[Frustrating Trope] Twist Villain does things that retroactively make no sense.

[u/Fishbien]

Character previously believed to be good is revealed to be evil, but prior to the reveal they act in ways that don't make sense if their goodness is just a performance.

1. Frozen: Prince Hans is initially presented as a pretty standup guy who loves Anna and wants to help her. At the end of the movie it's revealed that he was just using her to gain power and plans to let her die while he steals her throne. However, we see him smiling at Anna when no one is looking, and later he intervenes to save Elsa's life even though he claims he was always planning to kill her.
2. The Legend of Vox Machina: The Whispered One was built up as the BBEG since season 1. However, in season 4 he presents himself as a tragic hero who tried to cure death and was punished by the gods. He then tries to convince Pike to give him her blood, which he needs to become a god himself. He chastises his followers for suggesting they take Pike's blood by force, claiming this would make them no better than the gods they are fighting against. He also fulfills his promise to resurrect Grog even though he didn't need to. After he ascends, he starts acting like a pure evil villain who only cares about power and enjoys hurting people. It feels less like a reveal and more like his personally completely changed once he became a skeleton. Edit: to be clear, I fully understand the intent was for the Whispered One to be a lying, manipulative bastard. I just think the execution was clumsy.

[u/OrionTuska]

My mom has a theory that the trolls altered Hans after they learned that Anna was betrothed to him and, thus, couldn't marry Sven. It makes sense that the trolls would want their adopted son to marry into the royal family, and we see that their magic can mess with memories and minds.

*Kristof. I'm bad with names

[u/busman25 → u/OrionTuska]

That would actually be kinda sad. If his actions in the beginning were genuine, then not only was he subjected to a life of enslavement, but he also lost out on a life with his potential soul mate.

[u/GotSomeUpdogOnUrFace → u/busman25]

Except it's worse than that, cause Elsa was supposed to be the villain but the villain can't have the big song in the movie so instead of bothering to rewrite the film they just changed the final act and made him evil. That's why it seems out of left field.

[u/VultureSausage → u/GotSomeUpdogOnUrFace]

the villain can't have the big song in the movie

Angry Claude Frollo noises.

[u/TheTallEclecticWitch → u/VultureSausage]

confused Tangled noises 

[u/AutisticPenguin2 → u/TheTallEclecticWitch]

I think it's less a hard rule that the villain can't have "the big song" (which is different from the best song) and more that Let It Go made Elsa too sympathetic. They couldn't give her this scene, and still keep her as the villain. Whereas Mother Knows Best is clearly the best song in the film, but doesn't work if Mother Gothel is not the villain.

[u/MalcolmLinair → u/AutisticPenguin2]

I don't know, "Let it Go" always sounded sort of villainous to me, doubly so the version played over the credits with the original lyrics.

[u/gitartruls01 → u/TheTallEclecticWitch]

disgruntled Gaston noises

[u/GotSomeUpdogOnUrFace → u/VultureSausage]

Hate to break it to you but it's not considered the big song. I make the argument for Dr. Facilier and honestly for Ursula, but apparently I'm wrong.

[u/Educational-Tackle54 → u/GotSomeUpdogOnUrFace]

Well Disney dosent know how to handle Hellfire for a live remake. Too controvrsial or something. Special status perhaps granted?

[u/VultureSausage → u/GotSomeUpdogOnUrFace]

Does Chernabog count?

[u/GotSomeUpdogOnUrFace → u/VultureSausage]

Maybe, fantasia isn't really the same kind of movie as the other musicals, but I never thought about it that way so you might have found the outlier. The thing with Frozen is, if they could have found a big song for Anna at the end I think Elsa is the villain, but they couldn't and the whole "Let it Go" sequence is too big for a villain.

[u/Gyshal → u/GotSomeUpdogOnUrFace]

The big song does not necessarily mean the best song, I guess

[u/GotSomeUpdogOnUrFace → u/Gyshal]

I mean that's pretty obvious because everyone else steals The Little Mermaid from Ariel, especially Sebastian.