IDW Mutagen man isn't really a villain, though? He might be teamed up with the Mutanimals, but he doesn't seem entirely comfortable going along with what they do. He's just happy to have some friends.
IDW Krang got halfway there, until he trashed any chance of empathy with doing the exact same sh*t to others that happened to his people. Which by any logic should also trash his chances of protecting what's left of them, because it would make them a great big target. He lost like...half his marbles in the effort and look where that got him.
But maaaan, someone just give 23K Stockman a nice big painting of a beach over relaxing music to stare at a good while. It's probably the one thing that would probably give him at least some mental peace. Can't exactly wrap him in a blanket and give him some hot chocolate.
23K Karai has some points, but it really could have been worked on some more writing-wise. It could have further developed flashbacks of her adoption, why she was abandoned, further looked into her one-on-ones with Ch'rell. Who also could have had at least some kind of "tragic backstory", but there was more interest in making him a Villain Sue.
This person had a pretty good idea of what could have worked as a backstory. But, 4Kids being 4Kids, didn't really have a lot of interest in having some points on the villain side that maybe the heroes should have a good "sit down and think" over. Hopefully IDW Ch'rell will do something more productive in his classic Rage Ranting.
On some level, I can see where IDW Shredder has empathetic zones, since he's basically been used like a puppet by Kitsune his entire life (and previous life) to suit her own ends. His life isn't really his own; everything has been planned for him and there was no way for him to take his fate into his own hands without stumbling into what was set for him one way or another. Whatever way he could go, Kitsune would have ultimately controlled him. And now even in death, he's basically being used for her own weird issues with Daddy being gone from the mortal plane. And considering that she married him...things are a lot more weird.
But if there's anyone I feel pretty terrible for at this moment, it's IDW Karai.
She worked herself to the bone to do some Ninja Clan necromancy,
literally bled to ensure its resurrection to the fullest, and what thanks did she get? She was belittled, cast aside as Chunin and replaced by some kid (I assume she's in her mid-twenties), and eventually lost complete control of something that she put blood, sweat, and tears into reviving.
You go on making your own group, girl.
Most of the TMNT villains across all boards seem to suffer from this:
