History Main / EvenEvilCanBeLoved

* ''{{Manga/Naruto}}'':
** While he is ultimately redeemed at the end of the series, for the time Sasuke spent as the villain rival to Naruto, his former teammates still cared about him and were devoted to bringing him back home.
** This is also the case for Orochimaru but rather than his former teammates, it was his former teacher that still cared for him and wished things would have turned out differently for his student instead of having to fight him to protect everyone else he cared about.

* ''VideoGame/TribeNine'': This trope is Kazuki's motivation for everything he does in the series -- he still values [[spoiler:his friendship with [[TheDragon Ojiro]], and wishes to save him from himself. This persistence pays off in the finale, where the non-fatal HeroicSacrifice he performs ends up triggering Ojiro's HeelFaceTurn.]]

* ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica:'' Baron Zemo, the original NaziNobleman version, was married at the start of the war. His wife remained devoted to him even after the unfortunate incident with Adhesive X, so clearly she wasn't interested in him for his money or his looks. Naturally, her death via falling rubble was just another reason for Heinrich and Helmut to want to kill Captain America.

* ''ComicBook/NewGods''

* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman'' [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 Vol 1]]: Hypnota's twin sister still loves them even though they've turned to using their mental powers to brainwash people into subservient slaves and sell them to the Empire of Saturn to help the Empire prepare for their invasion of Earth. It doesn't help that the brain damage and paranoia that turned Hypnota villainous were caused by their sister accidentally shooting them in the head, which Hypnota does not believe was an accident.

* The ''Literature/AndThenThereWereNone'' fanfic "[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/23204761 Nightmares]]" deconstructs the AssholeVictim archetype [[spoiler:Justice Wargrave]] was looking for. After [[SparedByTheAdaptation Vera and Lombard escape the island]], they learn that ''everyone'' who was on the island had someone who cared about them and [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes vice-versa]], be it a girlfriend (Marston), a son (the Rogers), close friends (General Macarthur), or an older person they were providing for (Armstrong and Blore).
* ''Fanfic/MastermindRiseOfAnarchy'': Whilst acknowledging that both of them are members of the League of Villains, [[spoiler:Rei Todoroki]] is fully supportive of [[spoiler:Touya and Shouto, her two sons]], due to them finding a supportive family within the League. Rei also [[LampshadeHanging acknowledges how crazy she sounds.]]
* In the ''Anime/TenchiMuyo'' one-shot [[https://m.fanfiction.net/s/10754023/1/ No Need for School Day]], Mayuka builds a headstone for her "mother"(creator) Yuzuha at the Masaki shrine and visits it every day, despite knowing that Yuzuha was a hateful, jealous, bitter demoness who [[AbusiveParent treated her horribly.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse'': The Prowler is a ruthless enforcer for [[BigBad Kingpin]], but he has [[spoiler:Miles, a nephew who loves him and looks up to him, and a brother who, in spite of their estrangement, still wishes him well. Even after [[BrokenPedestal Miles finds out the truth]], he's still utterly devastated by his death, especially since he died [[HeelFaceDoorSlam because he]] [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes refused to kill him]]. Likewise, his brother finds his corpse in an alley, still in full supervillain costume, and begins crying. The epilogue shows Miles and his father painting a memorial mural for him, with the words, "Rest in Power," showing that despite becoming aware of his worst acts, they still love him very much.]]

* ''Film/FallingDown:'' When the gangbangers' car crashes and they are killed or injured, their friend Angie (who is implied to be the girlfriend of one of them) races up to the scene, crying.

