Grimace is the McDonald's mascot that began as a villain before being redesigned as a friendly purple character.
When Grimace first appeared in 1971, the character was known as the Evil Grimace and was depicted with four arms. The early version was associated with taking milkshakes, giving the character a mischievous role in McDonaldland advertising.
McDonald's soon changed Grimace into a large, simple, purple figure with two arms and a friendly personality. The redesign made him easier for children to recognize and aligned him more closely with the cheerful tone of the restaurant's family branding.
Grimace's exact species has never been firmly defined in the character's public identity. That ambiguity is part of the mascot's appeal, but his transformation from villain to friend is the stable branding fact.