalKombatDesperation'' uses this trope on the BigBad, [[MadGod Raiden]]. On the surface, he may seem to be a KnightTemplar with a bit of the AxCrazy, HeWhoFightsMonsters and WellIntentionedExtremist tropes, but many of his former allies lament and feel sorry at [[VideoGame/MortalKombatX how the Jinsei's corruption changed him into a self-centered, taunting and rage-fueled madman.]]
* In ''Fanfic/CodexEquus'', the villainous residents of [[VideoGame/StoryOfTheBlanks Sunnytown]] have received this treatment. In the original game, the Sunnytowners had little personality as individuals beyond being fanatical zombies who killed a young filly for gaining a Cutie Mark and nearly did the same to Apple Bloom. Their introduction into the Codexverse ''massively'' [[AdaptationExpansion expanded on the Sunnytowners' backstories and personalities]], humanizing them and turning them into otherwise sympathetic individuals who were influenced into doing bad things by an insane stallion. Each of their Codex entries also show how damaging fanaticism can be, depicting those who followed Grey Hoof as traumatized individuals who took a long time to recover from their experiences once they are freed from Sunnytown. Because of this, many readers have expressed sympathy for the Sunnytowners - up to the main author of ''Codex Equus'' himself - while at the same time expressing fear and disgust towards Grey Hoof's actions.
* In ''Fanfic/EquestriaAHistoryRevealed'', this occurs many times throughout the fic. In the case of King Sombra, it is hinted that some evil discovery, or just [[spoiler:the constant annoyance from the crystal ponies drove him mad.]] In the case of Luna, it was [[spoiler:the national trial and Luna Bill]] that caused her to believe her sister didn't love her anymore. And it even happens a bit for the LemonyNarrator, who throughout the fic was shown to be clearly insane and hate-filled, and later it is revealed [[spoiler:that her tough life and rejection from the Canterlot School for Gifted Unicorns was partly responsible for her turning out this way.]]
* Emmeraude, from the latter end of [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/4588507/marcus00721 marcus00721]]'s ''Fairy Tail'' series, was the illegitimate child of the Pergrande King and lived in poverty with her mother. After becoming a top soldier in the Pergrande's army she was exiled after a failed experiment on the King. All she wanted was to [[WellIntentionedExtremist create a better world]] so people like her mother wouldn't have to suffer. Her plans were delayed when [[spoiler: Lucy]] unknowingly took a key part of Emmeraude's plans while investigation disappearances. When she captured [[spoiler: Lucy]] Fairy Tail took on everything Emmeraude threw at them to get their friend back. Eventually they succeed in bringing her down. In the process Emmeraude losses almost everything she cared about. Her [[AMotherToHerMen subordinates]] either died during the battle or were taken back to Pergrande to be executed as they were soldiers from said kingdom. The daughter she created [[HeroicSacrifice sacrificed]] herself to save everyone. Her dreams are now in ruin. The only good thing she still has going for her is that her mother is alive and well.
** [[SubvertedTrope However]], you may loose some of that sympathy with how [[EvilIsPetty petty]] she is. When she captured [[spoiler:Lucy]] she abused the poor girl who was already suffering. When she is defeated she blames [[spoiler: Lucy]] for all of her misfortune. And abandons her dreams and joins [[spoiler: Zeref]] if it means Fairy Tail's destruction and that she can get her hands on [[spoiler: Lucy]]. Emmeraude has already came close destroying [[spoiler: Lucy's keys]] and threatened to kill [[spoiler: Natsu]] in front of her just to hurt the girl.
* Used InUniverse in the ''LightNovel/MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom'' fanfic ''Fanfic/FortuneLoverTGSBetaSaruRipTPlusEng0Point75SincereDotZip''. Because Katarina in the titular GameMod of ''[[FictionalVideoGame Fortune Lover]]'' is modified to act more like the Katarina in the source material, yet the rest of the cast continues with their script, or in other words, treating an AllLovingHero as if she was an AlphaBitch (as in the ''Fortune Lover'' canon). This makes [[CharacterNarrator Parasite_Ib]] find Katarina rather lovely and start to ''hate'' the rest of the cast, [[PlayerCharacter Maria]] included.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/RiseOfTheGuardians'' fic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8751000/1/Guardian-of-Light Guardian of Light]]'', Pitch finds out that [[spoiler:the main character, Helen, is his daughter whom he lost at the end of the Golden Age. He tries to get her back, but when he gets her and tells her, she refuses to believe him. Then the Guardians storm in, and take her back. And then when he gets her back again, she fights against him. While her reactions towards him are understandable, it's really hard not to feel sorry for the guy, since he's only trying to get his daughter back.]]
* In ''Fanfic/HarmonyTheory'' there is Charisma, [[TheDreaded a dreaded]] PsychoForHire and TheDragon to one of the {{Big Bad}}s who ruthlessly and sadistically kills anypony or any other creature in her way. But as the story goes on we find out that Charisma [[UsedToBeASweetKid used to be an innocent and happy filly that loved to dance]], until the day she got glyph/cutie mark which turned out to be ''literally'' the mark of a killer which came with a little voice inside her head that constantly tells her to kill everypony around her and the best ways to do it, which drove her to [[spoiler: '''murder her own brother''', which got her disowned from her family as a child]], before being taken under the wing of ponies that saw her potential as a living weapon and molded her into the monster she would become.
