Dalam beberapa tahun terakhir, budaya populer sering menggambarkan tokoh jahat sebagai sosok yang disalahpahami. Film seperti Joker, Maleficent, dan Cruella menampilkan mereka dengan latar belakang tragis, membuat tindakan mereka tampak wajar. Di media sosial, penggambaran ini sering diromantisasi, mencerminkan perubahan cara pandang masyarakat bahwa moralitas kini lebih ditentukan oleh citra dan daya tarik emosional.
In recent years, popular culture has increasingly portrayed villains and antiheroes as misunderstood rather than inherently evil. Films and shows like Joker, Maleficent, Cruella, and Loki depict them with sympathetic backstories of trauma or rejection, making their immoral actions seem justified. On social media, these portrayals are often romanticized or turned into trends, this reflects a shift in how society views morality where image and relatability often define what is seen as “good” or “bad.”