One Hundred Fantasy Clichés That Really Need To Rest In Peace

#96: The Hero Versus Villain Dynamic

In recent years after reading various game-changing novels such as The Kite Runner, playing strong story-based games such as Pokémon Sun and Moon, and watching powerful TV shows such as Steven Universe has made me realize something. When it comes down to it, there is no need to create a true hero or a true villain for any potential story you may have in mind. In real life, no one is perfect and has layers of both types of characters inside of them. It is the yin and yang of humanity, only much more complex than simply being half good or half bad. Everyone balances these two sides out in completely different levels, depending on the environment they were previously introduced to. Those who are normally classified as villains have darker parts of this balance and may seem irredeemable on the surface. However, a helping hand can release the once small positive parts of their personality, making complete redemption probable. Those who are normally classified heroes have the more positive parts of this balance, but are far from becoming true saints. Like anyone else, they can be tempted to the darker side of the spectrum, turning them into complete shells of their former selves. That is why the hero versus villain dynamic to me seems to be a cliché, overused trope that with this mindset can be repaired with future stories.

One of the best examples I can find of this yin and yang balancing act is from one of my favorite anime, Puella Magi Madoka Magica. In it, all of the magical girls depicted are designed by the debatable villainous Incubators to release an equal amount of happiness along with an equal amount of sorrow. Magical girls feeling fulfilled from their one wish that granted these new abilities fight to bring justice to others, especially those attacked by witches. Once a magical girl falls into despair from their wish, their soul completely transforms into a witch, the same type of creature they were fighting beforehand. As a witch, they bring sorrow onto others, even driving some to depression or insanity. In this way, no magical girl can be a true villain, no matter what their motivations might be. The only true evil these girls face are from themselves or arguably Incubators like Kyubey. Thus, the normal hero versus villain dynamic is completely shattered, allowing for more original, creative story telling. Besides being a huge cliché breaker for the Japanese magical girl anime genre, Puella Magi Madoka Magica is a great example of not following the norm when it comes to the main conflict.

You may be asking then why the hero versus villain dynamic even exists in the first place if better stories can be crafted without it. The true reason behind this is the huge legacy these types of stories have left on literature and storytelling as a whole. Since ancient times, the hero versus villain dynamic has been a tool used to create relatable conflict which wraps the rest of the story being told in a huge red bow. Stories in mythology such as the fierce battle between the chaotic Egyptian god Set and his brother's vengeful son Horus would not have been made possible without the hero versus villain story trope. Due to Set killing Horus's father Osiris in cold blood for the Egyptian throne, Horus has a motivation to fight back against his uncle. The hero versus villain dynamic builds up this confrontation, leaving a lasting result on the audience. Due to tales like these, throughout the ages, this tool evolved into play writing and then fictional book writing. It has been a writing tool we have been using for thousands of years, since the dawn of civilization itself. Killing the trope overnight is not an easy task, especially when it has been proven to work in various past works.

To stop the overuse of the hero versus villain dynamic, a more neutral mindset for all fictional characters inside the storyline must be introduced. The heroes must never be entirely perfect and be just as prone to becoming a classified villain as any normal person with their situation. The villains must have motivations that can relate to the audience and through the positive traits tacked onto them be given a chance to become good when the opportunity is right. Heck, you can even put both sides in the wrong for explainable reasons that can be resolved or worsened, again based on circumstance. No one can truly be right and no one can truly be wrong. That is the path you must take to venture outside of the norm with storytelling.

To prove my point to the audience, I leave you with a simple question to ask yourselves. Which to you is the more memorable, the villain of the week that is almost always taken down by the good guys or the villain that sympathizes with the hero's cause, but still by a thread holds on to their own opposite ideals? It is after you figure out the answer that this whole part of the editorial will truly resonate with you.