Characters that were equally effective good guys and bad villains

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Nathu7

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What characters that were both antagonist and protagonist in a cartoon were equally or close to equally effective in both rules.

When I mean both roles, it has to be an extended period of time for both rules. A character though circumstances has to change sides temperary for one episodes, really doesn't count as far as I am concerned.

Kevin "11" Levin (Ben 10 / Ben 10: Alien Force) - well maybe it is not really the same character since they different voice actors for each series and is a different age in each series, but Kevin was a great villain in the original Ben 10. He was no Vilgax or Ghostfreak, but he was close to their class. I put him above all of the villain of the weeks they had.

When I heard he was going to be a good guy in Alien Force I was disappointed and thought no way this could work. But as the good guy who is kind of a wise guy to the team, he is equally as entertaining. I can't imagine the series without Kevin as part of the team.

And he sort of fills the roles of all three main character in the original series. He fills Max's role as the driver, Gwen's role as Ben's foil (and in some cases Gwen's foil), and Ben's role as the wise guy who often becomes victom of karma.

Terra (Teen Titans) - when I think of Kevin, I can't help but think of Terra. I don't know if I characterise her as a hero or villain, more of just a neutral character. She was equally short lived in both roles.
But I loved her as a Titan or Slade's apprentice.

Ken Ichijoji (Digimon Adventures 02) - when he was Digimon Kaiser I hated him. He was just one of thoese villain you just love to hate. He was not on the level of Vamdemon or Kurata as far as villains are concerned, but still an effective villain. And when he joinced the Choosen Children quickly became one of my favorites. And my favorite of all the new Choosen Children in the sequel series.

Zuko (Avatar: The Last Airbender) - in season 1 I loved him as "the angry jerk" short tempered Prince trying to hunt down the Avatar. Though it was clear as early as episode 3 he was the lesser of evils, but I enjoyed him as an antagonist. He was probably at his best in season 2 when he was a tween character, that is a pro wrestling term for someone that is not neither a good guy of bad guy.

Half way though season 3 he joins the good guys, I had my reservation, but he was also entertaining as a good guy especially in "The Boiling Rock" and "Sozin's Commet" episodes.
 
Beast War/Machines: Rhinox. He was was pretty much the smartest maximal throughout Beast Wars. He was unmatched in his technical know-how by anyone but Tarantulas, and in terms of strategic know-how he was right up there with Optimus and Megatron. Then he turns to the dark side in Beast Machines, and manipulates Optimus and Megatron into nearly killing eachother (of course, he's ultimately the one who get's killed, but that's what happens when you become a villain).
 
Well if you want seven characters that went from being good guys to villains (er bad guys... Gotta be 'politically' correct here), and vice versa, then we really have to look no further then these three, and all of them come from one show, namelyKim Possible.

First we have good guy going totally bad and who I'm referring to is in fact Ron Stoppable (Sidekick to Kim). Now while Ron is a good guy, in two episodes (BothSeason 3's Bad Boy and Season's 4 Stop Team Go), Ron literally went off the deep end, and in fact in Bad Boy, he definitely was evil.. (He was more maniacally evil in Stop Team Go, but in Bad Boy, Ron Stoppable (as the evil Zorpox), actually had some really sound plans.... and his ransom? The World Supply of Nacos!)

Of course in Season 4, with Stop Team Go, Ron definitely showed his stride...

But then we have to include the entire "Team Go" Thing... and that includes Hego, Mego, and the Twin Wegos... Those four guys weren't as nasty as Ron, but still trashing your own city? Just to look for our next victim....

Who is in fact Shego.

Now let's face it, Shego is evil from the word 'go', and in fact was Kimmie's nemesis, and antagonist... until we get to Stop Team Go... Then all of a sudden... Wham! Instant role reversal... (Thank you Electronique!)

Shego goes from being "The Wicked Witch" of the KP Universe to that of maybe one of the nicest characters on the planet (Just don't tell... 'Stevie' Barkin.)

Ron Stoppable: Yeah.... awkweird.....

And finally, we have our final character, namely Dr. Drakken. Next to Shego, Drakken wasn't what I call truely evil.. Misguided maybe.. a little sane and well thought out with his 'take over the world' plots... that is until we get to the final episode, Graduation.

Suddenly Drakken becomes "The Mad Genius" and in one fell swoop, takes a Lowardian alien invasion and turns it into a "Flower Power" revival, complete with vines, flowers, and all the strangeness you might see from the 1960's lovefests the hippies threw..

and you know what.. it worked. Taking out the "Drone Fleet" in record time, just so Ron Stoppable could come in and show the Lowardians' the back side of his boot.

and in the end... Drakken gets the Nobel Peace Prize... Go figure.

And Shego? Well now that the world has been saved, by her boss, and she's kind of out of a job... (and probably dating Drakken) the real question is... Are Shego and Drakken really evil? Or just midguided do gooders who needed a role in life...

Too bad the show ended... cause we'll really never find out...

:coyote:
 
It is hard to meassure good and evil on Kim Possible. That is a comedy, outside of the villain in the last episode, no one was really hardcore evil like on an action shows. Besides all of the characters that changed side on KP, was either short term for an episode or in the last episode. Not really long term like I am looking for.

But since you mentioned Ron and Shego, you reminded me of:

Van Roc (Secret Saturdays) - as a mercernery / henchmen to V.V. Argust he is a creaditable threat and also funny in his own way. Than in the last season, he turned good and became a strict comic relief character until the last episode when he sacrifice his life, and his funeral was a really sad thing. Either he was an entertaining character.
 
I'd have to agree with zoombie and say that Zuko was really effective as both villain and hero.

In the first season, he seemed to be a generic villain, but I thought it was great how his story was told about his exile, and trying to get back his honor and his father's love. When he joined the good guys, I honestly felt he had made such a transition, and he had developed so much.

And... another character I believe was effective was Lelouch from Code Geass. Which is kind of a weird case...

*spoilers ahead*

For most of the series, Lelouch was the hero for all the Elevens. (Which were depicted as the good guys) Then near the middle/end of R2, he became the enemy of the world. He imprisoned all his former friends, set them up for execution, and basically was a dictator. He even had his crippled sister in chains. But...
He was masking his true intentions all the time. He focused the world's hatred on him, and then had Suzaku assassinate him. Thus bringing peace to the world. So he was a hero (... well Anti-hero) the whole time. He did however cause probably millions of people to die.
 
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