Congrats Maddie!!

Neither Valentino or Velvette need to be the most nuanced characters in the show, but if they have tragedy in their past it's not to condone their evil actions (If that's what happens at all.). It's to make them full rounded characters. Whether you enjoy them or not.

It's pretty clear Val and Vel are more than just 'the bad guys'. There is depth to them and that's GOOD because if they didn't they'd be bland characters. Like it or not Valentino has more character to him than JUST being Angel's abuser. s2 proved that. Same with Velvette.

Villains can have just as much backstory and explanation for their motives/actions just like heroes. A character being evil doesn't ERASE the fact they can/do have a history, personality, motive. That they love and hate as much as the good guys.

NO, it doesn't condone his behavior/actions, but YES it gives us CONTEXT on why Val and Velvette will be the way they are. (Don't forget Velvette makes love potions/roof*es and sells them to the public. She does that for a reason and it's clearly not a good one.).

There's a very strong chance Valentino's past is similar to how Angel lives now. As a str*pper or a p*rnstar then possibly became a p*mp later on. However he got to where he is now was obviously bad. (Val also being abused in life isn't that hard to believe either.)

I'm saying this more for Valentino than Velvette because we all know there's going to be antis trying to say 'oh look they're trying to make us feel sorry for a r*pist because XYZ' and that is NOT what's going on. I feel it in my bones. It's going to happen.