* In ''Film/TheFly1986'', Seth's unwitting SlowTransformation into a HalfHumanHybrid after a TeleporterAccident involves a SplitPersonalityTakeover and initially manifests itself in ways that give him a DrunkWithPower feeling. As a result, he grows increasingly selfish and nasty towards his lover Veronica, especially once she starts pointing out that he didn't act this way ''before'' he teleported himself so his invention ''must'' have had something to do with it, and finally tosses her (almost literally) out of her apartment. However, her love for him never flags because she knows that he's ''sick''. When he finally reestablishes contact with her after a month, having realized what's actually happening to him and reclaimed his better self, she becomes a faithful LivingEmotionalCrutch to him even though he's now TheGrotesque -- until he sends her away because he knows that his mind will eventually fully succumb to the instincts of an insect and he ''will'' be dangerous to her. Alas, he learns afterward that she's pregnant and doesn't intend to keep the child, and [[spoiler:goes on to kidnap her before she can have an abortion, and maims her ex-lover when he comes to rescue her]]. Even then she still sees good in him and wants to help him with his last-ditch plan to save himself. [[spoiler:Too bad it involves Romantic Fusion.]] In the end, [[spoiler:after she's rescued from this fate while Seth is turned into a twisted Clipped-Wing Angel for his trouble, she's ''still'' reluctant to fulfill his request to end his misery by blowing his head off with a shotgun. But she does]].

* The western novels of William Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone show this quite often. Quite a few HateSink outlaws and killers have brothers, parents, or cousins who hold them in high regard and generally come looking for revenge. Pete [=McLaren=] in ''Those Jensen Boys: Twelve Dead Men.'' Is a good example. He's a murderous YoungGun with practically no regard for anyone around him. Nonetheless, the local HookerWithAHeartOfGold thinks the world of him and Pete's execution for murder sends his outlaw brother on a RoaringRampageOfRevenge.

* Subverted in ''Literature/WingsOfFire''. Darkstalker only appears lovable to his girlfriend because he's been brainwashing her to ignore his manipulations and abuse. The future- true- version of him is exactly as sadistic in daily life as you would expect of a genocidal torturer.

* ''{{Literature/A Song of Ice and Fire}}''

* The page quote from ''Series/AmericanHorrorStoryFreakShow'' is about PsychopathicManchild, Dandy Mott. Throughout the season, he's shown to be a modern version of being RoyallyScrewedUp, which contributes to him becoming an AxCrazy murderer. Yet despite it all, his mother Gloria loves him, murderous intents and all. She even goes so far as to [[AccompliceByInaction instead of doing a thing about his murders,]] cover them up. [[spoiler:Tragically, his mother's love wasn't enough to stop him from [[{{Matricide}} killing her.]]]]

-->'''Tyrion:''' You have children. How happy would you say you are?
-->'''Cersei:''' Not very. But if it weren't for my children, I would have thrown myself from the highest tower in the Red Keep. They're the reason I'm alive.
-->'''Tyrion:''' Even [[TeensAreMonsters Joffrey]]?
-->'''Cersei:''' Even Joffrey. He was all I had once, before Myrcella was born. I used to spend hours looking at him. His wisps of hair. His tiny hands and feet. [[UsedToBeASweetKid He was such a jolly little fellow.]] You always hear the terrible ones were terrible babies. "We should have known. Even then, we should have known." It's nonsense. Whenever he was with me, he was happy. And no one can take that away from me. Not even Joffrey. How it feels to have someone. Someone of your own.

* In ''VisualNovel/DoubleHomework'', Dennis's dad didn't hate him; he just wanted to raise his son in is image of what a man should be. [[spoiler:He vows to avenge Dennis,]] and honors the protagonist's request not to contact him or his friends ever again because of his (supposed) friendship with Dennis.

* Sibling example in ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyTrialsAndTribulations'' with [[spoiler:Dahlia and Iris. Iris genuinely loves Dahlia, despite the fact that Dahlia is TheSociopath, that she more than once asked her to help in her criminal activities, and in the end only thought of her as a backstabber. Iris knows the kind of person Dahlia is (or rather, was, since was convicted for murder in the first case of the game and later executed before returning as a spirit in the final case) but pities her, wishing that their father had dropped the both of them off at Hazakura Temple when they were young instead of just Iris so Dahlia too would have found [[ParentalSubstitute a mother figure in Sister Bikini]] to replace their [[EvilMatriach power-hungry mother who never really loved them.]] She believes that if Dahlia had been treated with love growing up, she wouldn't have become so cruel, callous, and vindictive. She tells Phoenix that Dahlia was always strong, independent, and never once complained about her lot in life.]]

