‘Thanos’ Was Actually Right? The Internet Debates Which Movie Villains Had a Point

A thread posted to r/AskReddit on Oct. 15, 2026, asks which movie villains users kind of agree with. The thread drew 132 upvotes and 374 comments at the time of publication.

A commenter named a character from Up, Charles Muntz, who spent decades trying to prove a rare bird exists. “The Charles Lindbergh (sic) character from ‘Up’ who became a worldwide laughingstock when he decided to prove the existence of a rare bird,” they wrote. “He devoted decades of his life to proving he was right,” they explained.

The commenter said a child and an older man ruined his chance at vindication. “[...] and had a kid and an old man totally screw him out of what would be an amazing ‘I told you so’ moment.”

A viewer defended a Marvel villain by comparing his goal to wildlife management. “Thanos. Populations need to be culled sometimes for the greater good of a species. We do it for deer,” a commenter wrote.

The commenter asked about resources and population growth. “I wouldn’t want to create resources for an already out-of-control population. Why would you want to enable a never-ending expansion?”

One viewer quoted an animated villain’s plan to sell his inventions. “Syndrome from The Incredibles: "When I’m old and I’ve had my fun, I’ll sell my inventions so that everyone can be superheroes,” they recalled his dialogue. “Everyone can be super. And when everyone’s super no one will be."

Another chose a television character and explained why the show later acknowledged that he had been right. “Shane Walsh from AMC Walking Dead Not movie. TV Show but still. He was right in Season 2 about the zombie outbreak world,” a commenter wrote.

They said Rick later adopts Shane’s thinking, and that Rick tells a hallucination of Shane in Season 9 that he was right. “Rick takes on Shane’s idea in Season 4, 5 and 6,” the commenter explained.

“I don’t agree with how unhinged Shane became though but his debates with Dale... Shane is right. Dale isn’t. Rick knows Shane was right."

One Redditor quoted a science fiction villain’s speech about destruction and the workers behind it. “Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg,” a commenter wrote. “Technicians, engineers, hundreds of people, who will be able to feed their children tonight [...]. Thus, adding to the great chain of life.”

The commenter quoted the character’s explanation of his work. “You see, father, by causing a little destruction, I am in fact encouraging life. In reality, you and I are in the same business,” the commenter said.

The commenter then quoted the character’s view of fighters. “I don’t like warriors. Too narrow-minded, no subtlety. And worse, they fight for hopeless causes. Honor? Huh! Honor’s killed millions of people, it hasn’t saved a single one,” the commenter added. “Dude knew what's up.”

The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify the accounts shared in this thread. The details above reflect the commenters’ responses as shared on r/AskReddit. The commenters’ identities have not been confirmed.