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Which movie was it for you? (where the actions of the bad guys were actually relatable?)
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this post was submitted on 28 Sep 2025
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maybe a hot take, but especially today I disagree with this premise. Thanks to Marvel, I'd say the misunderstood villain trope is at an all time high, to the point where I now prefer media that just has bastards who are evil for the love of the game.
The Pure Evil Villain does have a lot to recommend to it.
Did Marvel really have a lot of those? I think the main issue is they had too many villains, period. Most of which aren't misunderstood, merely forgettable. Hero's Journey + Scary Villainous Antagonist is not the only story template out there.
The problem is most marvel movies aren't trying to tell a meaningful story with (inter)personal conflict and character growth, but to move their characters along from hijink to hijink using rote storytelling techniques.
There's nothing wrong with having a BBEG, or a nuanced villain, or even a morally correct antagonist that is only pitted against the protagonist through happenstance. There are Great stories that use all of those tropes. The only relevant question is what story is being told and which antagonist best helps move it forward.