Do you guys know what I've recently noticed about bad redemption arcs? · 2:57am Mar 25th, 2022
They barely show the characters' redeeming qualities at the start of the arc instead of the end. And they also usually show only the more violent and villainous side of the villain/antagonist instead of showing a more friendly and affable villain that routinely gets along with the heroes. For example, most of the MLP and Steven Universe redeemed villains. We barely get to see them as more than just villains before they get instantly get redeemed at the end through only a sad backstory or noble motivation. By contrast, we see characters like Doofenshmirtz where he continuously shows that he's a nice and affable guy, even towards his nemesis, despite being a villain. This makes him more redeemable and his redemption more earned.
Sorry for beating a dead horse, but it was just something that just crept up in my mind just now. This is just my opinion and I just wanted to share my thoughts with you guys.
What do you guys think?
Are there any other traits you've noticed?
5646109
No.
5646110
Well personally, I think an villain that's friendly with their enemy is kinda niche.
Now them having a discussion, even if heated, that can add a lot to a scene.
Lex Luthor in JL:Unlimited is a great example of this.
Let's use mlp:fim as an example for traits of reformed villains. Both Starlight and Sunset are reflections of how Twilight could have been if her circumstances were different. All three are intelligent, ambitious, resourceful and extremely skilled in magic. Sunset allowed her ambitions blind her and it drove her down a dark path. Starlight never had formal training or a charismatic and caring mentor to be there to guide her and she wound up creating a cult and then nearly destroyed the world at least a dozen times. Post-reformation, neither changed very much other than being shown a better way. In Sunset's case, when a threat showed up, she would revert back to old bullying tactics, only this time to protect her friends. In Starlight's case, when presented with a problem, she would attempt to use magic to solve it. The difference between a villain and a hero is that a villain will not show restraint when bystanders are involved. Twilight only unleashed her full might when she had no other choice, first against Tirek when he tried to kill her, and even then she tried to keep the fight away from populated areas, then against the terrible trio because their actions, along with the windigoes, would have destroyed the world.
Sunset and Starlight kept the traits that made them villains, but augmented them traits that made them be better. Nobody is born a villain and nobody sees themselves as a villain. Under different circumstances the greatest villains of our world could have been seen as great artists, architects and humanitarians. We are all products of our choices, upbringings and surroundings.
5646116
Thanks, but what I meant is that a villain doesn't have to be evil or mean to be a villain. That it's all based around intent and motivation. Do you agree?
5646117
Yes. All a villain has to do is be the opposite of what is the acceptable norm, or be the product of an unfortunate set of circumstances. The guy who accidentally created killer bees wasn't some mad scientist who was hell-bent on taking over the world, he was attempting to create a strain of honey bee that was as docile as the European honey bee, but made as much honey as the African honey bee. His actions weren't evil, but maybe a bit misguided. However history will remember him as the mad scientist who created one of the mostaggressive strains of honey bee.
The man who assassinated Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand didn't know his actions was going to set off one of the most destructive wars of all time, he simply did what he did because he thought this would lead to freedom for the Serbian people. History remembers him as the madman who killed the only person who could have kept a regional conflict from going global(even though the first world war was inevitable).
No matter how heroic you think you are, your the villain in someone's eyes.
No one is born evil, no one is born good, you make that decision yourself.
Doofensmirtz was an antagonist, but not all that evil, just petty.
Starlight had abandonment issues imo.
But on to my first quote. Let's use Batman as an example, he goes to illegitimate means to bring down criminals, even though working with the police, he is breaking the law in some ways.
Steven universe had the worst redemption arc. They forgot to put in as reason for the gems stunts in the first place and despite the fact they thought Steven was pink diamond he and Connie didn't exactly behave much better. They were supposed be on a diplomatic mission which means respect for their culture even if you don't agree and yet he didn't bother to learn anything about it or his mom. Pearl probably could have told him a lot about her before she even came to earth and although their were parts she kept to herself afraid of her power and how much she could hurt someone he would actually learn something. He barely by the end knew anything about her besides that he was a lot like her.