* The ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' fanfic ''Fanfic/AHistoryOfMagic'' did this for the girl who would become [[spoiler:Walpurgisnacht]]. At a young age she had been brainwashed by the Nazi party to be loyal only to them and use her wish for their benefit, and then the witch[[spoiler:/Angel]] Pandora showed her images of other Puella Magi who suffered, causing her to snap even more, [[CallingTheOldManOut calling Hitler out]], and becoming a witch almost immediately after making her wish.
* There's one called ''[[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/87434/mirrors-in-shadows Mirrors in Shadows]]'' which does this for changelings, but with a twist. Rather than the usual DracoInLeatherPants or NotEvilJustMisunderstood treatment the fandom usually gives changelings, this one full on acknowledges that they are evil and heartless predators. Somehow, it ''still'' manages to [[TearJerker drown you in feels]].
* ''Fanfic/MortalKombatDesperation'' uses this trope on the BigBad, [[MadGod Raiden]]. On the surface, he may seem to be a KnightTemplar with a bit of the AxCrazy, HeWhoFightsMonsters and WellIntentionedExtremist tropes, but many of his former allies lament and feel sorry at [[VideoGame/MortalKombatX how the Jinsei's corruption changed him into a self-centered, taunting and rage-fueled madman.]]
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* ''Fanfic/APeriodOfSilence'' does this for its main villain, Allucinere. Once an orphan known only as Maya Tromper, she [[spoiler: watched her family burn to death when she was very young.]] Despite spending her youth in an orphanage, she managed to find joy in the form of Esme, a kind, outgoing, somewhat impulsive brunette who formed a perfect contrast to her more reserved nature. They eventually fell in love, but on the night of their high school graduation, [[spoiler:Maya and Esme run into a man named Lazario, who arranged for the death of Maya's parents. He shoots Esme right in front of her, which causes her to snap.]] It wasn't what drove her over the edge, but it does give a certain context to her actions that inspires more of a tragic "what could have been" reaction from the audience rather than simple hatred.
* ''Fanfic/SonicXDarkChaos'' uses this trope pretty clearly with Tsali. He seems like an utterly AxCrazy monster at first glance, until the story begins to become more clear - not only did he have a BreakTheCutie backstory that could put [[Manga/{{Berserk}} Guts]] to shame, he's basically ruined the entire galaxy [[spoiler: and his own family]] through his lust for revenge. Episode 74 basically milks this trope for all its worth when [[spoiler:Tsali finds out that Maledict had betrayed him from the very beginning]] - his resulting VillainousBreakdown is hard to take.
* ''Fanfic/SonicXDarkChaos'' uses this trope pretty clearly with Tsali. He seems like an utterly AxCrazy monster at first glance, until the story begins to become more clear - not only did he have a BreakTheCutie backstory that could put [[Manga/{{Berserk}} Guts]] to shame, he's basically ruined the entire galaxy [[spoiler: and his own family]] through his lust for revenge. Episode 74 basically milks this trope for all its worth when [[spoiler:Tsali finds out that Maledict had betrayed him from the very beginning]] - his resulting VillainousBreakdown is hard to take.
to:
[[AC:''Film/{{Heathers}}'']]
* ''[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/3189956 Aftershocks]]'' doesn't gloss over J.D.'s [[SerialKiller violent past]] or taste for violence, but by the end, he's [[ShellShockedVeteran so haunted by the war]] and it's put such a strain on his family, even as he attempts to have a normal life, that you have to feel sorry for him.
[[AC:''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'']]
* ''Fanfic/APeriodOfSilence'' does this for its main villain, Allucinere. Once an orphan known only as Maya Tromper, she
[[AC:''Franchise/MortalKombat'']]
* ''Fanfic/MortalKombatDesperation'' uses this trope on the BigBad, [[MadGod Raiden]]. On the surface, he may seem to be a KnightTemplar with a bit of the AxCrazy, HeWhoFightsMonsters and WellIntentionedExtremist tropes, but many of his former allies lament and feel sorry at [[VideoGame/MortalKombatX how the Jinsei's corruption changed him into a self-centered, taunting and rage-fueled madman.]]
[[AC:''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'']]
* There's a slew of fics that give one-shot villains [[JerkJock Gilda]] (from "Griffon the Brush-Off") and [[MilesGloriosus the Great and Powerful Trixie]] (from "Boast Busters") some sympathy, CharacterDevelopment, and a shot at redemption, sometimes with [[FreudianExcuse a tragic backstory]] thrown in for good measure. There's also a bit of fanart and fanfic out there that depicts [[AlphaBitch Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon]] in a sympathetic light, either giving them some CharacterDevelopment, showing them as {{Lonely Rich Kid}}s who only have each other as friends, or even having one or both as victims of [[AbusiveParents emotional neglect or abuse]]. There's even one or two such fics for [[PrinceCharmless Prince Blueblood]] (from "The Best Night Ever"), who most fans regard as completely unsympathetic.
