You're not entirely wrong about that. It's a matter of public opinion. Public opinion can be fickle and change on a dime. One moment they're supporting you, the next they hate you. It comes with fame. [One he actually knows first hand.] Considering the impact that they had, it's hard to discount their efforts anything less than heroic when they technically saved the world. [Or so he's been told. He wasn't around for the finale.]