Villains. You know why I love them? Because they're so complex. Well, the good ones are.
I dislike villains who don't have layers. Layers are what makes them interesting. People don't just become villains because one day they wake up and say, "Hey, today I'm going to become a bad guy."
Nope.
It's a process in the making. Years of cause and effect. Bad choices, bad circumstances. A compilation of things that lead them to finally 'turn to the dark side'.
Sometimes this can be an overnight thing, but usually, it's an accumulation of preceding circumstances, that ultimately force the person in question to make a choice.
"Will I choose to do the right thing or not?"
Then that choice leads them down into a snowball of bad choices which ultimately turn their hearts black. Is it possible for a villain to redeem themselves? Sure it is.
Just not likely.
My top favorite villains:
Catherine de Medici
At the beginning of the show Reign, it seems Catherine is simply an overprotective mother who loves her son so much, she's willing to kill to save his life. Later on, you realize that she only wants to save herself. She schemes and plots her way to the top-killing anyone who could ruin her plan.
As the series goes on we delve deeper into Catherine's warped mind. You see how ruthless she is. We hate her because she threatens Mary, Queen of Scots. Just when you really despise Catherine, they throw in a wrench that tears your heart out. You find out she'd been brutally gang-raped as a young girl, forever shaping her distrust and utter contempt for everyone around her. Especially men.
Her lover, Narcisse, admits to a confidant that the only thing worse than being hated by Catherine de Medici is being loved by her. She must force people to love her, by any dark means necessary. I would never want to cross paths with her.
Eventually, Catherine bites herself in the buttock and devises a plan where she hides her son's baby away for her own selfish benefit. Staging his death. Her son mourns bitterly, and later it's revealed that she was behind the plot. Her son banishes her forever.
This is the kind of villain I love to hate. She does horribly despicable things, yet you have compassion on her, because of the way her mind is twisted by past events.
Kylo Ren
I absolutely adore him and all his hissy fit, angsty drama. He's just the type of villain I love.
He tries so hard to be wicked, and yet he's so bad at it.
He wants to live up to Darth Vader's legacy, but there's too much good in him to make it work properly.
His temperamental attitude makes for some hysterical scenes, throwing fits that would match a three-year-olds tantrum. He's such a big baby, and you either want to comfort him or slap him silly. Sometimes both.
That hilarity and compassion come to a quick halt, toward the end of the movie The Force Awakens, when he actually kills his own father. You have to take a step back and go, "Dude! You're pretty awful! How could you?"
I cannot wait to see where they take his character with the next movie. I'm guessing it's going to get darker before it gets better.
Rumplestiltskin
My #1 favorite villain of all times is Rumplestiltskin from Once Upon a Time.
He is the best of the best. He makes every other villain look weak and stupid.
His cunning and wily ways are beyond fantastic. You hate him, love him, and hate him again. You can't help but flip flop your emotions for this crazy man.
He plays the "Dark One" in OUAT and does an excellent job of it. Sometimes you are rooting for him and sometimes you're booing at him. He's so sneaky and cruel, and yet you can't help having a little crush on him just because of his pure brilliance.
As a man, Rumple is weak,-a coward even- but as the Dark One he has power and uses it with manipulation, bribes, charm and stealthy deals that sometimes even the smartest of characters can't pass up.
When Belle finds good inside of him I wanted him to turn away from the bad side, and yet, I almost didn't because he's just so darn good at being bad, and you know he'll be boring as just a man. I can never take my eyes from the screen when he's on it.
He's disgusting and vile, and yet I can't help but feel for him and want him to win.
It's a terrible conundrum.
One I will gladly have over and over as I watch OUAT if that means I can spend more time figuring out Rumple's multiple, colorful personalities and what he's scheming to do next.
