I
remember the first time I watched Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight. I sat in the large theater auditorium with candy
at the ready to see what many critics were citing as an evolution in superhero
films. As the dark, smoky, blue flamed Batman logo came across the screen, the
now famous opening scene began, and we were introduced to the Joker. Right from
the beginning, Nolan’s version distinguished himself from the Mark Hamill
animated Joker and Jack Nicholson’s famous portrayal of the character. This
Joker was malevolent with an iron purpose but also sadistically funny. He would
go off on a philosophical tangent, and then, in the same scene, transform into
the wacky clown persona the character is known for but with an uncannily darker
and tragic twist. What ended up being the most thought provoking and terrifying
aspect of the character was just how relatable he was to me.
 |
| Heath Ledger as the Joker |
No,
I have never taken the opportunity in my spare time to conquer Gotham City, but
the idea that there is a potential villain in all of us is powerful. The Joker’s
motivation in The Dark Knight is that
anyone of us has the capability of being as evil as him. To demonstrate this,
he tries to break Harvey Dent and Batman with him turning the former into a
monster through trials that would stagger anyone’s moral grounding. Even at the
end of the film he tells Batman, “You see, madness, as you know, is like
gravity. All it takes is a little push” before laughing manically at him
changing Harvey Dent into Two-Face. While the Joker is one of the biggest
villains in pop culture, there are others that affect audiences in a similar
manner. A character who can resemble the worst parts of humanity, and yet, be entertaining
and thought provoking. A character who an audience can empathize with or
understand that character’s actions regardless of morally shaky ground they
take. It’s both fascinating and scary but not a recent development.
Archetypes
of heroes and villains are nothing new to storytelling. They have existed
throughout human history dating back to ancient mythologies and religious texts
because without conflict, there really is not a story to be told. With a problem,
most of the time provided by an antagonist, audiences can follow the hero’s
journey to beat the villain. The one who is in the moral right defeating that
who possess an immoral nature. This self-insertion into these archetypes is
part of why we gravitate towards stories. We love to watch an underdog like
David defeating the towering Goliath in battle and to envision ourselves as
David being the hero, but villains take on many forms beyond just a giant. Not
all villains are characterized so simply.
 |
| Bryan Cranston as Walter White |
One
critical aspect of a complex villain is for the character to follow an inverted
journey compared to a protagonist. One of my favorite characters in pop culture
is Walter White from the show Breaking
Bad. White is unique because his story follows this tragic transformation
from high school chemistry teacher to drug kingpin, Heisenberg. A dramatic
shift, but White’s complexity lends the character credibility throughout the
series with each heinous act. If you have not seen the entire series (first
off, go watch it now), his motivation to get into the meth trade begins with
trying to support his family because of a terminal cancer diagnosis. As he
delves deeper into that trade, he becomes accustomed to power and the
corruption it brings. He loses sight of that noble crusade to provide for his
family after his death, which brought him into that dangerous world. An example
of this change happens in a later season when tells his partner Jesse Pinkman, “You
asked me if I was in the meth business or the money business. Neither. I’m in
the empire business.” Clearly showcasing his differing priorities from the
beginning of the series, Walter White has been consumed by his Heisenberg
persona, and viewers see the complexity of that change on his character.
Regardless
of the mediums like superhero films, television series, and novels, an antagonist
can range from simple to complex. They can be the character who is in it solely
for power, vengeance, or they can simply be a monster. Classic villains from
different mediums within pop culture: Sauron, Darth Vader, and Norman Bates are
well known for these traits, and have established a trend for other writers to
follow with their antagonists. However, to me, scarier and more thought-provoking
villains are those who an audience can self-insert into and sympathize with. Characters
like the Joker and Walter White allow an audience to self-reflect on themselves
by asking the question, would I be capable of doing that if pushed far enough
into darkness? That is good storytelling.
Name your top 5 favorite villains in the
comments!
My list:
1.
The Joker, no
specific version
2.
Walter White from Breaking Bad
3.
Hans Landa from Inglorious Bastards
4.
Gollum from Lord of the Rings
5.
Judge Holden from Blood Meridian
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