What do you think of Odium's brand new backstory? · 5:27am Jul 18th, 2020
What do you think of my MLP, antagonist, fan character, Odium's, backstory so far? Do you think it matches his personality and character/redemption arc? Here they are:
Backstory:
Many years before the series started, Odium was a young, well-educated, and analytical creature who was born into an honorable family. They taught him that whenever he sees injustice of any kind happening, he should tackle it head on in order to make sure that others don't suffer.
This made sense as he and his family lived in a very disreputable, ancient town where injustice and hardships usually happens on a daily basis due to overpopulation, poverty, and competition for years. This made Odium's family, who are one of the only ones trying to do something about it, create and uphold to a moral code against injustice in order to make sure that life becomes better for others, whether inside or outside their damaged society.
Overtime, in Odium's life, he would follow this code for his family and others in order to make life better out of honor and integrity. However, this caused him to be so obsessed, single-minded, and blinded by his family's philosophy to the point of downright hatred, confrontation, judgement, self-righteousness and bitterness towards injustice of any kind, as well as towards those who violate said moral code.
Personality:
Unlike other villains in the series, who's goal are motivated by power, control, revenge, amusement, etc., Odium is driven by justice and a strict moral compass against the Mane Six for their previous misdeeds on others throughout the series. He personally thinks that he's the only one who can put them in their place and is willing to do whatever it takes to make sure they get the consequences they deserved.
However, he wasn't always this way. Originally, Odium was just a very young, well-educated, honorable and curious, yet very introverted and naive at times child.
Overtime, though, due to his family's flawed, yet morally understandable moral code and the fact of being born in a place full of injustice and hardship, Odium grew very hateful and bitter of injustice of any kind as well as towards those who violate said moral code, whether hero, villain, or otherwise.
Odium has become so single-minded, narrow, and limited in his own moral compass and view of justice and consequentialism to the point of being downright obsessive, arrogant, judgemental, and self-righteous at times. He is so determined and devoted to his own moral philosophy and wants others to follow it that he may even use aggression towards those who violate it.
He's also very educated, observant, intellectual, and perceptive. He somehow learned about the Mane Six's misdeeds, strengths, weaknesses, and pet peeves throughout the series and knows a lot about philosophy.
Despite his educated and single-mindedness, he can be very indecisive in if placed in a situation where his code doesn't apply.
Despite his arrogant and self-righteous attitude, he can be very prudent and knows not to take too much undue risk on others out of pragmatism. He also doesn't want to hurt or kill anyone or anything that he's not going after as he thinks that that's going too far and that it would trigger his target's pet peeve(s). This is evident when refused to hurt Spike or Twilight's books when they were in the way and waited until they were out of the way.
After learning about how flawed and wrong his moral absolutism is, Odium slowly starts to have a moral dilemma and begins to personally doubt and question his moral views and his actions towards the Mane Six and others who he thought have violated his own code.
Character/Redemption Arc:
Outer Motivation - To make the Mane Six pay for their misdeeds on others in the past by any means necessary.
Inner Motivation - His Self-Actualization has been tainted due to injustice on others. His inner
motivation is to make life better for others.
Outer Conflict - The Mane Six and their friends.
Inner Conflict - His doubts and moral dilemmas; trust issues, isolationist tendencies; obsessiveness and
single-mindedness; refusal to forgive and see the good in others.
The Lie - The only justice I can trust comes from my own hands; I need to make the Mane Six pay in
order to both enact justice for others.
The Wound - Living in injustice with his honorable family and witnessing it onto others.
Fear - Trusting others; Making mistakes; His own sins.
Resolution - At first, Odium relapses after the Mane Six try to warn him about his actions and moral dilemma due
to hearing that they were going to use the reform spell on him, but after realizing for himself how his actions
are ironically, actually hurting others rather than helping them, he tearfully regrets his actions and sees how
flawed his own moral code is. He then decides to work hard to earn redemption in order to start
over to make up for what he put them through.
I'm still trying to find a good reason for Odium to go after the Mane Six and only the Mane Six.
Here's my previous idea. Sorry if this is too long:
(After Odium becomes old enough to survive on his own, he leaves his disreputable town and walks into the woods alone. Suddenly, he hears a strange voice calling his name from nearby. Out of curiosity, he decides to follow it until he finds a large, deep cave that houses a mysterious seer who tells him that she's been watching him for years and wanted to show him the future.
The seer shows him the Mane Six's future misdeeds and screw-ups and tells him that they rarely, if ever, face any repercussions for their actions and endlessly forgive each other despite how harmful their actions could be for others. This causes Odium to get angry and decides to be the one to put them in their place.
The seer says that the Mane Six are too powerful to defeat without proper training and a well-thought-out plan. Odium asks the seer if she could train and help him as well as tell him their strengths, weaknesses, and pet peeves so that he doesn't do anything to set them off during his quest after them. The seer accepts on one condition: that he comes back in one piece to tell her that he defeated them. He accepts, though what he doesn't know is what the seer's ulterior motives are.)