* The major villains of the series aren't immune to this. In fact they might even get this more than the aforementioned characters. [[SuperpoweredEvilSide Nightmare Moon]] is often written as a tragic figure, since many writers believe that she's an aspect of [[EnsembleDarkhorse Princess Luna's]] negative emotions. [[ManipulativeBastard Discord]] is hit with this by writers who create a [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds tragic motive behind his actions]] or by those fanfictions that [[HeelFaceTurn make him see the light]]. Even [[TheVamp Queen Chrysalis]], the most evil villain on the show to date, is sometimes painted by writers as a being who [[WellIntentionedExtremist only wants what's best for her race and genuinely believes that conquering Equestria and enslaving its inhabitants will benefit her race]].
* In ''Fanfic/BadFutureCrusaders'' we have the WildCard Silver Spoon. She's cruel, has a nasty sense of humor, is fully willing to kill, and probably one of the evilest characters in the storyline (even outdoing a lot of the ''actual'' villains), yet what little details you get about her past and the fact that she is CoveredInScars make it ''very'' clear she has suffered greatly. Her interactions with Trixie and Clear Rivers imply there still is goodness in her, but even ''she'' has given up on ever changing her ways.
* In ''Fanfic/CodexEquus'', the villainous residents of [[VideoGame/StoryOfTheBlanks Sunnytown]] have received this treatment. In the original game, the Sunnytowners had little personality as individuals beyond being fanatical zombies who killed a young filly for gaining a Cutie Mark and nearly did the same to Apple Bloom. Their introduction into the Codexverse ''massively'' [[AdaptationExpansion expanded on the Sunnytowners' backstories and personalities]], humanizing them and turning them into otherwise sympathetic individuals who were influenced into doing bad things by an insane stallion. Each of their Codex entries also show how damaging fanaticism can be, depicting those who followed Grey Hoof as traumatized individuals who took a long time to recover from their experiences once they are freed from Sunnytown. Because of this, many readers have expressed sympathy for the Sunnytowners - up to the main author of ''Codex Equus'' himself - while at the same time expressing fear and disgust towards Grey Hoof's actions.
* In ''Fanfic/EquestriaAHistoryRevealed'', this occurs many times throughout the fic. In the case of King Sombra, it is hinted that some evil discovery, or just [[spoiler:the constant annoyance from the crystal ponies drove him mad.]] In the case of Luna, it was [[spoiler:the national trial and Luna Bill]] that caused her to believe her sister didn't love her anymore. And it even happens a bit for the LemonyNarrator, who throughout the fic was shown to be clearly insane and hate-filled, and later it is revealed [[spoiler:that her tough life and rejection from the Canterlot School for Gifted Unicorns was partly responsible for her turning out this way]].
* ''Fanfic/HarmonyTheory'' has Charisma, [[TheDreaded a dreaded]] PsychoForHire and TheDragon to one of the {{Big Bad}}s who ruthlessly and sadistically kills anypony or any other creature in her way. But as the story goes on we find out that Charisma [[UsedToBeASweetKid used to be an innocent and happy filly that loved to dance]], until the day she got glyph/cutie mark which turned out to be ''literally'' the mark of a killer which came with a little voice inside her head that constantly tells her to kill everypony around her and the best ways to do it, which drove her to [[spoiler: '''murder her own brother''', which got her disowned from her family as a child]], before being taken under the wing of ponies that saw her potential as a living weapon and molded her into the monster she would become.
* There's one called ''[[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/87434/mirrors-in-shadows Mirrors in Shadows]]'' which does this for changelings, but with a twist. Rather than the usual DracoInLeatherPants or NotEvilJustMisunderstood treatment the fandom usually gives changelings, this one full on acknowledges that they are evil and heartless predators. Somehow, it ''still'' manages to [[TearJerker drown you in feels]].
[[AC:''LightNovel/MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom'']]
* Used InUniverse in ''Fanfic/FortuneLoverTGSBetaSaruRipTPlusEng0Point75SincereDotZip''. Because Katarina in the titular GameMod of ''[[FictionalVideoGame Fortune Lover]]'' is modified to act more like the Katarina in the source material, yet the rest of the cast continues with their script, or in other words, treating an AllLovingHero as if she was an AlphaBitch (as in the ''Fortune Lover'' canon). This makes [[CharacterNarrator Parasite_Ib]] find Katarina rather lovely and start to ''hate'' the rest of the cast, [[PlayerCharacter Maria]] included.
[[AC:''Franchise/{{Naruto}}'']]
* Applied so often to the Kyuubi that it's become something of a DeadHorseTrope. Apparently, the Nine-Tailed Beast was just angry that somebody was picking on it or its family; the resulting murderous rampage that killed hundreds and orphaned just as many is treated as a mistake that ''she's'' very sorry for. This [[FandomSpecificPlot/{{Naruto}} Fandom-Specific]] {{Backstory}} was commonly used for years, enduring long after key revelations in the manga that [[OutdatedByCanon disproved it]]. Ironically, [[spoiler:Kyuubi arguably isn't all that bad once you get to know him!]]
[[AC:''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'']]
* ''Fanfic/AHistoryOfMagic'' did this for the girl who would become [[spoiler:Walpurgisnacht]]. At a young age she had been brainwashed by the Nazi party to be loyal only to them and use her wish for their benefit, and then the witch[[spoiler:/Angel]] Pandora showed her images of other Puella Magi who suffered, causing her to snap even more, [[CallingTheOldManOut calling Hitler out]], and becoming a witch almost immediately after making her wish.
[[AC:''WesternAnimation/RiseOfTheGuardians'']]
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8751000/1/Guardian-of-Light Guardian of Light]]'', Pitch finds out that [[spoiler:the main character, Helen, is his daughter whom he lost at the end of the Golden Age. He tries to get her back, but when he gets her and tells her, she refuses to believe him. Then the Guardians storm in, and take her back. And then when he gets her back again, she fights against him. While her reactions towards him are understandable, it's really hard not to feel sorry for the guy, since he's only trying to get his daughter back.]]
[[AC:''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'']]
* ''Fanfic/SonicXDarkChaos'' uses this trope pretty clearly with Tsali. He seems like an utterly AxCrazy monster at first glance, until the story begins to become more clear - not only did he have a BreakTheCutie backstory that could put [[Manga/{{Berserk}} Guts]] to shame, he's basically ruined the entire galaxy
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!!General
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'':
** There's a slew of fics that give one-shot villains [[JerkJock Gilda]] (from "Griffon the Brush-Off") and [[MilesGloriosus the Great and Powerful Trixie]] (from "Boast Busters") some sympathy, CharacterDevelopment, and a shot at redemption, sometimes with [[FreudianExcuse a tragic backstory]] thrown in for good measure. There's also a bit of fanart and fanfic out there that depicts [[AlphaBitch Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon]] in a sympathetic light, either giving them some CharacterDevelopment, showing them as {{Lonely Rich Kid}}s who only have each other as friends, or even having one or both as victims of [[AbusiveParents emotional neglect or abuse]]. There's even one or two such fics for [[PrinceCharmless Prince Blueblood]] (from "The Best Night Ever"), who most fans regard as completely unsympathetic.
** The major villains of the series aren't immune to this. In fact they might even get this more than the aforementioned characters. [[SuperpoweredEvilSide Nightmare Moon]] is often written as a tragic figure, since many writers believe that she's an aspect of [[EnsembleDarkhorse Princess Luna's]] negative emotions. [[ManipulativeBastard Discord]] is hit with this by writers who create a [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds tragic motive behind his actions]] or by those fanfictions that [[HeelFaceTurn make him see the light]]. Even [[TheVamp Queen Chrysalis]], the most evil villain on the show to date, is sometimes painted by writers as a being who [[WellIntentionedExtremist only wants what's best for her race and genuinely believes that conquering Equestria and enslaving its inhabitants will benefit her race]].
* Used so often by ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' fanfics that it's become something of a DeadHorseTrope in that field. A large number of fanfics try to make the Kyuubi into a likable character using this strategy. Apparently, the savagely murderous and vile Kyuubi was just angry because somebody was picking on it or its family; the resulting murderous rampage that killed hundreds and orphaned just as many was a mistake it's very sorry for. Oh, and it's a girl. This backstory has been in use for several years now and has changed little since then, even ignoring key revelations in the manga that would negate it. The funny thing is, [[spoiler:Kyuubi really isn't all that bad when you get to know him!]]
!!Specific
* ''Fanfic/AbraxasHrodvitnon'': As evil as San's brothers (Ghidorah's right and middle heads, Ichi and Ni) are, Ghidorah's {{Backstory}} can create this reaction -- pun intended, with Ghidorah being a SatanicArchetype and the implied source of humans' lore about {{Satan}}. Ghidorah is already presented by the story as a WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds by origin as of Chapter 10, but the further details that the author revealed on her Tumblr about Ghidorah's backstory which were only vaguely relayed to characters in the story, are definitely enough to induce this effect. What's that the TragicVillain trope page says about the villain being as sympathetic as their victims? It's easy to pity the confused, broken and tortured creatures that Ichi and Ni were in the beginning of Ghidorah's life if not the utterly-malevolent OmnicidalManiac that they became.
%%* There is an ''WesternAnimation/IronManArmoredAdventures'' fanfic that does this for Gene Khan. In the order they occurred, he's [[spoiler:seen his father shot in front of him, had his house burned down, his now dirt-poor and homeless mother married a man who later killed her, spent the majority of his childhood being beaten and verbally abused by said man, and then his stepfather casually admitted to raping and killing Gene's mother just to hurt Gene even more.]] To quote the author, 'he never had a chance at being normal'.
* ''[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/3189956 Aftershocks]]'', a fanfic for ''Film/{{Heathers}}'', doesn't gloss over J.D.'s [[SerialKiller violent past]] or taste for violence, but by the end, he's [[ShellShockedVeteran so haunted by the war]] and it's put such a strain on his family, even as he attempts to have a normal life, that you have to feel sorry for him.
