Manhwa where villains deserve a second chance

Summary

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

  • Some villains, like those in The Ember Knight, Second Life Ranker, and The Warrior Returns, demand forgiveness and redemption.

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

In certain manhwa where the villain Because they are an obnoxious character with selfish goals, readers will find it difficult to identify with 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?

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This topic highlights manhwa where villains deserve a second chance. Be it because their evil plan hid altruistic reasons or because they have some of the coolest redemption arcs, these villains are somehow able to get readers to 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 and artist:SIU

Tower of God is one of those manhwa that has even more mysteries unsolved, but that doesn't make it any less great than what it already is. From its humble beginnings to a pioneering role in pushing Korea's boundaries into the Western market, TOG is also known for his special treatise on human morals and motivations.

For example, Rachel is considered one of the most controversial characters as some consider her to be an incorrigible villain for betraying Bam, but when you put all of her motivations, desperation to achieve her dreams, and inferiority complex into context, she becomes oppressive plus the edge just like she did with her friend. This makes her one of the villains who probably deserved better.

2

The Ember Knight

Nagyun betrayed everyone out of revenge and became a villain

The Ember Knight manhwa cover with the protagonist Nagyunn

  • Genre: Action, martial arts, drama, adventure, light fantasy, revenge
  • Author & Artist: Hwan Daeng

Another great manhwa where the thin line that separates villains from heroes is blurred and unclear. In this unlikely tale of chivalry, Nagyun plays a fundamental role as he is simultaneously the main character, the hero, the villain and the anti-hero. A true high-flyer, this apprentice knight acts as a triple agent for revenge as he is part of the three organizations fighting for control of the central continent.

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He even goes so far as to create his own fake “Dragon's Descendants” cell (rebellious assassins seeking revenge) to foment terror and thwart the plans of the radical Knights faction, the real Dragon Descendants and the Eastern Invaders try to take over the world. To avenge his brother, he is capable of incredibly evil plans, but is he an incorrigible villain? That remains to be seen, but many fans agree that after all he has to do to get justice, he deserves a second chance.

3

Second Life Ranker

Yeonwoo was right all along

  • Genres: Action, Fantasy, Revenge
  • author: Nong Nong
  • artist: Sa Doyeon

If manhwa about regression proves anything, it's that people with selfish motivations always choose the easy path, no matter how different the circumstances. Yeon-woo becoming a ruthless villain is only natural since the people who betrayed and killed his brother are some of the worst scum, chosen to have powers for who knows what reason.

This story also masterfully plays on the theme of redemption/or death, leaving readers gnashing their teeth in fear as they see Yeon-woo “doing God's work” as one of the strongest Awakened fighters. As his journey progresses, we discover another aspect of Yeon-woo that seems to remain hidden: his endless grief and broken heart. They say that twins have a special bond since they are born in the womb, and in that sense, those who killed his brother also killed his human side. But can he then no longer be redeemed? That's what readers have to find out.

4

The warrior returns

They rewarded his courage with cruelty and rejection

  • Genres: Dark Fantasy, Drama, Isekai, Action, Adventure, Reverse Isekai, Psychological
  • author: NARACK
  • artist: FUNGBACK

After waging an almost endless war against the demons in 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 arrives at night a few years after his mysterious disappearance, he finds that his parents are dead. Grief and a chain of misfortunes overtook them after he disappeared, and to make matters worse, his uncle and his remaining family members beat him and threw him into the streets as they brutally seized his inheritance and killed him for his mocked poverty.

Heartbroken and sleeping in a park, Misu Kim finally broke out when some bullies abused him, turning him from a selfless hero into a vicious and vengeful villain. If any of the perpetrators in this story deserve a second chance, it's Misu Kim. The poor boy deserved better.

5

Overstaffed

Some ghosts of 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 Overstaffedall as a simple quest giver who supports the legendary blacksmith in his character development missions. But as the Arcs passed, Grid discovered that Braham was a manipulative and malevolent spirit attempting to take over his body. As he struggled to compete against Grid's clumsy and unconventional tactics, Braham eventually proposed a truce and was soon able to gain some degree of possession of Grid's body.

This was the beginning of an endearing friendship/mentor-student relationship that proves that even the worst and most dangerous villains can overcome their grudges if they find the right person to share their low moments with. But most fans are not convinced that Braham has given up his previous ways and are expecting a decisive twist/betrayal. Time will tell whether he deserves 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 & Artist: The Maginot Line

The Lady and the Beast features one of the best redemption arcs of a villainous woman who was shunned by the entire kingdom she was sworn to protect when she killed the man she loved because he had turned into a vicious tyrant. The curse that struck his beloved chased her into her second life, once again playing the role of misunderstood villain as Archduchess Astina Lette of Atalanta. Even though everyone sees her as a malicious and scheming politician, in reality Astina only wants one thing: to be happy. When she finally began to see the light at the end of the tunnel, Theriod, her husband, sadly realized that she had lingering feelings for someone.

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So she came clean and revealed that she was the reincarnation of the hated Empress Martina. Much to her dismay, Theriod began to reject and push her away, jealous of her relationship with his ancestor Theodore. At this point, it is certain that Theriod is truly the reincarnation of Theodore, except that he has no memory of his previous life. And this leads to great tensions that ultimately push the couple to the brink of separation. Poor Astina just wants redemption and love and ends up with a terrible streak of bad luck.

7

The omniscient reader's point of view

On the blurred line between tragic hero and villain in search of redemption

  • Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Psychological
  • author: Sing Shong
  • artist: Sleepy C

Over the course of nearly two thousand regressions, Yoo Joonghyuk slowly tends toward cruelty and evil, a trait that his character in the novel should not have taken on under normal circumstances. But as it turned out, the cycle of reincarnation and regression took a toll on him, diminishing his humanity and noble demeanor.

All his cruel and calculated actions have never deviated from the just path of the common good. His unyielding determination and never-ending struggle to overcome the bad endings is what sets him apart as a character. To some he is a villain looking for redemption, to others a misunderstood hero ready to get his hands dirty.

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