Glee's Sue Sylvester is one of the most iconic villains in TV history. She was vicious, conniving, and often completely crazy, but that's why audiences loved watching her try to take down the Glee club. However, she wasn't all bad. There were numerous times throughout the show where she managed to have moments of genuine goodness.
Moments, when she was a good person, helped humanize her, which made her all the more enjoyable to watch, as audiences could never be fully sure whether or not she was going to do something evil or heroic in any given situation.
When She Dedicated Her Life To Her Sister
If there was anyone that Sue genuinely loved in the show, it would be her sister, Jean. This was the first time that audiences saw her care for someone, which she was revealed to have been doing all her life. Their parents were always away, and despite Sue being the youngest, she had to be the one to take care of her sister, and she did so gladly.
That kind of responsibility being placed on a child would be hard, but Sue gave her sister the best life that she could give. The moments that they share in seasons 1 and 2 make Sue appear as kind as any protagonist on the show, if not kinder.
When She Attempted To Expel Karofsky
While her often bigoted views are a thing about Sue that has aged poorly, there were times that her tough attitude led her to step in and stop bigotry. When Karofsky is harassing Kurt relentlessly, to the point that Kurt is afraid for his life, Sue doesn't hesitate to tell Dave that he is expelled, and orders him to leave the school immediately. Even Will wasn't this active when it came to stopping the harassment of his students.
When Kurt's dad turns his anger on her for letting Dave go so far, she takes responsibility and admits that she should have done something sooner, showing that she is always willing to admit her mistakes in serious cases like this.
When She Sacrificed Herself To Protect Becky
Glee's polarising school shooting episode has caused quite a bit of controversy amongst fans. However, whether or not they agree that the episode should have ended as it did, it still shows how selfless Sue can be. The "school shooter" is revealed to be Becky, who has accidentally shot a gun after being afraid of graduating. Not wanting Becky to be arrested, Sue pretends that the gun belongs to her, and is subsequently fired.
Sue has always stood by Becky throughout the series, but this episode showed how far she was willing to go to protect those she cares about. Even Will can sense her goodness at this moment, despite her lying about it.
When She Called Out Will For Twerking
This was one of the times that Sue was the best teacher at McKinley High. While Will Schuester was a more beloved teacher, there are times where he was clearly out of line. This includes a moment where he sings Robin Thicke's song "Blurred Lines" while surrounded by teenagers twerking.
While Sue's many attempts to get Will fired were often petty, this time she was very much in the right for calling out his behavior. He was dancing and singing sexually with underage students, which is incredibly inappropriate for a teacher to do. Had Sue succeeded in firing him, this could have been her most heroic moment.
When She Gave Marley A Good Christmas
Sue often softens during the show's Christmas episodes. Marley and her mother struggle with poverty throughout the series. That and therapy costs after Marley is diagnosed with bulimia results in them not being able to afford a Christmas tree, which Marley is upset about.
While Sue is meant to be a Grinch, she became Santa for this episode, as she decks the Roses' entire living room out in a tree, decorations, money-filled stockings, and designer presents. Though of course, she bestows this kindness in a classically Sue way, having broken into their home to set this all up.
When She Helped The Homeless At Christmas
Sue could sometimes be even more of a good person than the supposed good guys in the series. During one Christmas episode, the Glee club is offered a chance to perform on TV and they excitedly take it, forgetting that they made a promise to help Sue feed the homeless at a shelter.
Sue is dismayed when they go back on their offer to help her, but she remains at the shelter to help those who need it, and this leads to the Glee club learning a valuable lesson. The episode ends with them joining her and helping out. It's not often that Sue is the moral compass of an episode, but when she is, she's a great one.
When She Supported The New Directions
In the best episode of season 1 according to IMDb, Sue momentarily shows compassion for the New Directions. When the other judges tear the Glee club to pieces, Sue, who had become a judge to try and ruin the club, actually starts standing up for the New Directions and tries to get them to win. Not only that, but she helps the Glee club last another year, even though they lost the bet that they had made with Principal Figgins.
Furthermore, in season three she starts helping them win Nationals, originally for her gain, but then because she knows how much it means to the kids. She even helps Mercedes overcome food poisoning for this reason.
When She Helped Beiste Deal With Domestic Violence
The awful things Sue did to Coach Beiste are some of the worst things that Sue ever did, but when she found out that Beiste was being abused by their partner, Sue stepped in. She immediately believed Beiste, which is a sadly rare occurrence, and told him that he didn't deserve treatment like that. She also gave immediate help, telling Beiste that he would stay with her so that he could be safe from his abuser.
Furthermore, Sue reprimanded the New Direction girls when they addressed the situation in poor taste, teaching them a valuable lesson about how to support people who are facing domestic abuse.
When She Married Herself
Sue is an incredibly iconic character, and perhaps her most iconic moment was when she married herself. Fitted in a tracksuit wedding dress, and ignoring other people's comments, she gladly matched with herself on a dating website and subsequently wedded herself.
While this moment might not exactly be classified as heroic, it showed the audiences the great qualities about Sue, in that she refused to be defined by typical gender and societal norms. She lived her life authentically, and she became a role model to many female viewers after this moment. This moment also teaches the value of self-love, as Sue knew that no one could treat her as well as herself.
When She Dedicated The Auditorium to Finn
Sue's character arc is perhaps the greatest indicator of her role as a hero. She goes through a classic hero's journey, as she arguably learns the main lesson of Glee, which is that the Arts are strong, important, and bring people together. She states this in the final episode of the show, before revealing that she has dedicated McKinley High's auditorium to Finn Hudson, one of the original members of the New Directions.
This is an incredibly touching gesture and moment, since Finn and his late actor Cory Monteith were such an invaluable part of the show, and she leaves a lasting heroic impression overall with her good gesture.