As you're probably aware, Suicide Squad is a different type of superhero movie. That's because the heroes in the film are actually villains, and the villains are... well, they're still villains. This movie is basically all about the bad guys, in case you couldn't tell from its marketing slogan, "It's good to be bad." But does that mean every single character in the movie is a bad guy? What about someone who has hero written all over her, like Viola Davis' character? Is Amanda Waller good or bad in Suicide Squad ?
She's a little of both. Technically, Waller is on the side of the good guys. She's a government agent who assembles the Suicide Squad in order to bring down a greater threat. But the very idea of using ruthless criminals and murderers to do the work for Uncle Sam should hint that Waller isn't exactly pure of heart. She chooses the Squad because, A) she doesn't care about what happens to them, and B) she can deny all accountability for their actions if (and when) something goes wrong. Also, she has no qualms about killing people should the need arise, so even though she's technically on the side of the good guys, she's not exactly a good person.
This should come as no surprise to fans of DC Comics. Although the character is best described as an antihero, much of the time she's depicted more as a straight up villain. She's gone to prison a few times in the comics; once while questionably serving under Lex Luthor while he was president, and again for murdering the leaders of a crime syndicate. She often uses her leadership positions in the government for her own protection and to further her own agenda, instead of looking out for the nation's best interests. When IGN compiled their list of the 100 greatest comic book villains of all time, Waller came in at number 60, ahead of such notable baddies as Poison Ivy, Mr. Freeze, and Kang the Conqueror. Her entry on the list states, "She may not possess the dangerous feminine charms or impressive superpowers of a villain like Poison Ivy, but Amanda 'The Wall' Waller is as deadly a foe as any in the DC pantheon."
So even though Amanda Waller is technically on the side of good in Suicide Squad, she is hardly innocent. Both her true agenda and her methods are questionable at best and dastardly at worst, making her quite possibly the most dangerous character in the film. And when her co-stars are people like the Joker, Harley Quinn, and Deadshot, that's saying something.
Images: Warner Bros. Pictures; Giphy
