History Main / SympathyForTheHero

* In ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'', the King Asgore shows reluctance in killing the seventh child, asking them to do whatever they need to before fighting him. To begin the fight, he says "Human... it was nice to get to know you... Goodbye."

* This was the central idea for the song ''Superman'' by Five For Fighting. John Ondrasik said the inspiration was thinking about how {{Superman}} is missing out on living because of his ChronicHeroSyndrome.

* During Wrestling/JamesStorm and Eric Young's match during the 2007 Wrestling/{{TNA}} "Fight For The Right" {{tournament|arc}}, Storm accidentally hit his manager, Wrestling/{{Jacqueline}}, while she was trying to interfere on his behalf. It still ended up working out though, because Eric Young decided to make sure she was alright, creating enough of a distraction to give Storm the advantage. To Storm's protests however, Jacqueline gave Young a beer in appreciation afterwards.
* La Parka Jr. and Cibernético both wanted to take down La Sociedad in Wrestling/{{AAA}} but Cibernético and Los Bizarros, the {{tweener}}s in the angle, only slightly prioritized attacking La Sociedad over attacking Jr, to the point Jr formed his own group, El Inframundo, to defend himself from Los Bizarros. When that proved insufficient, La Parka Jr ended up joining La Sociedad itself. When Los Bizarros continued to defeat them though, La Sociedad turned on La Parka Jr [[YouHaveFailedMe as a scapegoat for their failure]], causing Cibernético to finally work with him against their common enemy.[[/folder]]

* Since the Tag Battle Tournament at the end of the first season of the [[''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' Diamond And Pearl anime]], Team Rocket grew a fondness for Ash's Chimchar due to his tragic backstory, even rooting for Ash every time it battled.

** In a TV Spot for ''Film/AvengersEndgame'', the Mad Titan waxes eloquent on the Avengers need for revenge:
--> '''Thanos''': "You could not live with your own failure. Where did that bring you? Back to me."

* In ''{{Naruto}}'', toward the end of Hinata's fight against Neji, Neji's teacher, Might Guy appears slightly sad when noting that Hinata is no longer able to fight against Neji and gives Neji a WhatTheHellHero when he tries to kill her. FridgeBrilliance kicks in when you remember that he's also Lee's teacher, and he strongly identifies with those who are trying to take down a more talented opponent through hard work and determination.

** She promptly gives him a chaste peck on the cheek as thanks... then stops, thinks about it, and gives him a BigDamnKiss that has Robin and Poison Ivy looking on stunned, before [[FoeYay suggesting that Batman call her later, which makes him gently chide her not to push her luck]].

* A surprising number of villains feel bad for all the crap the Straw Hats go through in OnePiece. It usually helps show the MoralityKitchenSink going on all over the place. Most notably, Franky, leader of a vicious bounty hunter gang, breaks into tears when he hears how Usopp left the Straw Hats to keep the Going Merry. Keep in mind, he had savagely beaten up Usopp about a dozen chapters ago, and was now holding him prisoner. This eventually leads up to his HeelFaceTurn.

** He actually ''comforts'' Wanda after she is forced to [[spoiler:kill Vision to prevent Thanos from getting the Mind Stone, softly telling her that he understands exactly how she feels (because he has just sacrificed Gamora, his adoptive daughter and the one person he truly loved, earlier)...before using the Time Stone to reverse Vision's HeroicSuicide and taking the Mind Stone from him ''anyway''.]]

* In the popular ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'', the King Asgore shows reluctance in killing the seventh child, asking them to do whatever they need to before fighting him. To begin the fight, he says "Human... it was nice to get to know you... Goodbye."

* Lich sorcerer Xykon thoroughly outclasses hero Roy Greenhilt during the Battle of Azure City in ''WebComics/TheOrderOfTheStick'' and takes a certain degree of pity on him, offering to let him go off and train for awhile so they can have a decent fight later on. Roy refuses, of course, and things end...poorly.

--> -- '''[[TheSpymaster Varys the Spider]]''', ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire''.

What's more surprising is when villains, morally grey characters, or ordinary InnocentBystander who are not famous or admired look at the hero, and say "Man, it sucks to be him." Sometimes these people see how BeingGoodSucks and NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished, and it causes them to feel genuine sympathy and pity for what the hero goes through in being heroic. For the first two, it tends to serve as a PetTheDog moment.

This can easily serve as a lead in to a villain making a NotSoDifferent speech, [[WeCanRuleTogether offering to rule together]], or, more darkly, trying to BreakThemByTalking, etc.