* In ''Fanfic/AlexandraQuick'', this is how Alexandra ultimately views [[spoiler:Darla]].
* In ''Fanfic/BadFutureCrusaders'' we have the WildCard Silver Spoon. She's cruel, has a nasty sense of humor, is fully willing to kill, and probably one of the evilest characters in the storyline (even outdoing a lot of the ''actual'' villains), yet what little details you get about her past and the fact that she is CoveredInScars make it ''very'' clear she has suffered greatly. Her interactions with Trixie and Clear Rivers imply there still is goodness in her, but even ''she'' has given up on ever changing her ways.
* In ''Fanfic/CodexEquus'', the villainous residents of [[VideoGame/StoryOfTheBlanks Sunnytown]] have received this treatment. In the original game, the Sunnytowners had little personality as individuals beyond being fanatical zombies who killed a young filly for gaining a Cutie Mark and nearly did the same to Apple Bloom. Their introduction into the Codexverse ''massively'' [[AdaptationExpansion expanded on the Sunnytowners' backstories and personalities]], humanizing them and turning them into otherwise sympathetic individuals who were influenced into doing bad things by an insane stallion. Each of their Codex entries also show how damaging fanaticism can be, depicting those who followed Grey Hoof as traumatized individuals who took a long time to recover from their experiences once they are freed from Sunnytown. Because of this, many readers have expressed sympathy for the Sunnytowners - up to the main author of ''Codex Equus'' himself - while at the same time expressing fear and disgust towards Grey Hoof's actions.
* In ''Fanfic/EquestriaAHistoryRevealed'', this occurs many times throughout the fic. In the case of King Sombra, it is hinted that some evil discovery, or just [[spoiler:the constant annoyance from the crystal ponies drove him mad.]] In the case of Luna, it was [[spoiler:the national trial and Luna Bill]] that caused her to believe her sister didn't love her anymore. And it even happens a bit for the LemonyNarrator, who throughout the fic was shown to be clearly insane and hate-filled, and later it is revealed [[spoiler:that her tough life and rejection from the Canterlot School for Gifted Unicorns was partly responsible for her turning out this way.]]
* Emmeraude, from the latter end of [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/4588507/marcus00721 marcus00721]]'s ''Fairy Tail'' series, was the illegitimate child of the Pergrande King and lived in poverty with her mother. After becoming a top soldier in the Pergrande's army she was exiled after a failed experiment on the King. All she wanted was to [[WellIntentionedExtremist create a better world]] so people like her mother wouldn't have to suffer. Her plans were delayed when [[spoiler: Lucy]] unknowingly took a key part of Emmeraude's plans while investigation disappearances. When she captured [[spoiler: Lucy]] Fairy Tail took on everything Emmeraude threw at them to get their friend back. Eventually they succeed in bringing her down. In the process Emmeraude losses almost everything she cared about. Her [[AMotherToHerMen subordinates]] either died during the battle or were taken back to Pergrande to be executed as they were soldiers from said kingdom. The daughter she created [[HeroicSacrifice sacrificed]] herself to save everyone. Her dreams are now in ruin. The only good thing she still has going for her is that her mother is alive and well.
** [[SubvertedTrope However]], you may loose some of that sympathy with how [[EvilIsPetty petty]] she is. When she captured [[spoiler:Lucy]] she abused the poor girl who was already suffering. When she is defeated she blames [[spoiler: Lucy]] for all of her misfortune. And abandons her dreams and joins [[spoiler: Zeref]] if it means Fairy Tail's destruction and that she can get her hands on [[spoiler: Lucy]]. Emmeraude has already came close destroying [[spoiler: Lucy's keys]] and threatened to kill [[spoiler: Natsu]] in front of her just to hurt the girl.
* Used InUniverse in the ''LightNovel/MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom'' fanfic ''Fanfic/FortuneLoverTGSBetaSaruRipTPlusEng0Point75SincereDotZip''. Because Katarina in the titular GameMod of ''[[FictionalVideoGame Fortune Lover]]'' is modified to act more like the Katarina in the source material, yet the rest of the cast continues with their script, or in other words, treating an AllLovingHero as if she was an AlphaBitch (as in the ''Fortune Lover'' canon). This makes [[CharacterNarrator Parasite_Ib]] find Katarina rather lovely and start to ''hate'' the rest of the cast, [[PlayerCharacter Maria]] included.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/RiseOfTheGuardians'' fic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8751000/1/Guardian-of-Light Guardian of Light]]'', Pitch finds out that [[spoiler:the main character, Helen, is his daughter whom he lost at the end of the Golden Age. He tries to get her back, but when he gets her and tells her, she refuses to believe him. Then the Guardians storm in, and take her back. And then when he gets her back again, she fights against him. While her reactions towards him are understandable, it's really hard not to feel sorry for the guy, since he's only trying to get his daughter back.]]
