There is nothing worse than being betrayed by someone you once held great respect for. While progressing through the story of a video game, certain side characters will be given immersive backstories and endearing personalities, but the allegiances of some will vary depending on their goals.

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A dear companion can quickly turn traitor depending on their story. Many will have similar goals to the protagonist and seek to achieve them through alternative methods, but some will completely sway from their given path and attempt to undermine the hero of the story. Traitors often tend to have sinister goals, but some are far worse than others.

8 Astrid - The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim

Skyrim-Astrid

Upon learning that a young boy is attempting to perform the Black Sacrament, the Dragonborn will journey to Windhelm to confront him. The boy, Aventus Aretino, will express delight upon seeing the Dragonborn, believing that his prayers have finally been answered.

If the Dragonborn agrees to perform the assassination that Aventus seeks, they will be captured by Astrid, the leader of the Dark Brotherhood. She welcomes the Dragonborn into her tribe because of the potential they show, but she quickly comes to resent them for it. The presence of the Dovah-Kiin threatens her position as leader, so Astrid decides to sacrifice him and her comrades in exchange for amnesty.

7 Wheatley - Portal 2

Wheatley from Portal 2

Wheatley is a personality core that was intended to merge with GLaDOS, a super-intelligent computer who acted as the primary antagonist in the first Portal game. His role in Portal 2 sees him assisting Chell as she searches for a way to escape the Aperture Science Enrichment Center.

To defeat GLaDOS, Wheatley evicts her from the main control system and replaces her with himself. Just as Chell is about to escape, an error in the system causes Wheatley to turn hostile. He refuses to let Chell leave as he believes she was only using him to get what she wanted, forcing Chell to defeat her former friend if she hopes to survive.

6 Al Mualim - Assassin's Creed

Assassin's Creed Al Mualim

Al Mualim was the sole leader of the Levantine Brotherhood of Assassins. This position allowed him to call upon an army of assassins to do his bidding whenever he demanded it. He was a trustworthy ally who demanded loyalty from his subjects, but the game's climax revealed that he wasn't always honest.

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Though he was once presented as a mentor for Altaïr and his fellow Assassins, his desire for power led him down a dark path. Obsessed with the magical properties of the Apple of Eden, Al Mualim aligned himself with the Templars, the creed's sworn enemy, to obtain it. His lust for power led to him betraying the entire Order he once held dear, forcing Altaïr to salvage the remains.

5 Sylens - Horizon Zero Dawn

horizon forbidden west sylens

During her time as a Seeker, Aloy is forced to journey across the land to uncover the hidden agenda of the Karja tribe. The further she ventures, however, the more her earpiece is exposed to the voice of a mysterious man who attempts to manipulate her.

Sylens' allegiances are never made clear, but Aloy assumes he wants to aid her investigation due to the trail of breadcrumbs he leaves. It is only upon preventing the second Faro Plague that Sylens' true intentions are revealed. He never wanted to help Aloy; he wanted to capture Hades and learn from it.

4 Phin Mason - Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales

phin

Before inheriting the powers of a spider, Miles Morales held a strong bond with Phin Mason, a childhood friend that shared similar dreams. Though they drifted apart over time, Phin eventually returned to Miles' life, but not as the friend he was once familiar with.

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Phin seeks revenge for her brother's death, but her methods are ruthless. To destroy Roxxon, the company responsible for the demise of her brother, she becomes the leader of a group known as the Underground and tasks with them destroying Roxxon no matter the consequences. Though her intentions are somewhat noble, her impact often causes more harm than good, forcing Miles to try and stop her in any way he can.

3 Cait Sith - Final Fantasy 7

final-fantasy-7-remake-part-2-cait-sith

During Cloud's second visit to the Gold Saucer, he witnesses Cait Sith sneaking off with the Keystone, the party's only means of finding the Temple of the Ancients. The cat flees from his former comrades before he reaches a Shinra helicopter piloted by Tseng.

Cait Sith flings the Keystone onto the helicopter and reveals to Cloud that he was employed by Shinra to spy on him. He then plays a recording of an imprisoned Marlene crying out for her father and, to ensure her safety, Cloud permits Cait Sith to return as a party member. This shocking twist makes the journey with Cait Sith an extremely tense one.

2 Big Smoke - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

cj and big smoke in san andreas

After returning to his home in San Andreas, CJ is greeted by Big Smoke lunging at him with a baseball bat. Upon realizing the identity of this home invader, Big Smoke embraces his old friend and informs him of what happened during his absence.

Big Smoke was one of the most loved characters in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, but his traitorous ways diminished all of his likability. While CJ was away in Liberty City, Big Smoke allied with the Ballas, Grove Street's opposing street gang. If not for Smoke's change in allegiances, CJ's mother may still be alive.

1 Xehanort - Kingdom Hearts

Xehanort in Kingdom Hearts 2

After his battle with Aqua, Xehanort wakes up to find Ansem the Wise and his colleagues looming over him. They quickly learn that he has lost his memory, so Ansem takes it upon himself to care for Xehanort by employing him as a researcher.

Years pass and Xehanort becomes a vital member of Ansem's team until, one day, his memories return. He summons his Keyblade and extracts the hearts of all his colleagues before taking Ansem's name as his own. Xehanort discarded his friends in the hope of achieving great things, making him one of the most despicable traitors in video games.

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