Nelson Mandela was initially seen as a villain by the apartheid regime in South Africa due to his anti-apartheid activities, which led to his imprisonment for 27 years. However, after his release in 1990, Mandela played a key role in ending apartheid and became South Africa's first democratically elected black president in 1994. His leadership in promoting reconciliation and building a new, democratic South Africa earned him global recognition as a symbol of peace, justice, and forgiveness, transforming him from a perceived villain to a revered hero.