* In ''Fanfic/HarmonyTheory'' there is Charisma, [[TheDreaded a dreaded]] PsychoForHire and TheDragon to one of the {{Big Bad}}s who ruthlessly and sadistically kills anypony or any other creature in her way. But as the story goes on we find out that Charisma [[UsedToBeASweetKid used to be an innocent and happy filly that loved to dance]], until the day she got glyph/cutie mark which turned out to be ''literally'' the mark of a killer which came with a little voice inside her head that constantly tells her to kill everypony around her and the best ways to do it, which drove her to [[spoiler: '''murder her own brother''', which got her disowned from her family as a child]], before being taken under the wing of ponies that saw her potential as a living weapon and molded her into the monster she would become.
* The ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' fanfic ''Fanfic/AHistoryOfMagic'' did this for the girl who would become [[spoiler:Walpurgisnacht]]. At a young age she had been brainwashed by the Nazi party to be loyal only to them and use her wish for their benefit, and then the witch[[spoiler:/Angel]] Pandora showed her images of other Puella Magi who suffered, causing her to snap even more, [[CallingTheOldManOut calling Hitler out]], and becoming a witch almost immediately after making her wish.
* There's one called ''[[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/87434/mirrors-in-shadows Mirrors in Shadows]]'' which does this for changelings, but with a twist. Rather than the usual DracoInLeatherPants or NotEvilJustMisunderstood treatment the fandom usually gives changelings, this one full on acknowledges that they are evil and heartless predators. Somehow, it ''still'' manages to [[TearJerker drown you in feels]].
* ''Fanfic/MortalKombatDesperation'' uses this trope on the BigBad, [[MadGod Raiden]]. On the surface, he may seem to be a KnightTemplar with a bit of the AxCrazy, HeWhoFightsMonsters and WellIntentionedExtremist tropes, but many of his former allies lament and feel sorry at [[VideoGame/MortalKombatX how the Jinsei's corruption changed him into a self-centered, taunting and rage-fueled madman.]]
* ''Fanfic/MyImmortal'': Satan was rather calm and nice (in fact, much more sane and likable than the protagonist herself) and never did anything directly bad. Dumbledore even demonizes the goths and punks at the school, but Satan seems to ride this off. And he becomes Voldemort, who harasses the main characters constantly.
* ''Fanfic/APeriodOfSilence'' does this for its main villain, Allucinere. Once an orphan known only as Maya Tromper, she [[spoiler: watched her family burn to death when she was very young.]] Despite spending her youth in an orphanage, she managed to find joy in the form of Esme, a kind, outgoing, somewhat impulsive brunette who formed a perfect contrast to her more reserved nature. They eventually fell in love, but on the night of their high school graduation, [[spoiler:Maya and Esme run into a man named Lazario, who arranged for the death of Maya's parents. He shoots Esme right in front of her, which causes her to snap.]] It wasn't what drove her over the edge, but it does give a certain context to her actions that inspires more of a tragic "what could have been" reaction from the audience rather than simple hatred.
* ''Fanfic/SonicXDarkChaos'' uses this trope pretty clearly with Tsali. He seems like an utterly AxCrazy monster at first glance, until the story begins to become more clear - not only did he have a BreakTheCutie backstory that could put [[Manga/{{Berserk}} Guts]] to shame, he's basically ruined the entire galaxy [[spoiler: and his own family]] through his lust for revenge. Episode 74 basically milks this trope for all its worth when [[spoiler:Tsali finds out that Maledict had betrayed him from the very beginning]] - his resulting VillainousBreakdown is hard to take.
----
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'':
** There's a slew of fics that give one-shot villains [[JerkJock Gilda]] (from "Griffon the Brush-Off") and [[MilesGloriosus the Great and Powerful Trixie]] (from "Boast Busters") some sympathy, CharacterDevelopment, and a shot at redemption, sometimes with [[FreudianExcuse a tragic backstory]] thrown in for good measure. There's also a bit of fanart and fanfic out there that depicts [[AlphaBitch Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon]] in a sympathetic light, either giving them some CharacterDevelopment, showing them as {{Lonely Rich Kid}}s who only have each other as friends, or even having one or both as victims of [[AbusiveParents emotional neglect or abuse]]. There's even one or two such fics for [[PrinceCharmless Prince Blueblood]] (from "The Best Night Ever"), who most fans regard as completely unsympathetic.
** The major villains of the series aren't immune to this. In fact they might even get this more than the aforementioned characters. [[SuperpoweredEvilSide Nightmare Moon]] is often written as a tragic figure, since many writers believe that she's an aspect of [[EnsembleDarkhorse Princess Luna's]] negative emotions. [[ManipulativeBastard Discord]] is hit with this by writers who create a [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds tragic motive behind his actions]] or by those fanfictions that [[HeelFaceTurn make him see the light]]. Even [[TheVamp Queen Chrysalis]], the most evil villain on the show to date, is sometimes painted by writers as a being who [[WellIntentionedExtremist only wants what's best for her race and genuinely believes that conquering Equestria and enslaving its inhabitants will benefit her race]].
* Used so often by ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' fanfics that it's become something of a DeadHorseTrope in that field. A large number of fanfics try to make the Kyuubi into a likable character using this strategy. Apparently, the savagely murderous and vile Kyuubi was just angry because somebody was picking on it or its family; the resulting murderous rampage that killed hundreds and orphaned just as many was a mistake it's very sorry for. Oh, and it's a girl. This backstory has been in use for several years now and has changed little since then, even ignoring key revelations in the manga that would negate it. The funny thing is, [[spoiler:Kyuubi really isn't all that bad when you get to know him!]]
