Erik was born with the same innocenece all children are and he probably held onto that for quite some time, but the total lack of love and compassion from any other beings turned him hard-hearted and made it very easy for him to decide he was not subject to any of the rules, morals, or ethics that govern normal human behavior. That he soon became surrounded by others also beliving themselves above common mortal humans who also took great joy in making those below them suffer, helped turn him into the murdering 'monstor' Christine Daae met. He lied, he killed, he extorted, and who knows what else not out of need but boredom and his own selfish reasons. He was beyond simply being misguided and though he may have been misunderstood, he was by no means innocent or heroic. --Empy
