Can we get choices that really matter and have a effect?

[Deviri]

But just because you understand a villain does not mean they're right. It certainly doesn't mean you should necessarily sympathize with—much less support—them.

I would argue it is possible to both sympathize and empathize with a villain while still being able to call them a villain.

I sympathize with Emet-Selch because he's a tragic villain in my opinion; he lost everything. His home, any friends or family he might have had, his whole world, and what he got in return were these half creatures that he couldn't relate to, whether that's because of aether and souls or how he views us vs. how he viewed his people. He's alone except for two other whole Ascians.

And then I empathize because I can imagine why one would go to such measures to return their love. Not to mention the possibility of Tempering and what that does to the psyche.

But at the end of the day he's still the villain, he still wanted to kill thousands and thousands of people.