** He actually ''comforts'' Wanda after she is forced to [[spoiler:kill Vision to prevent Thanos from getting the Mind Stone, softly telling her that he understands exactly how she feels (because he has just sacrificed Gamora, his adoptive daugther and the one person he truly loved, earlier)...before using the Time Stone to reverse Vision's HeroicSuicide and taking the Mind Stone from him ''anyway''.]]

** Varys is supportive of Tyrion in the gloomy aftermath of "Blackwater".

** In one story Spidey confronted by the Argentinian crimelord (and ''very'' tough customer) the Black Tarantula, who seeks to kill the hero in order to seal a bargain with another crimelord. The Tarantula proceeds to curb-stomp Spidey, wondering aloud why he refuses to quit when everyone is after his head. Then he finds out that the reason is, he's looking for the kidnapped Normie Osborn:

-->'''Black Tarantula:''' ...which makes my own task all the more difficult. ''(hits him again)''. While the local authorities may mistake you for a criminal, those who lurk in the shadows see your true heroism! ''(Stops fighting, as Spidey clearly can no longer fight back.)'' Ironic, isn't it? Your enemies know you better than your allies. [[note]]It's later revealed that the reason he feels this way is because he can relate; his wife and child are missing after having fled from him years earlier.[[/note]]

* At the very end of ''Film/TheGerman'', [[AntagonistTitle The German]] silently offers a cigarette to Red Leader, after [[spoiler: both pilots have been interned by the neutral Irish.]]

* In the ''{{Series/Hornblower}}'' episode ''Duty'', [[spoiler: Wolfe]] states that he sincerely admires Commander Hornblower. It's just that he hates everything that he stands for.

* Despite working for Yggdrasil corporation in their behind the scenes manipulation in ''Series/KamenRiderGaim'' [[spoiler: DJ Sagara]] seems to genuinely respect the determination and resolve of the Beat Riders in general and Kouta in particular.

* On ''Series/{{Arrow}}'', Slade expresses this towards [[spoiler: Moira]], who sacrifices her life during a SadisticChoice directed towards Oliver [[spoiler: so that both of her children get to live]].

** After Spider-Man saves the train from falling off the tracks in ''Film/SpiderMan2'', he's exhausted and almost falls off the train. The people in the train pull him back in and lay him on the floor. Peter's lost his mask in the fight, so everyone in the train can see how young he is. One man notes with sympathy "He's... just a kid. No older than my son." One young bystander gives Peter back his mask, and they promise to keep his secret. Then when Doctor Octopus returns, they all [[GoThroughMe vow to protect him.]] Unfortunately Doc Ock doesn't have a problem with that.

** Varys, like his book counterpart, expresses sympathy for Ned Stark. He notes he almost forgets that there genuinely noble people like him in the world. However he then notes how the CrapsackWorld of Westeros treats them and why good people like him are so rare in the first place.

* In ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', TheSpymaster Varys berates Mr. HonorBeforeReason himself, Ned Stark, for the various huge political mistakes that Ned made in attempting to be TheGoodChancellor until Ned says that it was all in attempt to be merciful to innocent children. At that point Varys makes a statement that both admires Ned's integrity and weighs the cost of those mistakes, (Ned is injured and feverish while LockedInTheDungeon, his best friend was murdered, [[IHaveYourWife one of his daughters taken captive by his enemies]], all of his men killed, etc.) where he basically concludes that no wonder other people don't try to be a hero like Ned.

** Jaime Lannister expresses a degree of sympathy and respect for Ned Stark despite their being no love lost between them, when he sees Ned setting himself up for a fall. He also shows some sympathy for Ned's father and brother.
--> '''Jaime:''' Poor Ned Stark. Brave man, terrible judgement.

--> '''Varys:''' There are many who know that without you this city faced certain defeat. The king won't give you any honors, the histories won't mention you, but we will not forget.

** Jaime Lannister expresses a degree of sympathy and respect for Ned Stark despite their being no love lost between them, when he sees Ned setting himself up for a fall.

* In the popular Indie game VideoGame/{{Undertale}}, the King Asgore shows reluctance in killing the seventh child, asking them to do whatever they need to before fighting him. To begin the fight, he says "Human... it was nice to get to know you... Goodbye."

->''"You are an honest and honorable man, Lord Eddard. Sometimes I forget that, I have met so few of them in my life. When I see what honor and honesty have won you, I understand why."''