* ''Videogame/YakuzaLikeADragon'' ends with Ichiban confronting the main antagonist Ryo Aoki [[spoiler:AKA, his former ward Masato Arakawa]] at [[spoiler:the coin lockers where their stories began]]. Aoki, having suffered a brutal HumiliationConga and undergoing a massive VillainousBreakdown bares his heart out to Ichiban as he laments that all the power he pursued meant nothing since he still feels as if no one truly cared for him as he prepares to blow his own brains out. Ichiban shoots back that Aoki was always surrounded by family who loved him unconditionally, [[spoiler:which includes Ichiban himself]], declaring that no matter how far he he fell they were always there for him, culminating in [[spoiler:him declaring that he still sees him as a brother and tearfully begging to not have to watch his own brother die]].

* ''Webcomic/ImTheGrimReaper'': Liam never stops loving Ana, [[spoiler:not even after he finds out she'd killed her own son.]]

* Dr. Blowhole from ''WesternAnimation/ThePenguinsOfMadagascar'' is a supervillain MadScientist, but he's [[spoiler: Doris's brother, and she seems to care for him enough to ask the Penguins to go on a mission to rescue him]]. Given how little they interact, it's left ambiguous if it's mutual or not, but he seems to care enough [[spoiler: to hide his villanous activities from his family]].
* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': [[Characters/StevenUniversePinkDiamond Pink Diamond]] of the [[GreaterScopeVillain Diamond Authority]] is an unusual example of a villain humanized by the love of other villains and antagonists. While very little has been revealed as of this post, we DO know that [[LovedByAll her court adored her]], [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes her sister Diamonds loved her]], and even [[Characters/StevenUniverseRoseQuartz Rose Quartz]] ([[IDidWhatIHadToDo who shattered her]]) [[MyGreatestFailure shows deep regret for her actions]]. The writers give as much weight and legitimacy to her mourners' grief as they do for Rose's own loved ones, making this yet another [[EvilCounterpart point of contrast between the two]]. [[spoiler:{{Subverted|Trope}} as she ''is'' the person everyone thinks shattered her and was GoodAllAlong (though her family and subjects don't know that).]]

* Flug from ''[[WesternAnimation/VillainousCartoonNetwork Villainous]]'' is a CardCarryingVillain and MadScientist who loves what he does, that being spreading mayhem and evil through his inventions, but his pride and joy is the [[MoralityPet genetically-engineered bear 5.0.5.]], who couldn't hurt a fly; he treats him with boundless kindness and dotes on him constantly, and 5.0.5. loves him just as much.

* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII'', [[AChildShallLeadThem Larsa]] genuinely loves his older brother [[BigBad Vayne]], even after he becomes a BrokenPedestal. [[spoiler: This makes it especially poignant when Larsa finally turns on Vayne in the end, sword shaking in his hand.]] Likewise, [[KnightInShiningArmor Basch]] genuinely loves his EvilTwin [[TheDragon Gabranth]], despite the fact that Gabranth framed him as TheKingslayer and locked him in a dungeon to be subjected to two years of ColdBloodedTorture. (Basch is just that [[IdealHero good]], and also that [[FailureKnight that]] [[MyGreatestFailure lacking in]] [[GuiltComplex self-esteem]].)

* ''Manga/HonooNoAlpenRose'': Count Georges de Garmont is a French Nazi collaborator and an ebhibophile (being attracted to 13-year-old Jeudi), but in spite of this his wife Françoise still loves him. She expresses envy at little Jeudi for being able to stand up to him, being too scared to do so herself, (and even helps her escape the Count's clutches), but never leaves his side, even though she acknowledges that he's a horrible, toxic ManipulativeBastard. She has loved him since they were children and never stopped loving him even when he had eyes for other women, [[spoiler: and [[DrivenToSuicide dies happily]] after he re-affirms his love for her.]]

