Real-Life Heroes Who Turned to the Dark Side

When trying to identify heroes who became villains, we most likely would turn to TV and film; however, there are actually several examples in real life. Yes, these individuals aren’t only found in fiction. While most heroes take pride in remaining on the good side and continuing to do good, there are others who stray from this path and turn to the dark side. Maybe Harvey Dent was right after all when he said in the movie “The Dark Knight” that “You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.” Here are five individuals who became villains despite initially being recognized as heroes.\r \r 1. Jim Jones\r \r In the 1960s, Jim Jones was revered as a hero. He was a civil rights activist at a time when it was unpopular. He was regarded as a charismatic church goer with healing and prophetic abilities. He established reputable organizations that aided in the fight against homelessness. However, it has been suggested that Jones had narcissistic personality disorder. Jones, along with his followers, launched the Peoples Temple Agricultural Project in Guyana. He became a cult leader and abused his position and influence to end the lives of almost one thousand people.\r \r 2. Henry Heimlich\r \r We’ve all heard of the Heimlich maneuver which has been used for years to help save someone whose airways have been blocked by food or a foreign object. This life saving technique is all thanks to Henry Heimlich, an American thoracic surgeon, who invented it. He has therefore saved thousands of lives. Not too long however, Henry endorsed the use of the technique to aid drowning victims and it had negative outcomes. This became so controversial that the name of the maneuver was changed to abdominal thrust. Henry also encouraged the use of malaria medication to treat conditions such as HIV.\r \r 3. Fritz Haber\r \r Fritz Haber was an exceptional chemist who in 1918 won a Nobel Prize in Chemistry. He invented the Haber-Bosch process which is the method used for the large scale synthesis of fertilizer. His work revolutionized the ability to fertilize crops and had a significant impact on agriculture and the world. Haber was the best there was and when Germany declared war against the world, Haber joined the German and led the Chemistry section. He developed additional technologies that were later applied to chemical warfare in World War I. He created the first chemical weapons used in WWI.  \r \r 4. Philippe Petain\r \r During World War One, Henri Philippe Benoni Omer Petain, rose to the position of Marshal of France. He led the French to victory at Verdun, one of the worst battles in human history. For his bravery, he was given the nickname “The Lion of Verdun.” He became chief of state after Germany’s invasion in 1940. Petain turned to the dark side when he became the Nazi’s greatest collaborator in France. He was later imprisoned for treason.\r \r 5. Benedict Arnold\r \r Benedict Arnold was an American military officer who served with distinction in the Revolutionary War. For his efforts, he was recognized as a hero. He fought for the American Continental Army and held the position of major general. In 1779, he shifted his allegiance to the British and became a traitor to the United States. A myriad of theories have been proposed to understand why Arnold became a defector. Some of these included debt, greed and hatred for other officers or the Continental Congress. Of these, financial difficulties were the most plausible.\r \r  \r \r