What makes a villain a villain? Human qualities? Lack of? I'm curious to know. Should they have redeeming qualities? Should they just be completely sinister?
I need to understand a villain to like them. A key to my understanding is getting their motives... that's why a deity like The Dark One doesn't make a good villain for me, but Torak was an OK villain.
I believe the one reason R.R. Martin's writing is so good is that he reveals the motivation of his villains so well. We all gasped at Rob's murder at the red wedding but yet it was understandable exactly why the betrayals happened. Even the most guilty of all (the Northman who betrayed Rob, I forgot his name)was shown to actually be concerned the war could not withstand the Tyrell's assaults. He didn't betray the Starks because he was pure evil or anything goofy like that. He had concerns, reasons, and doubts about many things.
I agree about the Dark One. I liked the Forsaken in the beginning of the series but they have grown thin in their acts. My own favorite was Amsodean, but in many ways we got to see him the most of the Forsaken and we got to see his story and motivations and what he thought and felt in his conversations with Rand. The DO is just some "evil force", kind of lame.
But wine was the great assassin of both tradition and propriety...
-Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings
-Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings
What makes villains appealing to you?
- 21/12/2009 06:17:23 PM
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Intelligence
- 22/12/2009 05:13:05 PM
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Neither good nor bad.
- 23/12/2009 03:13:22 AM
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That makes me enjoy a story more. Jaimie in the Song of Ice and Fire series was a great example. *NM*
- 30/12/2009 03:44:23 AM
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*NM*
Alien and unrelatable villains can be awesome.
- 24/12/2009 07:45:15 PM
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