* ''Manga/HonooNoAlpenRose'': Count Georges de Garmont is a French Nazi collaborator and an ebhibophile (being attracted to 13-year-old Jeudi), but in spite of this his wife Françoise still loves him. She expresses envy at little Jeudi for being able to stand up to him (and even helps her escape the Count's clutches), but never leaves his side, even though she acknowledges that he's a horrible, toxic ManipulativeBastard. She has loved him since they were children and never stopped loving him even when he had eyes for other women, [[spoiler: and [[DrivenToSuicide dies happily]] after he re-affirms his love for her.]]

** While he is ultimately redeemed at the end of the series, for the time Sasuke spent as the villain rival to Naruto, his former teammates still cared about him and was devoted to bringing him back home.

* ''[[Characters/SupermanSuperboyPrime Superboy Prime]] '' : [[AvertedTrope Averted]]. When Superboy-Prime finally comes home, he is shocked to discover that his parents and girlfriend read ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'', ''ComicBook/SinestroCorpsWar'', ''ComicBook/CountdownToFinalCrisis'', and ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis'' - "ComicBook/LegionOfThreeWorlds", and are now terrified of him. It is implied that he killed Laurie Lemmon and his parents let him live with them out of fear. While he becomes more possessive and controlling of his parents, he still wants them to love him. However, it is clear that all the love they had for him has been replaced by fear. This is best shown in Adventure Comics #4, when Superboy-Prime demands that his parents take him to Jet's Comics, as it was a matter of life and death. They do as he commands, and along the way his father, Jerry Kent, begs Prime not to hurt them. Prime asks why in the world they would think that he would hurt them. His father points out what he had done to Laurie, to which Prime responds that he had done it because she didn't like him anymore. Prime then asks Naomi, his mother, if she loves him, to which she replies that she is terrified of him. Upon arriving at Jet's Comics, Prime tells Naomi he loves her, apparently ignoring her previous comment. When Prime leaves the car, Naomi tells Jerry to drive away, to anywhere. Jerry refuses, pointing out that he would just find them like he did last time.

* Downplayed with Padmé in the ''Franchise/StarWars'' prequels, who is the only one still loving Anakin and believing in his goodness after his fall to TheDarkSide -- too bad she doesn't stick around to influence the Rebels, and the only person she expresses her belief to (Obi-Wan) already views Anakin as irredeemable. Luke from the original trilogy would count, but he never even knew his father, so his desire to redeem him in Episode VI stems more from him being an [[AllLovingHero all-round good guy]] and falls under a IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight.

* In ''Series/{{Angel}}'', the title character clearly cares deeply about Darla, who is evil for most of her time on the show. While [[TheSociopath Angelus]] didn't seem capable of loving her while he was evil, Angel continually tries to help and support Darla when she's human again and later when she's pregnant. He is distraught when she is bitten by Drusilla and when she stakes herself, despite her being evil during the latter event.

* In ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', Azula, despite all of her evil actions, was still loved by her mother Ursa. Azula continually tries to deny this, claiming Ursa only ever thought of her as a monster, but the subconscious knowledge that her mother really did love her in spite of her behavior winds up being a major factor in Azula's [[SanitySlippage descent into madness]]. In later comics, Zuko is willing to try to make amends; but given Azula's mental state isn't stable enough to try to reciprocate, much less Zuko handling the issue very poorly the first time around; the two got driven further apart. Zuko comes to terms with the fact that Azula is hurting inside, and that he cannot change her, but it's his responsibility to be there for her when she's ready to get her life back together.
* Subverted in the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' episode "Ascension". BigBad Derek Powers' son Paxton initially seems concerned for his father's health and safety. Paxton later reveals that he purposely set up the protest by the Verdeza activists in order to expose his father as Blight. He then hired Batman to search for Blight pretending to plan to help him when he was actually intent on killing Blight and taking control of the company for himself.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'': Asami understandably tries to disown [[EvilGenius her father, Hiroshi,]] after he is revealed as an Equalist and turns on her for siding with the Avatar, but deep down she still loves him because and is ultimately able to forgive him for his crimes. Tragically, however, she only fully admits this to herself just before [[spoiler:[[RedemptionEqualsDeath he dies saving her life]]]], leaving them unable to truly reconnect and make amends.

* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': Pink Diamond of the [[GreaterScopeVillain Diamond Authority]] is an unusual example of a villain humanized by the love of other villains and antagonists. While very little has been revealed as of this post, we DO know that [[LovedByAll her court adored her]], [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes her sister Diamonds loved her]], and even [[BigGood Rose Quartz]] ([[IDidWhatIHadToDo who shattered her]]) [[MyGreatestFailure shows deep regret for her actions]]. The writers give as much weight and legitimacy to her mourners' grief as they do for Rose's own loved ones, making this yet another [[EvilCounterpart point of contrast between the two]]. [[spoiler:{{Subverted|Trope}} as she ''is'' the person everyone thinks shattered her and was GoodAllAlong (though her family and subjects don't know that).]]

** [[TheHero Adora]] still clearly cares about [[EvilFormerFriend Catra]], even as Catra continues down her spiral, continually offering her second chances even after Catra tries to kill her. [[spoiler:It's a major "oh shit" moment when Adora finally concludes that [[BeyondRedemption trying to redeem Catra is just wasting her time and dulling her edge]], and it takes Catra trying to end the world to push Adora that far, and even then Adora cannot bring herself to hate Catra and ultimately does love her in spite of everything. Adora understands that she cannot change Catra, but she will be there for her when she's ready to get her life together]].
** Catra is also the object of Scorpia's affections, although since Scorpia is kind of a pushover, she ultimately ends up as more of an enabler. [[spoiler:Catra burns this bridge too, when she backstabs Entrapta, has her thrown on a transport to Beast Island, and threatens Scorpia to keep her quiet about it; you can actually ''see'' Scorpia's heart being ripped out when it happens.]]
** TrueNeutral [[ForScience science nerd]] Entrapta (who's on the Horde's ''side'', but mostly indifferent to their actual plans) and BigBad Hordak become extremely close. Both characters show surprising vulnerability around each other in season 3. Hordak sees [[CrushFilter lights flash]] behind Entrapta when she talks about the beauty of imperfection (a sensitive topic for Hordak, being a [[CloneDegeneration flawed clone]]); Entrapta works the First One word for "loved" into an upgrade she makes to Hordak's life support armor. [[spoiler:Catra secretly has Entrapta exiled to Beast Island and lies to Hordak about it, telling him that Entrapta defected to the Princess Alliance. When Hordak discovers that this was a lie, he goes ''ballistic'' and attacks Catra with his arm cannon, destroying large swaths of the Fright Zone in the process.]]

* In ''VideoGame/AlfredHitchcockVertigo'', John Miller was a [[AbusiveParents violent father who unleashed his own self-esteem issues on his son Eddie]] and he also killed his wife and her daughter after learning that she cheated on him and planned to divorce him to get with her new lover, and then [[MurderSuicide killed himself]]. Eddie, sole survivor of his family was taken into custody by his aunt, John's sister Claire whom in spite of everything John did, still loved him and insist that he used to be a better person who got "lost". She brainwashed Ed by convincing him that John was a loving father and that his wife's death was an accident so he could keep a good memory of him.

* ''ComicBook/SuperboyPrime'': [[AvertedTrope Averted]]. When Superboy-Prime finally comes home, he is shocked to discover that his parents and girlfriend read ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'', ''ComicBook/SinestroCorpsWar'', ''ComicBook/CountdownToFinalCrisis'', and ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis'' - "ComicBook/LegionOfThreeWorlds", and are now terrified of him. It is implied that he killed Laurie Lemmon and his parents let him live with them out of fear. While he becomes more possessive and controlling of his parents, he still wants them to love him. However, it is clear that all the love they had for him has been replaced by fear. This is best shown in Adventure Comics #4, when Superboy-Prime demands that his parents take him to Jet's Comics, as it was a matter of life and death. They do as he commands, and along the way his father, Jerry Kent, begs Prime not to hurt them. Prime asks why in the world they would think that he would hurt them. His father points out what he had done to Laurie, to which Prime responds that he had done it because she didn't like him anymore. Prime then asks Naomi, his mother, if she loves him, to which she replies that she is terrified of him. Upon arriving at Jet's Comics, Prime tells Naomi he loves her, apparently ignoring her previous comment. When Prime leaves the car, Naomi tells Jerry to drive away, to anywhere. Jerry refuses, pointing out that he would just find them like he did last time.

* ''ComicBook/SuperboyPrime'': [[AvertedTrope Averted]]. When Superboy-Prime finally comes home, he is shocked to discover that his parents and girlfriend read ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'', ''ComicBook/SinestroCorpsWar'', ''ComicBook/CountdownToFinalCrisis'', and ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis'' - Legion of 3 Worlds, and are now terrified of him. It is implied that he killed Laurie Lemmon and his parents let him live with them out of fear. While he becomes more possessive and controlling of his parents, he still wants them to love him. However, it is clear that all the love they had for him has been replaced by fear. This is best shown in Adventure Comics #4, when Superboy-Prime demands that his parents take him to Jet's Comics, as it was a matter of life and death. They do as he commands, and along the way his father, Jerry Kent, begs Prime not to hurt them. Prime asks why in the world they would think that he would hurt them. His father points out what he had done to Laurie, to which Prime responds that he had done it because she didn't like him anymore. Prime then asks Naomi, his mother, if she loves him, to which she replies that she is terrified of him. Upon arriving at Jet's Comics, Prime tells Naomi he loves her, apparently ignoring her previous comment. When Prime leaves the car, Naomi tells Jerry to drive away, to anywhere. Jerry refuses, pointing out that he would just find them like he did last time.

* Sibling example in ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyTrialsAndTribulations'' with [[spoiler:Dahlia and Iris. Iris genuinely loves Dahlia, despite the fact that Dahlia is TheSociopath, that she more than once asked her to help in her criminal activities, and in the end only thought of her as a backstabber. Iris knows the kind of person Dahlia is (or rather, was, since was convicted for murder in the first case of the game and later executed before returning as a spirit in the final case) but pities her, wishing that their father had dropped the both of them off at Hazakura Temple when they were young instead of just Iris so Dahlia too would have found [[ParentalSubstitute a mother figure in Sister Bikini]] to replace their [[EvilMatriach power-hungry mother who never really loved them]] -- she believes that if Dahlia had been treated with any modicum of love growing up, she wouldn't have become so cruel, callous, and vindictive. She tells Phoenix that Dahlia was always strong, independent, and never once complained about her lot in life.]]

* ''Fanfic/TemporalAnomaly'': This is the reason why One couldn't bring herself to kill the rest of the Intoners ([[BlackSheep sans Zero]]); despite how clearly they've been SlowlySlippingIntoEvil and causing all sorts of havoc, she loved her sisters too much to put them down herself and had to rely on Zero to do the job.

-> '''John 3:16''': "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

* Sibling example in ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyTrialsAndTribulations'' with [[spoiler:Dahlia and Iris. Iris genuinely loves Dahlia, despite the fact that Dahlia is TheSociopath, that she more than once asked her to help in her criminal activities, and in the end only thought of her as a backstabber. Iris knows the kind of person Dahlia is (or rather, was, since she's convicted and executed for murder in the first case of the third game, and comes back as a spirit in the final case) but pities her, wishing that their father had dropped the both of them off at Hazakura Temple when they were young instead of just Iris so Dahlia too would have found [[ParentalSubstitute a mother figure in Sister Bikini]] to replace their [[EvilMatriach power-hungry mother who never really loved them]] -- she believes that if Dahlia had been treated with any modicum of love growing up, she wouldn't have become so cruel, callous, and vindictive. She tells Phoenix that Dahlia was always strong, independent, and never once complained about her lot in life.]]