Fairy Tail is a long-running action fantasy adventure packed with colorful and exciting heroes and villains alike. In fact, many of the villains in Fairy Tail don't remain villains for long. The wizards of the Fairy Tail guild often inspire defeated villains to become allies, or at least give up their villainous ways.
Only the most despicable and wicked Fairy Tail villains remain villainous to the end, such as the thuggish Jiemma Orland or Laxus Dreyar's own father, Ivan Dreyar. Plenty of other villains proved that they have a good side, though, and many of them went from villain to antihero. With that in mind, which Fairy Tail villains, or ex-villains, are the easiest to like?
10 Ikaruga Was Classy & Gave Erza A Good Fight
Ikaruga belongs to the Trinity Raven group, and at one point, she fought on Jellal Fernandez's behalf while the latter was a villain. Unlike her bizarre teammates, Ikaruga had a sense of refinement and class, and she wore stunning Japanese robes in battle. She and Erza Scarlet crossed swords, and Ikaruga only narrowly lost.
Ikaruga's sense of honor and discipline make her a commendable villain, and unlike many other Fairy Tail antagonists, she is not excessively cruel or juvenile during battle, though she wasn't above taunting Erza.
9 Briar Had A Soft Spot For Gray
The villainous wizard Briar appeared only briefly during the events of Fairy Tail, but based on her few appearances, Briar isn't so bad as far as villains go. Briar was part of the Avatar cult, and she completely trusted Gray Fullbuster as a fellow member for a time. Briar also has strong faith in her fellow cultists.
Ultimately, Briar and the double agent Gray came to blows, and Briar demonstrated her Clone magic in battle. Juvia Lockser, meanwhile, saw her as a love rival. Eventually, Briar was defeated and arrested.
8 Kawazu Was Really Funny
The minor villain named Kawazu doesn't have much of a backstory, and there isn't a lot to say about his fighting style or personality. Still, he ranks among the funniest and most memorable Fairy Tail villains, and he was seen during the Tenrou Island story arc along with the rest of Grimoire Heart.
As per his rooster appearance, Kawazu talks like a chicken at times, and he gets defensive about all his eggs. He was stronger than he looked, but it wasn't too long before Fairy Tail's wizards took him down. He was a novelty villain more than anything.
7 Dimaria Yesta Had A Really Cool Ability
Dimaria Yesta was one of the Spriggan 12, or the elite followers of Zeref Dragneel of the Alvarez Empire. On the battlefield, Dimaria has a warrior's honor, using the full extent of her abilities to respect her opponents and fight them in a battle to the death. She doesn't typically toy with her opponents or torture them.
All of that makes Dimaria far more honorable and disciplined than many Fairy Tail antagonists, and her time-freezing ability is tough to beat. Wendy Marvell and Sheria had their backs to the wall until Ultear arrived to help.
6 August Was Mavis' Lost Son
August was another incredibly powerful member of the Spriggan 12, and he had a personal connection to the Fairy Tail guild. Despite his aloof attitude and overwhelming magic, he is actually Mavis Vermillion's son, and in the end, August simply wanted to be part of a loving family.
This gentle side combined with his impressive battle magic made August one of the more compelling members of the Spriggan 12, and his fight with Gildarts Clive and Cana Alberona was one for the ages. August ultimately lost his life, and it was tragic to see him crumble away.
5 Larcade Dragneel Was Totally Devoted To Zeref & His Allies
Larcade Dragneel was yet another member of the fearsome Spriggan 12, and he is a failed creation of Zeref's. He was also granted Zeref's last name, and in spirit, this makes him family to Natsu Dragneel. Larcade's magic is based on emotions and sensations such as pleasure and pain, and it's highly effective.
Larcade isn't especially cruel or juvenile during battle. In fact, he has a rather monk-like personality, which is a welcome change of pace compared to many Fairy Tail villains. He also has a fascinating visual style, complete with fancy robes and meditation poses. Larcade looks so peaceful considering how powerful he is.
4 Ultear Milkovich Was Ultimately A Victim & Redeemed Herself
When she appeared during the Tenrou Island arc, Ultear Milkovich was aggressive and tense, and it was clear that she had some serious personal issues. This is indeed the case, since her mother, Ur, once handed her over for experimentation. That turned out very badly.
Ur deeply regretted what happened to her daughter, and sometime after losing to Gray Fullbuster in battle, Ultear reformed herself and became a member of Crime Sorciere. This tiny guild is dedicated to finding and destroying dark wizards and guilds.
3 Brandish Mu Didn't Want To Conquer The World
Yet another member of the Spriggan 12, Brandish Mu was an odd one even in that bunch. She is known as the "nation destroyer" due to her incredible ability to resize objects of any size, even entire islands or continents. It's easy to crush a nation when it can be stomped underfoot.
Brandish was a bit of a villain at first, but in the end, she didn't really care that much about Zeref Dragneel's cause, and she became a neutral third party. Once in a while, Lucy Heartfilia and her allies could talk Brandish into helping them, and Brandish appeared as an ally during the events of the 100 Years Quest manga series.
2 Jellal Fernandez Also Redeemed Himself
Jellal Fernandez was a villain for only one story arc. In flashbacks, he was a young hero, and after his defeat at the hands of Fairy Tail, Jellal became an antihero of sorts, creating the Crime Sorciere guild to take down dark wizards. He is definitely trying to atone.
To Jellal's credit, he didn't resist when the Magic Council arrested him, and he made it clear that his old friend Erza Scarlet is precious to him. He's not ready to be her lover, but the day may come, and Erza is hopeful. Jellal is definitely a good person at heart, even if he made the horrible mistake of trying to finish the Tower of Heaven project as a villain.
1 Zeref's Love Of Family Dictated His Actions
Zeref Dragneel's role in Fairy Tail is crucial, since he has ties to key characters such as Natsu and Mavis. Centuries ago, he lost his brother Natsu, and sought to bring him back from the dead. This forbidden research cursed Zeref, and eventually Mavis was afflicted too.
Zeref went to great lengths to get his family back, such as invading the Ishgar continent with the Spriggan 12. In the end, Zeref's intentions were innocent, and he simply used the totally wrong means to achieve them. He still dearly loved Mavis, and both of them found peace when they died in each other's arms. It's pretty tough to hate Zeref after that.