From the Villains Wiki: A type of Anti-Villain and the ultimate Deconstruction of the Villain, a Tragic Villain is completely aware of their evil but is unable to stop it, or must continue to do evil for other reasons. Or maybe a Hero was forced to commit a necessary evil, and never forgave themselves, deciding they were now a villain beyond hope/not deserving of salvation or redemption, possibly becoming a Death Seeker in the process. Examples of Tragic Villain include: