Top 10 Reformed Villains - #5-3

EDIT: Did you know that we don't have the #6 in Canada?  That's my excuse for skipping over #6 in the Top 10 Reformed Villains countdown!  Special thanks to Brian for picking up on that oversight, #6 will be revealed tomorrow!

5. Anya - Anya got her start in the Buffyverse as Anyanka, a Vengeance Demon.  Her power was stripped from her when her charm was destroyed, leaving her trapped in the form of a teenage girl.  She reluctantly began to spend time with the Scooby Gang, probably because they were the only ones around who had some actual knowledge of the supernatural world around them.  On the surface Anya is rude, abrupt, and insensitive, but in Season 5 we got a real glimpse behind the wall she hides herself behind.  With the death of Buffy's mom, Joyce, Anya gets scolded for asking stupid questions.  But Anya, having only been human for a couple of years, simply did not understand what was expected of her because she had never been taught.  The old Anya wouldn't have cared what the humans thought of her, but by this point she was in a serious relationship with Xander and was a full part of the team.  The best transitions of villains to heroes is gradual, and Anya's accepting her role with the Scooby's, and the group accepting her as well, was developed over time to viewer's delight.

4. Wonder Man - I might catch some heat here since there are a lot of Wonder Man haters out there, but I really liked what Kurt Busiek did with the character in his Avengers run.  Simon has gotten a lot of second chances, but unlike a lot of characters he understands how lucky he is to have been forgiven by his peers and he does not take it for granted.  He started out as a pretty generic villain but I like how he has been fleshed out over the years as an Avenger, both East Coast and West Coat.  I realize he is now a villain in Bendis' Avengers series, but since I am basically ignoring what Bendis has done to my beloved Avengers I prefer to remember Simon as his Busiek-era self.

3. Songbird - In my opinion Songbird has become one of the most visible female characters at Marvel, behind only Storm, Invisible Woman, and Rogue.  Her inclusion in the second Marvel Ultimate Alliance video game goes to show just how far she's come from her days as the B-or-C-list Screaming Mimi.  She is the poster-character for Hawkeye's faith in the Thunderbolts, and has done far more good as Songbird than she ever did as Screaming Mimi.  If you don't want to get a ton of Thunderbolts back issues, just check her out in the Avengers Forever maxi-series (available in tpb!).