!!Specific
* ''Fanfic/AbraxasHrodvitnon'': As evil as San's brothers (Ghidorah's right and middle heads, Ichi and Ni) are, Ghidorah's {{Backstory}} can create this reaction -- pun intended, with Ghidorah being a SatanicArchetype and the implied source of humans' lore about {{Satan}}. Ghidorah is already presented by the story as a WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds by origin as of Chapter 10, but the further details that the author revealed on her Tumblr about Ghidorah's backstory which were only vaguely relayed to characters in the story, are definitely enough to induce this effect. What's that the TragicVillain trope page says about the villain being as sympathetic as their victims? It's easy to pity the confused, broken and tortured creatures that Ichi and Ni were in the beginning of Ghidorah's life if not the utterly-malevolent OmnicidalManiac that they became.
%%* There is an ''WesternAnimation/IronManArmoredAdventures'' fanfic that does this for Gene Khan. In the order they occurred, he's [[spoiler:seen his father shot in front of him, had his house burned down, his now dirt-poor and homeless mother married a man who later killed her, spent the majority of his childhood being beaten and verbally abused by said man, and then his stepfather casually admitted to raping and killing Gene's mother just to hurt Gene even more.]] To quote the author, 'he never had a chance at being normal'.
* ''[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/3189956 Aftershocks]]'', a fanfic for ''Film/{{Heathers}}'', doesn't gloss over J.D.'s [[SerialKiller violent past]] or taste for violence, but by the end, he's [[ShellShockedVeteran so haunted by the war]] and it's put such a strain on his family, even as he attempts to have a normal life, that you have to feel sorry for him.
* In ''Fanfic/AlexandraQuick'', this is how Alexandra ultimately views [[spoiler:Darla]].
* In ''Fanfic/BadFutureCrusaders'' we have the WildCard Silver Spoon. She's cruel, has a nasty sense of humor, is fully willing to kill, and probably one of the evilest characters in the storyline (even outdoing a lot of the ''actual'' villains), yet what little details you get about her past and the fact that she is CoveredInScars make it ''very'' clear she has suffered greatly. Her interactions with Trixie and Clear Rivers imply there still is goodness in her, but even ''she'' has given up on ever changing her ways.
* In ''Fanfic/CodexEquus'', the villainous residents of [[VideoGame/StoryOfTheBlanks Sunnytown]] have received this treatment. In the original game, the Sunnytowners had little personality as individuals beyond being fanatical zombies who killed a young filly for gaining a Cutie Mark and nearly did the same to Apple Bloom. Their introduction into the Codexverse ''massively'' [[AdaptationExpansion expanded on the Sunnytowners' backstories and personalities]], humanizing them and turning them into otherwise sympathetic individuals who were influenced into doing bad things by an insane stallion. Each of their Codex entries also show how damaging fanaticism can be, depicting those who followed Grey Hoof as traumatized individuals who took a long time to recover from their experiences once they are freed from Sunnytown. Because of this, many readers have expressed sympathy for the Sunnytowners - up to the main author of ''Codex Equus'' himself - while at the same time expressing fear and disgust towards Grey Hoof's actions.
* In ''Fanfic/EquestriaAHistoryRevealed'', this occurs many times throughout the fic. In the case of King Sombra, it is hinted that some evil discovery, or just [[spoiler:the constant annoyance from the crystal ponies drove him mad.]] In the case of Luna, it was [[spoiler:the national trial and Luna Bill]] that caused her to believe her sister didn't love her anymore. And it even happens a bit for the LemonyNarrator, who throughout the fic was shown to be clearly insane and hate-filled, and later it is revealed [[spoiler:that her tough life and rejection from the Canterlot School for Gifted Unicorns was partly responsible for her turning out this way.]]
* Emmeraude, from the latter end of [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/4588507/marcus00721 marcus00721]]'s ''Fairy Tail'' series, was the illegitimate child of the Pergrande King and lived in poverty with her mother. After becoming a top soldier in the Pergrande's army she was exiled after a failed experiment on the King. All she wanted was to [[WellIntentionedExtremist create a better world]] so people like her mother wouldn't have to suffer. Her plans were delayed when [[spoiler: Lucy]] unknowingly took a key part of Emmeraude's plans while investigation disappearances. When she captured [[spoiler: Lucy]] Fairy Tail took on everything Emmeraude threw at them to get their friend back. Eventually they succeed in bringing her down. In the process Emmeraude losses almost everything she cared about. Her [[AMotherToHerMen subordinates]] either died during the battle or were taken back to Pergrande to be executed as they were soldiers from said kingdom. The daughter she created [[HeroicSacrifice sacrificed]] herself to save everyone. Her dreams are now in ruin. The only good thing she still has going for her is that her mother is alive and well.
