herovillain
Herovillain is a portmanteau of hero and villain used to describe a fictional character who combines traits associated with heroes and villains, and who operates with morally ambiguous motives or methods. Such characters may perform courageous acts or protect others while pursuing goals that harm people or rely on coercive or ethically dubious means. The result is a blurred moral boundary that challenges simple classifications of good or evil.
In narrative terms, herovillains create complexity, generate conflict, and provoke audience reflection about ethics, power, and
Differences from related archetypes: while related to antiheroes and morally ambiguous villains, a herovillain is characterized
In practice, the label is widely used in critical essays and fan discussions rather than as a