Top 10 Antagonists and Anti-Heroes with the Most Touching Tragic Backstories

This list isn't about who has the most tragic backstory, but which one emotionally touched you the most.

The Top Ten

Asriel Dreemurr (Undertale)

Asriel Dreemurr is a character in the 2015 video game Undertale, created by Toby Fox.
He is the biological child of King Asgore Dreemurr and Queen Toriel, but he was believed to have died before the game's events. In the True Pacifist Route, where the player spares every character, Asriel's backstory... read more

Asriel used to be the prince of the Underground. Then Chara fell down. The two became close friends until one day Chara started to become ill. Asriel was forced to absorb Chara's soul. Once Asriel fulfilled Chara's dying wish, Asriel was killed too. After becoming Alphys' lab experiment, he became an emotionless, soulless flower.

The character that altered the way I look at evil. I used to think, they are evil and have no compassion! Now, I wonder what made evil people that way. Why are they who they are?
Mewtwo (Pokémon: The First Movie)

The sad backstory has been cut from the international version. Still in a tube, young Mewtwo communicated with the other clones through telepathy. Those other clones were the three starters and a human girl named Ai, a clone made from the DNA of the dead daughter of one of the scientists.
Together they create a world in their dreams and imagination where they live. Ai tells Mewtwo, for example, what wind is, what a human is, and what a Pokémon is, treating them equally. But then the other clones don't survive. They start dissolving in their dream world. Young Mewtwo cries, and the last thing Ai tells him is what tears are.
Then Mewtwo grows and survives the cloning process (this is where the international version begins), but the scientists treat him like a mere experiment and not like Ai as a person. He destroys the lab. Then he gets essentially enslaved by Giovanni and is forced to fight. Despite his intelligence, he is merely seen as an object by him. This is why he developed a strong hatred for humans.
Ken Ichijouji (Digimon Adventure 02)

(The following is revealed halfway through the series. I know the English dub is HEAVILY altered, but I only know the German dub which is based on the original Japanese version. It is quite possible all of the following does not occur in the English version.)
As a young child, Ken was always jealous of the abilities his brother had. Then his brother was killed in a car accident, but Ken suppressed this. He was then implanted with the Seed of Darkness, which made him highly intelligent and strong, but also turned his heart black and emotionless.
He was originally chosen to be a DigiDestined, but instead of doing good, he abused his abilities to enslave the Digital World and became the Digimon Emperor. It is not until Wormmon sacrifices himself for him that he realizes what he has done.
Severus Snape (Harry Potter)

Severus Snape is a fictional character in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. He is portrayed as a complex figure whose cold and sarcastic demeanor hides deep emotions and a troubled past. Snape plays a pivotal role in the series, ultimately being revealed as a tragic hero.

(HUGE Spoilers)
Severus Snape was the best friend of and probably in love with Lily Potter, then saw her choosing James, the very person who always bullied him, as her husband. Filled with sadness, he followed the Dark Lord (or rather, became a spy for Dumbledore) who ended up killing Lily and James, the first of whom he still loved all his life.
Then Harry Potter came to Hogwarts, and in him, Snape saw both what he loved in Lily and what he despised in James. Ultimately, he secretly always tried to protect him from the Dark Lord, dedicating his life to this task but was still hated by Harry for his rough treatment.
Then Dumbledore tells him after years that Harry ought to die, and it tears him apart. He has to kill Dumbledore to keep his masquerade, which resulted in being despised to death by Harry, who he, in fact, loves like his son. Only after his death did Harry get to know what a hero Snape was.
O-Ren Ishii (Kill Bill)

Young O-Ren Ishii was hiding under the bed when her parents have been killed by a ruthless Yakuza. Her mother was impaled by a sword on the very bed she was hiding under. As her parents' killer was a pedophile, she seduced him and let him sleep with her at age 12 to kill him in bed. With that past, it was almost inevitable she made her fortune as an assassin.

