7 Movie Villains Who Die Redeeming Themselves

The last-minute redemption of a villain as they die is a widely used movie trope. While it’s sometimes criticized as a writing cop-out, it can effectively add complexity and moral ambiguity to villainous characters. This trope has been employed in various contexts and applied to everyone from franchise supervillains to animated evildoers.

Redemption by death blurs the lines between good and evil, highlighting the moral ambiguity present in real people and adding depth to characters who meet their end in this way. These characters’ final moments challenge the audience’s preconceived notions of right versus wrong, inspiring the belief that change is always possible. There are many iconic examples, as well as some forgotten gems, that feature this trope.

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7 Doctor Octopus In Spider-Man 2 (2004)

Sacrifices himself to prevent more destruction

In Tobey Maguire’s second outing as Marvel’s web-slinging superhero, Spider-Man faces off against Otto Octavius, a brilliant scientist working at Oscorp who initially serves as Peter’s mentor. However, after a fusion experiment goes awry, Octavius loses control of his mechanical tentacles. The tentacles begin to control him, transforming him into the villain known as Doctor Octopus.

When Peter Parker reveals his identity as Spider-Man to Doctor Octopus, Octavius manages to regain control over his tentacles and the dark forces within him. Recognizing the impending disaster due to his unstable reactor, Octavius makes a heroic choice. He sacrifices himself by plunging into the river, stopping the fusion process and preventing destruction. Unfortunately, the act also leads to his own demise.

6 Kit Kat In Hudson Hawk (1991)

Frees Anna as he’s dying

Hudson Hawk is a great action movie that gets more hate than it deserves. Bruce Willis plays Eddie Hawkins, a recently released thief drawn into a web of art heists orchestrated by the Mafia, the CIA, and even his parole officer. The CIA agents use candy bars as codenames, with actor David Caruso portraying an agent known as Kit Kat. Despite being manipulated themselves, the CIA is depicted as antagonistic, obstructing Eddie’s efforts to live a lawful post-prison life. All parties are after valuable crystals hidden within Leonardo da Vinci’s artworks and needed to operate La Macchina dell’Oro, a device that turns lead into gold.

The story also introduces Sister Anna Baragli, an operative from a secretive Vatican counter-espionage agency. Initially, she appears to collaborate with the CIA, but she secretly intends to thwart their heists. Kit Kat captures Anna and brings her to the Macchina dell’Oro’s reconstruction site. However, in a dangerous showdown, Kit Kat is killed. As he is dying, he frees Anna. In the end, she is one of the few who survives. Although Kit Kat may have seemed villainous for most of the movie, his final selfless act reveals a different side to his character.

5 Rat In Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

Reveals Kristofferson’s whereabouts before dying

In the quotable Fantastic Mr. Fox, a reformed thief — Mr. Fox — reverts to his criminal ways, much to the dismay of his wife, friends, and family. Among the farmers he steals from is Franklin Bean, who captures Mr. Fox’s nephew, Kristofferson, in an attempt to lure Mr. Fox out of hiding. Bean’s aggressive security guard, a rat aptly named Rat, attacks Mr. Fox’s wife, Felicity, and their son. In the ensuing confrontation, Mr. Fox fights back and pushes Rat into a generator, which accidentally electrocutes him. In a surprising twist, Rat discloses Kristofferson’s whereabouts just before his demise, aiding Mr. Fox in planning a rescue mission.

4 Kylo Ren In Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker (2019)

Sacrifices himself to save Rey

One of the main antagonists in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, Kylo Ren, the son of Han Solo and Princess Leia, who was led to the Dark Side by Supreme Leader Snoke. Kylo Ren eventually kills Snoke and takes his place as the new Supreme Leader. During this time, he discovers that he and Rey share a unique Force bond, which later contributes to his change of heart.

In The Rise of Skywalker, Kylo Ren realizes the threat posed by Emperor Palpatine and joins forces with Rey to confront him. Rey defeats Palpatine but nearly loses her life in the process. In a selfless final act, Kylo Ren sacrifices himself to save her, and they share a kiss just before he dies. Kylo Ren’s redemption arc cleverly mirrors that of his grandfather, Anakin Skywalker.

3 Frank Perry In The Escapist (2008)

The movie’s ending contains a shocking reveal

Brian Cox stars in The Escapist as Frank Perry, a man imprisoned for life who decides to attempt an escape to see his dying daughter. The specific details of Perry’s crime are left somewhat ambiguous, as the film primarily focuses on the themes of incarceration and the relationships between prisoners. However, his lengthy sentence is an indication of the severity of his crime. As Perry appears to be on the verge of escaping, the story takes a sudden turn.

It’s revealed that his escape is a hallucination, as he is dying from an attack by another prisoner named Rizza. Rizza stabs Frank for his failure to bring him his roommate, Lacey, for punishment. In reality, Frank Perry sacrificed himself as a distraction, serving as a martyr by allowing his four accomplices to successfully escape.

2 Sullivan In The Secret Of NIMH (1982)

His kindhearted nature eventually shone through

Don Bluth’s often overlooked 1982 animated adventure movie follows the journey of Mrs. Brisby, a widowed mouse. She faces the daunting task of relocating her ailing son and her family to escape the impending destruction of their home by a farmer who’s plowing the field. Along the way, she encounters Jenner, a power-hungry rat determined to thwart their plans, and his unwitting accomplice, Sullivan. Jenner kills Nicodemus, who was assisting them, and steals a magical amulet that Mrs. Brisby acquired from Nicodemus.

However, Sullivan, going against Jenner, reaches out to Mrs. Brisby’s friend Justin for help. Jenner mortally injures Sullivan and attempts to attack Justin. However, as Sullivan succumbs to his injuries, he delivers a fatal blow to Jenner by throwing a dagger into his back. Sullivan’s character is complex, as he is initially complicit in Jenner’s actions but wrestles with his own feelings and moral compass. In the end, a moment of redemption shines through as his true kindhearted nature is revealed.

1 Darth Vader In Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi (1983)

Gives his life to take down Emperor Palpatine

The most iconic example of this trope comes from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Darth Vader experiences a last-minute redemption at the end of the film. When Luke refuses the emperor’s orders to take Vader’s place, he tortures Luke. Witnessing the suffering of his son, Vader’s inner conflict reaches its peak. He chooses to save Luke’s life by turning against the emperor.

In a selfless and redemptive act, Anakin throws the emperor down a reactor shaft, ending the Sith Lord’s life. However, this heroic action comes at a great cost, as Anakin is fatally electrocuted in the process. Despite his numerous past misdeeds, Anakin’s final act demonstrates his enduring love for his son and showcases the complex and conflicted nature of his character. It’s a moment of redemption foreshadowed earlier in The Empire Strikes Back. This scene stands as one of the most iconic examples of the villain redemption trope.