On the surface, Goyle's not really a character that evokes a lot of sympathy: he's a nasty, brutish thug who seems incapable of thinking for himself and does whatever Malfoy tells him to. By seventeen, he's well on his way to being a full-fledged Death Eater, and delights in the opportunity to hurt the good guys. It comes as a surprise to exactly no one that when his moment comes in the final act, he screws it up royally and ends up getting himself killed. So why is so high on the list? At the end of the day, he's just a kid. A stupid, easily misled kid with a violent streak sure, but let's face it, Goyle never really had a chance, did he?