We’ve all been there. You’re reading a book, a character does something absolutely catastrophic, toxic, or downright illegal, and the rest of the fandom hates them. But you? You’re sitting there thinking... okay, but wait. Let’s look at the nuances here.
Today, I’m putting on my defense attorney robes. From manipulative fae royals to unhinged dark fantasy lords, here are my ultimate bookish "Hear Me Outs"—the villains I simply cannot bring myself to hate.
👑 1. Prince Cardan (The Cruel Prince)
- The Crimes: Cruel psychological warfare, extreme arrogance, and letting his friends actively torment mortal students.
- The Defense: Look, I know he starts off as an absolute nightmare in The Cruel Prince. He is a textbook bully. But if you look past the wicked fae facade, he’s just a deeply traumatized, neglected youngest prince who uses cruelty as a shield because he’s terrified of being vulnerable. Plus, the sheer tensionbetween him and Jude is unmatched. He isn't a villain because he wants to destroy the world; he's just incredibly messy, and honestly? I support his rights and his wrongs.
- wrongs.
🗡️ 2. General Madoc (The Folk of the Air Series)
- The Crimes: Murdered Jude’s biological parents, kidnapped her to the fae realm, and staging a bloody political coup.
- The Defense: Hear me out! Madoc is a terrible person, but he is a fantastic father figure in the strangest way possible. Despite being a bloodthirsty redcap warrior, he actually raises his mortal stepdaughters with genuine honor, teaches them how to defend themselves, and respects Jude’s ambition even when she uses it against him. He’s complex, strategic, and a masterclass in how to write a morally gray antagonist. Over to You!Alright, your turn to confess in the comments: Who is the one fictional villain you will defend until the end of time? Am I totally off-base about Cardan, or are you right there in the trenches with me?
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