Manhwa where villains deserve a second chance

Summary

• Not all villains in Manhwa are irredeemable – some deserve a second chance due to complex motives and cool redemption arcs.

• Some villains, such as those in “The Ember Knight,” “Second Life Ranker,” and “The Warrior Returns,” warrant forgiveness and redemption.

• Exercises of moral ambiguity, as in “Overgeared” and “Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint,” blur the line between tragic hero and villain in dire need of redemption.

In some manhwa that villain is a repulsive character who pursues selfish goals, readers will have a hard time trying to relate to them. But in a few select cases, the villains' actions make sense when the plot reveals their background. What happens when an evil character is worthy of redemption?

This topic highlights manhwa where villains deserve a second chance. Whether it's because their evil plans hid altruistic reasons or because they have some of the coolest redemption arcs, these villains are somehow capable of making readers forgive them.

Warning! Spoilers ahead!

1

Tower of God

Rachel's betrayal was shocking but understandable

• Genre: Psychological, Thriller, Drama, Mystery, Fantasy, Action, Shounen
• Author & Artist: SIU

Tower of God is one of the manhwas with more mysteries left unsolved, but that doesn't make it any less great than it already is. From its humble origins to becoming one of the vanguard in crossing Korea's borders into the Western market, TRAIN is also known for his special treatise on human morality and motivation.

For example, Rachel is seen as one of the most divisive characters, as some consider her an irredeemable villain for betraying Bam, but putting into context all of her motivations, the desperation to make her dreams manifest, and her inferiority complex made her the edge as much as she did with her friend. This makes her one of those villains who probably deserved better to begin with.

2

The Glow Knight

Nagyun betrayed everyone for revenge and became a villain

• Genre: Action, Martial Arts, Drama, Adventure, Mild Fantasy, Revenge
• Author and artist: Hwan Daeng

Another great manhwa where the thin line that separates villains from heroes is blurred and indistinct. In this unlikely tale of chivalry, Nagyun plays a fundamental role, being the protagonist, the hero, the villain and the anti-hero all at the same time. Completely overachieving, this apprentice knight acts as a triple agent for revenge, and is part of the three organizations fighting for control of the central continent.

He even goes so far as to create his own fake “Dragon's Descendants” (rebellious assassins seeking revenge) to instill terror and thwart the plans of the radical knight faction, the true Dragon Descendants, and the Eastern Invaders who are trying to take over. the world. To avenge his brother, he is capable of incredibly evil schemes, but is he an irredeemable villain? It remains to be seen, but many fans agree that he deserves a second chance after whatever he has to do to get justice.

3

Second Life Ranker

Yeonwoo was right all along

• Genres: Action, Fantasy, Revenge
• Author: Nong Nong
• Artist: Doyeon said

If the regression manhwa proves anything, it's that no matter how different the circumstances, people with selfish motives always take the easy way out. That Yeon-woo turns into a ruthless villain is only natural since the people who betrayed and killed his brother are some of the worst scum chosen by who knows what reason to have powers.

This story also masterfully plays with the redemption/or death trope, making readers grind their teeth in agony as they watch Yeon-woo “do God's work” as one of the strongest Awakened ranks. As his journey progresses, we see another aspect of Yeon-woo hidden in plain sight: his endless sadness and broken heart. They say that twins share a special bond ever since they formed in their mother's womb, and in that sense, those who killed his brother also killed his human side. But is he beyond childbirth then? That's up to the readers to find out.

4

The warrior returns

They rewarded his bravery with cruelty and rejection

• Genres: Dark Fantasy, Drama, Isekai, Action, Adventure, Reverse Isekai, Psychological
• Author: NARACK
• Artist: FUNGBACK

After fighting an almost endless war against the demons of another world and bravely saving it from destruction, the hero Misu Kim is given the chance to return to his homeland: Korea. But when he arrived a few years after mysteriously disappearing in the night, he discovers that his parents are dead. Grief and a chain of misfortune befell them after he disappeared, and to add insult to injury, his uncle and remaining family members beat him and threw him into the streets as they brutally took his inheritance and mocked him for being destitute.

Heartbroken and sleeping in a park, Misu Kim finally snapped when some bullies beat him up, turning him from a selfless hero into an evil and vengeful villain. If any of the villains in this story deserve a second chance, it's Misu Kim. The poor guy deserved better.

5

Overruled

Some ghosts from the past make better mentors than villains

• Genres: VR-Gaming, Shonen, Action, Comedy
• Author: Park Saenal
• Artist: Monohumbug

When Braham was introduced as an important NPC in Overruledit was all pointed out as a simple Quest Giver to guide the legendary smith in his character quests. However, as the arcs passed, Grid discovered that Braham was a manipulative and malevolent ghost trying to overtake his body. Struggling to compete against Grid's awkward and out-of-the-box tactics, Braham finally proposed a truce and was soon able to possess Grid's body to some extent.

This was the beginning of a delightful friendship/mentor-student relationship, proving that even the worst and most dangerous villains can let go of grudges when they find the right person to share their low moments with. However, most fans are not convinced that Braham has given up his former ways and are expecting a crucial twist/betrayal. Time will tell if he deserved this second chance or not.

6

The Lady And The Beast

Give her a chance! She doesn't deserve this tragedy

• Genres: Political drama, comedy, action, romance, tragedy, reincarnation
• Author and artist: The Maginot Line

The Lady And The Beast showcases one of the best redemption arcs for a female villain, shunned by the entire realm she swore to protect, killing the man she loved because he had turned into an evil tyrant. The curse that befell his beloved chased her down to her second life, once again playing the role of a misunderstood villain as Archduchess Astina Lette Von Atalanta. Although everyone sees her as a mean and cunning politician, the truth is that Astina only wants one thing: to be happy. Unfortunately, when she finally began to see the light at the end of the tunnel, Theriod, her husband, discovered that she had lingering feelings for someone.

So she came clean and revealed that she was the reincarnation of the hated Empress Martina. To her dismay, Theriod began rejecting her and pushing her away, jealous of her relationship with his ancestor Theodore. At this point, it is certain that Theriod is indeed the reincarnation of Theodore, only that he does not remember his past life. And this causes a lot of friction, which ultimately pushes the couple to the brink of breaking up. Poor Astina only wants redemption and love, and she gets a terrible streak of bad luck in return.

7

Omniscient reader's point of view

Walking the blurred line between tragic hero and villain seeking redemption

• Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Psychological
• Author: Sing Shong
• Artist: Sleepy-C

Over nearly two thousand regressions, Yoo Joonghyuk slowly becomes prone to cruelty and evil, a trait that his personality in the novel should not have taken on under normal circumstances. But as it turns out, the cycle of reincarnation and regression took a toll on him, stripping him of his humanity and noble demeanor.

All his cruel and calculated actions have never deviated from the righteous path of the greater good. His unwavering determination and eternal struggle to overcome the bad ends is what defines him as the character. To some he is a villain seeking redemption, to others a misunderstood hero willing to get his hands dirty.