** [[SubvertedTrope However]], you may loose some of that sympathy with how [[EvilIsPetty petty]] she is. When she captured [[spoiler:Lucy]] she abused the poor girl who was already suffering. When she is defeated she blames [[spoiler: Lucy]] for all of her misfortune. And abandons her dreams and joins [[spoiler: Zeref]] if it means Fairy Tail's destruction and that she can get her hands on [[spoiler: Lucy]]. Emmeraude has already came close destroying [[spoiler: Lucy's keys]] and threatened to kill [[spoiler: Natsu]] in front of her just to hurt the girl.
* Used InUniverse in the ''LightNovel/MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom'' fanfic ''Fanfic/FortuneLoverTGSBetaSaruRipTPlusEng0Point75SincereDotZip''. Because Katarina in the titular GameMod of ''[[FictionalVideoGame Fortune Lover]]'' is modified to act more like the Katarina in the source material, yet the rest of the cast continues with their script, or in other words, treating an AllLovingHero as if she was an AlphaBitch (as in the ''Fortune Lover'' canon). This makes [[CharacterNarrator Parasite_Ib]] find Katarina rather lovely and start to ''hate'' the rest of the cast, [[PlayerCharacter Maria]] included.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/RiseOfTheGuardians'' fic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8751000/1/Guardian-of-Light Guardian of Light]]'', Pitch finds out that [[spoiler:the main character, Helen, is his daughter whom he lost at the end of the Golden Age. He tries to get her back, but when he gets her and tells her, she refuses to believe him. Then the Guardians storm in, and take her back. And then when he gets her back again, she fights against him. While her reactions towards him are understandable, it's really hard not to feel sorry for the guy, since he's only trying to get his daughter back.]]
* In ''Fanfic/HarmonyTheory'' there is Charisma, [[TheDreaded a dreaded]] PsychoForHire and TheDragon to one of the {{Big Bad}}s who ruthlessly and sadistically kills anypony or any other creature in her way. But as the story goes on we find out that Charisma [[UsedToBeASweetKid used to be an innocent and happy filly that loved to dance]], until the day she got glyph/cutie mark which turned out to be ''literally'' the mark of a killer which came with a little voice inside her head that constantly tells her to kill everypony around her and the best ways to do it, which drove her to [[spoiler: '''murder her own brother''', which got her disowned from her family as a child]], before being taken under the wing of ponies that saw her potential as a living weapon and molded her into the monster she would become.
* The ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' fanfic ''Fanfic/AHistoryOfMagic'' did this for the girl who would become [[spoiler:Walpurgisnacht]]. At a young age she had been brainwashed by the Nazi party to be loyal only to them and use her wish for their benefit, and then the witch[[spoiler:/Angel]] Pandora showed her images of other Puella Magi who suffered, causing her to snap even more, [[CallingTheOldManOut calling Hitler out]], and becoming a witch almost immediately after making her wish.
* There's one called ''[[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/87434/mirrors-in-shadows Mirrors in Shadows]]'' which does this for changelings, but with a twist. Rather than the usual DracoInLeatherPants or NotEvilJustMisunderstood treatment the fandom usually gives changelings, this one full on acknowledges that they are evil and heartless predators. Somehow, it ''still'' manages to [[TearJerker drown you in feels]].
* ''Fanfic/MortalKombatDesperation'' uses this trope on the BigBad, [[MadGod Raiden]]. On the surface, he may seem to be a KnightTemplar with a bit of the AxCrazy, HeWhoFightsMonsters and WellIntentionedExtremist tropes, but many of his former allies lament and feel sorry at [[VideoGame/MortalKombatX how the Jinsei's corruption changed him into a self-centered, taunting and rage-fueled madman.]]
* ''Fanfic/MyImmortal'': Satan was rather calm and nice (in fact, much more sane and likable than the protagonist herself) and never did anything directly bad. Dumbledore even demonizes the goths and punks at the school, but Satan seems to ride this off. And he becomes Voldemort, who harasses the main characters constantly.
* ''Fanfic/APeriodOfSilence'' does this for its main villain, Allucinere. Once an orphan known only as Maya Tromper, she [[spoiler: watched her family burn to death when she was very young.]] Despite spending her youth in an orphanage, she managed to find joy in the form of Esme, a kind, outgoing, somewhat impulsive brunette who formed a perfect contrast to her more reserved nature. They eventually fell in love, but on the night of their high school graduation, [[spoiler:Maya and Esme run into a man named Lazario, who arranged for the death of Maya's parents. He shoots Esme right in front of her, which causes her to snap.]] It wasn't what drove her over the edge, but it does give a certain context to her actions that inspires more of a tragic "what could have been" reaction from the audience rather than simple hatred.
* ''Fanfic/SonicXDarkChaos'' uses this trope pretty clearly with Tsali. He seems like an utterly AxCrazy monster at first glance, until the story begins to become more clear - not only did he have a BreakTheCutie backstory that could put [[Manga/{{Berserk}} Guts]] to shame, he's basically ruined the entire galaxy [[spoiler: and his own family]] through his lust for revenge. Episode 74 basically milks this trope for all its worth when [[spoiler:Tsali finds out that Maledict had betrayed him from the very beginning]] - his resulting VillainousBreakdown is hard to take.
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