Villainously Lovely: Twisted Hearts

Ok I know that is probably a lame title in comparison with the others in this series, but I suck at titles and couldn't come up with anything else better suited. XD I am going to talk about...*drumroll*....THE TRAGIC AND MISUNDERSTOOD VILLAINS. There are probably going to be spoilers, but like before, I'll try to hide them.

First up we have:

Loki Laufeyson from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Usually people save the best for last, but I couldn't resist putting him first. He is probably my all-time favorite villain. Loki Fangirl here. #noshame :)

Why do I love Loki? Because everything about him screams TRAGEDY. (Spoilers:Abandoned by his parents, then rescued by Odin whose plans for him go very wrong, he doesn't know who he is, or what he did to deserve the events of his life. He is broken and hurt and confused, and as he told Thor later, he, “never wanted the Throne, only wanted to be his equal”. Like any kid, he just wants his Dad to love him.) There are so many layers to him that you have to peel apart, and I think he is so much more than a devious universe-wrecker. True he is the God of Mischief, and he knows it, at times even enjoying it, but I can't help but feel sad for him. Throughout the story he is constantly involved in a mental game of tug-o-war, “Am I good?” “Am I bad?” “Do I love Thor?” “Do I hate him?”

Loki is one giant jigsaw puzzle with broken pieces and a story that makes you unable to resist pulling out the sympathy hat. Only time will tell whose side he will eventually choose, but i am sincerely hoping for redemption.

Second in line:

Murtagh Morzansson from The Inheritance Cycle. His story is a difficult one to sort out, with a lot of family confusion and inner demons, and that makes me pull for him sometimes more than Eragon.

People define him by who is Father was, and that makes his life pretty miserable. All he wants is to just be left alone and be himself, not an image of what someone else thinks he is. The fact that he spends a lot of his time on the run from the Evil King doesn't make things any better. (Spoilers: And once he's captured and becomes a Dragon Rider, he doesn't submit to the King's control willingly, and he hates every minute of it once he's trapped. On top of that, the half-brother that he fought alongside before is now the one he has to fight against and while he is angry and jealous of Eragon, deep down he doesn't want to kill him) While he has a hard side to him, his soft one comes out, and eventually he redeems himself and makes up for the bad things that he's done.

Thirdly:

Phantom/Erik: from Phantom of the Opera: Yes I love Phantom of the Opera. The entire story is just one big tragic mess (with beautiful music) and at the center of it all, is the Phantom. I know a lot of people see him as a creepy stalker/murderer, but I can't help but look to the sadder side of him. Here is a mysterious individual, who is hated and feared his entire life for something he cannot help-his face. He is desperate, in a way, to find someone who he can love and who will love him. But really his love for Christine isn't a true love, it is only an obsession, because he doesn't really know how to love. No one ever taught him. In the end of the play though, I think he realizes his mistake, and gets a glimpse of what real love is.

Lastly:

Dustfinger from the Inkheart Series: Dustfinger isn't technically a villain in the way the others are, but for our other Protagonists in the Inkheart book, he starts out kind of that way. Trapped in a world he doesn't belong, and desperate to get back to his family, he is willing to do anything to find his way home again-(Spoilers: Including betraying Meggie and Mo to the Evil Capricorn) And while a lot of his actions appear to be selfish, it isn't too hard to see that underneath is a sad man who just longs for his loved ones, and by the end of Inkheart, and through the rest of the series, his true colors become pretty clear.

To Sum it Up:

I love the Villains that make me cry buckets or feel sorry for them. I like the ones that you can route for, in a way, instead of just hate them completely because they are bad or in opposition to our Protagonists.

Do you agree with me? Do you like any of the villains I’ve described? We love to hear from you, so leave a comment.

~Ria Faith