Top 10 Exact Moments HATED Characters Became Sympathetic

“Planes, Trains and Automobiles” (1987)


Truth be told, Neal wasn’t the only one put off by Del’s slightly overbearing attitude. At some point, we found him annoying too. With his excessive friendliness, recklessness and salesman-like charm, he can wear anyone out, especially someone already on edge like Neal. Stuck in a hotel room together, Neal finally reaches his breaking point and snaps. What follows is a side of Del we hadn’t seen before, one that makes it impossible not to feel for him. In a heartfelt speech, he reveals how he embraces his true self, flaws and all. It’s a piercing moment that leaves even icy Neal speechless. The scene hits harder when you realize that Del has lost so much yet chooses kindness towards others.

“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” (2017)


With an adoptive father like Thanos, it’s no surprise Nebula ended up so damaged, especially as the unfavored sister. In the first “Guardians of the Galaxy,” she’s at her worst, constantly working against our protagonists. Despite Gamora’s attempt to sway her, Nebula’s too consumed by vengeance to listen. It’s not until volume 2 that we really see the root of her bitterness. Once free from her chains, Nebula sets out to kill Gamora. But what begins as a violent clash ends in an unexpected reconciliation. Here, we finally understand how years of abuse and rivalry twisted her into who she became. Then our hate towards Nebula fades, replaced by sympathy for a wounded soul who only wanted a real sister.

“2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968)


This sentient AI computer was programmed to lead the astronauts to their destination. But along the way, it went rogue, killing one astronaut before cutting off life support for the rest aboard Discovery One. By all accounts, HAL shouldn’t be viewed in a sympathetic light. He’s a cold-blooded murderer and a machine at that. Yet as Dave moves to shut him down, HAL pleads in that flat, monotonous tone, somehow laden with strong emotion. He’s not even human, but like us, the thought of dying terrifies him and we can’t help but feel a pang of pity for him. Because, when you strip it all down, HAL’s descent wasn’t entirely his fault - he was simply following the logic of his programming.

“What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?” (1962)


In this psychological thriller, Bette Davis plays Jane Hudson, a former child actress whose glory days have faded, leaving her trapped in a child-like state. To make things worse, she’s believed to be responsible for the car accident that left her sister, Blanche, paralyzed. Rather than showing remorse, she constantly torments Blanche, making it easy to despise her. However, our perception of her changes when the truth comes to light. She wasn’t responsible for the accident. Blanche confesses she tried to kill Jane, but when her plan backfired, she pinned the blame on her. While this doesn’t excuse Jane’s cruel actions, we no longer see her as just a monster but also a victim of her sister’s manipulation.

“The Karate Kid Part II” (1986)


Johnny Lawrence was the quintessential 80s tormentor - aggressive, cocky and privileged, with Daniel LaRusso as his unfortunate target. Back then, rooting for Daniel and hating Johnny was easy -until the 1986 sequel gave us a different view on things. After losing the 1984 karate tournament, Johnny’s mentor, John Kresse, turns on him, tormenting and choking him in a fit of rage. Suddenly, he’s not just the entitled brat we’ve known all along, but a vulnerable teen trapped in a toxic relationship with the man he idolized. Despite all he’s done, watching him helpless tugs at our heartstrings. Years later, “Cobra Kai” shows us how that crushing incident followed Johnny into his adulthood, making his story all the more sad.

“Thor” (2011)


Like Nebula, Loki knows the sting of living in the shadow of a sibling. Feeling bitter and neglected, his jealousy festers, driving him to covet the Asgardian throne and lash out at Thor with vicious deeds. However, his villainy softens into something pitiable when his backstory unfolds. Abandoned as a child by his birth father for being too small, Odin took him in, not out of kindness but with an ulterior motive. When Loki finds out he’s been lied to his whole life, this trickster's sense of worth crumbles. Broken, he finally understands why Odin always favored Thor - he was never truly one of them. Even his own father rejected him and that’s sad. How can anyone not ache for him?

“The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” (2002)


There isn’t much to like about Smeagol. In fact, there’s nothing to love about this sneaky character. His obsession with the Ring makes him a truly vile and unlikeable creature. Still, there are moments we felt sorry for this tormented figure. One such instant comes when Sam binds and drags Gollum with an Elven-rope after he tries to murder him and Frodo for the ring. Gollum goes from screaming in a tortured voice to pledging his allegiance to the master of the Ring. It is during his theatrics, we see the pitiful soul beneath the Ring’s corruption - a sight that moves Frodo into giving him a second chance. Doesn't this moment soften your heart towards Gollum, even a little?

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2” (2011)


The hardhearted professor is a largely misunderstood character and it’s hard to fault anyone for hating him at first. Cold, cruel and downright awful to Harry and his friends, he gave us plenty of reasons to despise him. But “Deathly Hallows” revealed a tragic truth - his lifelong love for Lily Potter and perilous life as a double-agent. Seeing Snape’s memories through Harry’s eyes, we suddenly realize we had judged this man wrong. Beneath the hostile exterior was a man consumed by unrequited love and grief. The sight of this usually sneering, vicious man completely broken, clutching Lily’s dead body in pure grief? That’s enough to melt even the hardest hearts.

“How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (2000)


This grumpy green creature hates Christmas and honestly, he has every reason to. Isolated in his cave, he’s invited to Whoville to celebrate Christmas, only to be reminded of his painful past. Humiliated, the Grinch resolves to ruin Christmas, stripping the village of every gift. But instead of wails of despair, the Whos break into a song, and the Grinch is overwhelmed. His tiny heart literally grows three times bigger as he realizes that Christmas is more than just material things. It’s about love, kindness and community, the very things his heart lacks. In that moment, this bitter misanthrope transforms into someone capable of empathy, someone worthy of redemption. If that doesn’t move you, what will?

“A Christmas Carol” (2009)

Yet another Christmas-hater, Ebenezer Scrooge is the very embodiment of greed and heartlessness. He treats everyone around him with cruelty, including his nephew and his clerk, and scoffs at the poor. With no hint of warmth or decency, this miser seems beyond redemption until the three Christmas spirits pay him a visit. It is during one of these haunting visions that Scrooge witnesses Bob’s family weeping over the death of Tiny Tim, their son. For the first time, something cracks. It’s not just the loss of Tiny Tim that hits hard here, it’s the sight of a hard-hearted wretch like Scrooge feeling the weight of loss and regret. A man who once mocked compassion is now drowning in it.

Which movie character deserves better than the hatred they often get? Let us know in the comment section.