Video Game Heroes Who Canonically Went Corrupted

Not every hero is perfect. It’s impossible for anyone to stay pure, since it’s impossible for every choice to provide beneficial consequences for everyone. Sacrifices must be made with certain decisions, which is the major truth when living on some form of Earth.

Characters in video games are forced to make choices due to their reality’s cruelness. Some heroic actions cost someone’s purity, forcing them to accept the corruption. Others were forced or tempted to throw away their sanity due to emotional turmoil. Some situations call a person to either be a hero, or someone to save the world. They can’t be both.

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11

The Seven Heroes (Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven)

The Angered Threats

Released

October 24, 2024

The Seven Heroes were legendary saviors who stopped a global threat. After their amazing feat, they disappeared without warning, fated to return in the future when another danger would plague the Earth. Time passed as their tale was told through generations, though their fame grew niche with age.

Once their tale was lost in history, the Seven Heroes returned to Earth. Behind them were armies of demons at their command, as they themselves became the proclaimed global threat. This predicament leaves the Kingdom of Avalon to battle each crazed hero and army to quell their corrupted reign. This task is not easy, as it takes generations to complete.

10

George Washington (Assassin’s Creed 3)

The Insane King

Released

October 30, 2012

George Washington met with a peculiar fate within a small fragment of Assassin’s Creed III. Within an alternate reality, the leading commander took hold of the piece of Eden, which distorted his mind to become a crazed king. He even raided innocent villages and killed several people, including Connor and his family.

Through some miracle, Connor lived to face his formerly trusted commander and patriotic allies once again. Due to such ancient power, Connor trained for different spirit animal techniques to match against the once respected leader.

9

Sargon (Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown)

His Cursed Self

Released

January 18, 2024

Developer(s)

Ubisoft Montpellier

When the Immortals reached Mount Qaf, they noticed the ominous presence forming in the ancient magical lands. Sargon would explore the ruins to find Prince Ghassan, only to face himself. This magical place tainted and corrupted alternate versions of Sargon, who wanted their alternate’s powers.

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The actual Sargon wouldn’t give up his abilities willingly, forcing him to combat himself. The alternate Sargons may play the same, though they have different Simurgh powers that are can be used to zone, rushdown, or anti-air.

8

Noah (Xenoblade Chronicles 3)

Stuck In Endless Now

Systems

Released

July 29, 2022

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

Franchise

Xenoblade Chronicles

Noah was a soldier who traversed Aionios to face the Consul that is ruling and ruining his home world. His team faces each Moebius with some challenge, though not enough to stop them. The only ones that took his team off guard and caused the most trouble were Moebius N and M.

It turns out this pair of Moebius were actually Noah and Mio, who relinquished their free will to the Consul. In the past, they did their best to fight the corrupted order. Their numerous attempts cost their lives over and over until Noah was invited to sit by Z, the Consul leader. He revealed his numerous futile resistances before giving him a deal to follow his goals of the endless now for limitless time with Mio. It was an influential temptation that N couldn’t resist, despite going against his original commitments.

7

Princess Zelda (The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess)

The Corrupted Princess

Systems

Released

November 19, 2006

Developer(s)

Nintendo EAD

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

Princess Zelda defended her Kingdom of Hyrule to the end during the twilight invasion. These were different beasts that gave Hyrulian soldiers the most trouble, forcing her to lay down her sword.

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Later in the story, Ganondorf kidnapped and imprisoned Zelda in Hyrule Castle, until Link broke the twilight barrier to make his way to challenge Ganondorf. Ganondorf doesn’t always play fair, and he transfers his corruption onto Zelda, taking over her body to challenge Link. Link is left with no choice but to fight to restore Zelda’s senses.

6

Link (The Legend of Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom)

Link’s Disappearance

Systems

Released

September 26, 2024

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

Link was leading his way through Ganon’s dungeon to thwart his evil plans to overrun Hyrule. His heroic efforts triumphed over the dark king, but his victory was short-lived once evil magic would spread through the dungeon. Link fell into the mysterious magic after using his final effort to save the princess of Hyrule. With the trained swordsman gone, the future of Hyrule Kingdom rests on Princess Zelda.

Exploring Hyrule Kingdom allows Zelda to meet the mysterious swordman once again. Before she can thank him for his previous rescue, he attacks her with menacing intent with his gear. She is forced to face off against her savior, who seems to have lost his way of thinking.

5

Jak (Jak & Daxter)

Dark Warrior

Action-Adventure

Third-Person Shooter

Systems

Released

October 14, 2003

Publisher(s)

Sony Computer Entertainment

Jak & Dazter was one of the most iconic platformers from Naughty Dog, featuring Jak’s great optimistic heroism alongside the loud Daxter. His bright and cheerful demeanor would change once he reached Haven city, only to be captured and taken away.

For years, Jak has been going through tortuous dark eco experiments by the Baron. The experiments resulted in Jak harnessing the dark eco to become Dark Jak, a more aggressive corrupted form. While he did break free from his prison, the well-known, cheerful Jak was dead. It was the worst experience as this would shift Jak to become a lot more selfish and angry, for a very good reason.

4

Sora (Kingdom Hearts)

The Release Of One’s Heart

Systems

Released

September 17, 2002

Franchise

Kingdom Hearts

Sora faces a huge conundrum on his journey to find his friends and return to Destiny Islands. Once Riku was found, Kairi was as well, but without her consciousness. Nothing could wake her up, since her heart was sheltering within Sora’s.

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The only solution to get her heart back was for Sora to stab himself with the dark keyblade. This selfless act freed his friend’s heart, but at the cost of his own life. This significant event changed Sora into a Heartless, which plagued him even in his later journeys. It stayed within Sora as some form of strength for his tougher situations at the cost of some risks, though it was also a weakness for stronger opponents to take control over him.

3

The Super Smash Bros. Roster

Puppetry Of Allies And Villains

Systems

Released

December 7, 2018

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

The Super Smash Bros. Ultimate roster has been facing universal threats that yearn for their reality’s control. It wasn’t until Galeem that he successfully took the huge majority of fighters beneath his wings. This resulted in the world changing under his image as the fighters would act under his command while being cloned to cause havoc in other places.

Once the small resistance fought back, his powers grew weak enough for a new threat to break through to challenge him. It wasn’t a savior, but a new evil that took some fighters for control. The resistance was forced to travel to his dimensional realm to save potential allies to grow the roster enough to face the godly threats.

2

Batman (Batman: Arkham Knight)

The Dark Knight Grows Darker

Batman handled many dangerous criminals, but the most dangerous one is the Joker. In Arkham Knight, he fell into Joker’s unpredictable traps, which resulted in him receiving Joker’s infection. The sickness slowly devolved Batman’s thinking, making hallucinations and insanity progress unless cured. He did find the antidote to relieve himself and the Joker, though the sick villain died before being given the chance.

Despite being cured, the trauma lingered within Batman. Sadly, the experience manifested once he came upon Scarecrow’s fear toxins. This gave the Joker another chance to appear before Batman to mess with his head, especially in more serious confrontations with other criminals. He was almost even persuaded to kill with a gun.

1

Sephiroth (Final Fantasy 7)

The Legendary Fallen Soldier

Released

December 13, 2022

Sephiroth is known as one of the greatest villains of JRPGs, but he didn’t start that way. He was actually a well-respected first-class soldier who earned many accomplishments, including his participation in the Wutai War. He became an inspiration for many within Shinra as he drove himself to exceed those grand expectations.

It wasn’t until the Nibelheim Incident that Sephiroth snapped, completely changing his persona once he learned about himself and the Jehova Project. Burning down Cloud’s home was just the beginning, as the former hero would share his growing hatred of humanity with the world.

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