Do I need to explain? Her parents were killed when she was nine, and they burned her house down. It was awful.
Lucy (Elfen Lied)

Lucy, born Kaede, is a fictional Japanese character who serves as the tragic antiheroine and main protagonist of the manga Elfen Lied. The series was created by Lynn Okamoto and is best known for its anime adaptation, directed by Mamoru Kanbe and written by Takao Yoshioka. In the Japanese version, Lucy... read more
Manu (#TubeClash02 and #FinalClash)

(SPOILERS from "#TubeClash" 1 and 2)
In the first movie, Manu was a light-hearted character who was nice and friendly and fought alongside the other clashers against the Master. He was best friends with Taddl. The two had a very close friendship. Since Manu was the one who killed the Master, he was given the power to form and alter the parallel world the saga is set in.
Now, in "#TubeClash02," ten new clashers get chosen and have to fight a new Master, and the world also looks entirely different. It is revealed near the end that Manu is the new Master and has turned the parallel world into a post-apocalyptic one. The backstory to this is that Taddl left the parallel world to return to the real world because he didn't feel at home there and abandoned Manu, who was enjoying the powers he had in the parallel world. Manu turned heavily depressed, lonely, and then felt furious. He became evil and used his abilities to cause pain.
Alice Liddell (Alice: Madness Returns)
William Afton (Five Nights at Freddy's)

William Afton, originally known to fans as the Purple Guy, is a central character in the Five Nights at Freddy's franchise. He is the former co-founder of Fazbear Entertainment, Inc. and serves as the main antagonist throughout the series. Afton is responsible for numerous tragedies in the storyline... read more

He does have a tragic backstory, like his youngest son's head getting crushed right before his eyes by his oldest son and his only daughter getting consumed by that clown robot (sorry, forgot the name). Now he is a serial killer who killed 21 children.
Zuko (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

Prince Zuko is a fictional character in Nickelodeon's animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender. Zuko is a master firebender and the older brother of Azula. He is the son of Firelord Ozai and Princess Ursa.
Zuko's character arc centers on his journey to reclaim his honor. Initially... read more

The Newcomers

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Kratos (God of War)

Kratos is a fictional character and the main protagonist and anti-hero of the God of War video game series. He is a demi-god who seeks vengeance on Ares and later the Olympian gods after being deceived into killing his own family. In later entries of the series, Kratos enters the realm of Norse mythology... read more
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Alucard (Hellsing)

Alucard is a fictional character who serves as both the protagonist and antihero of the Hellsing manga and anime series created by Kouta Hirano. He is a powerful vampire employed by the Hellsing Organization to combat supernatural threats. Alucard is known for his immortality, his shape-shifting abilities... read more

The Contenders

Rorschach (Watchmen)

Rorschach is a fictional anti-hero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. He made his debut in the graphic novel Watchmen, which was released in serialized form between 1986 and 1987. The character was created by writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons as a complex figure who... read more
Handsome Jack (Borderlands 2)

Handsome Jack is the main antagonist of both Borderlands 2 and Tales from the Borderlands, and the deuteragonist of Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel. He is the CEO of the Hyperion Corporation and seeks control over the planet Pandora. Known for his dark humor and manipulative tactics, Jack is considered one... read more
General Kirigan (Shadow and Bone)
Jack the Ripper (Record of Ragnarok)
Lisbeth Salander (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)

Lisbeth Salander is a fictional character created by Swedish author and journalist Stieg Larsson. She is the lead character in Larsson's Millennium series, which also features investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist. Known for her exceptional hacking skills and complex personality, Salander has become... read more
Magus (Chrono Trigger)
Deadpool (Marvel Comics)

Deadpool is a fictional antihero created by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in New Mutants #98, published in February 1991, and was created by Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza. His powers include accelerated healing and enhanced physical abilities. He is widely recognized for his humor and frequent breaking... read more
Magneto (Marvel Comics)

Magneto is a fictional character in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is most often associated with the X‑Men franchise. Magneto is a powerful mutant with the ability to generate and manipulate magnetic fields.
Mr. Freeze (Batman)

Mr. Freeze, real name Victor Fries, is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary of the superhero Batman. He is known for his cryogenic suit and ice-based weaponry. The character first appeared in Batman #121 in 1959.
Aaron Stampler (Primal Fear)
Eren Yeager (Attack on Titan)

Eren Yeager, spelled Eren Jaeger in the Funimation dub, is a fictional character appearing as the protagonist of the manga series Attack on Titan by Hajime Isayama. He is a former member of the Scout Regiment and becomes the inheritor of the Attack Titan power. Throughout the series, Eren plays a central... read more
Kite Tenjo (Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal)
Jason Todd (DC Comics)

The Red Hood is an alias used by multiple fictional characters and a criminal organization appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The most notable version is Jason Todd, a former Robin who takes up the Red Hood identity after being resurrected. The alias was originally used by the... read more