flyingskull (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
flyingskull) wrote2008-08-28 12:17 am
flyingskull) wrote2008-08-28 12:17 am
"That one can smile and smile and be a villain..."
Allow me to introduce to you my favourite kind of villain of all times: the Smiling Villain so called because that Shakespearean quote has been in my mind for years and years, don't ask me why.
The Smiling Villain is, basically, a sociopath. Sometimes s/he's a grunt sociopath limiting her/his activities to serial killing or raping: scary, but rather flat. You can find her/him in crime stories of all ilks and - though scary enough when written well - s/he's generally only a step up the Universal Unseen Villain in the ladder of good gripping storytelling.
The True Smiling Villain (the facial rictus denoting affability, joy and affection is actually optional) is a functioning sociopath who may, perhaps, engage in a spot of serial killing out of necessity or on a whim, but who'd never let her/his pleasure in the multiple taking of life interfere with her/his plans. Because the True Smiling Villain has a... - wait for it... - vision. S/he knows what the world or people should be and sets about changing said world or people until it or they conform to her/his vision.
S/he may appear benevolent - and s/he is, for a given value of 'benevolence' - s/he may appear happy and carefree - and, ohboy is s/he! - s/he may appear to overflow with the milk of human kindness, to be a protector, a wise counselor, a friend or, in some cases, a stern authority figure exuding efficiency and concern for the common good, in which case s/he won't smile a lot, if at all. The Hero/ine may well be as taken in as the reader for a goodly portion of the story ignoring, or willfully blind to, all the subtle hints to the character real character... heh... sorry about that, I meant the character real personality. Depends on the writer, really.
The biggest hint is generally the fact that a True Smiling (or not, as the case may be) Villain is obsessed by one thing or person. It's all about the power, but it doesn't necessarily have to be the Power Over All Universes, sometimes it's just the Power Over One Poor Wretch. Because if you happen to be the object of desire of a True Smiling Villain, a wretch you are, or shall soon become.
Thus our old friend, the Queen of the Elves in Lord and Ladies is, IMO, a True Smiling Villain. She appears to be the thing that she is not and schemes incessantly to Queen it over the land; she also holds an obsessive grudge against Granny. BTW, the manner of her double downfall is rather typical of the downfall of all True Smiling Villains: they forget that all those expendable cardboard cutouts are in fact three dimensional people and thus are surprised by unforeseen reactions, not to mention by the capacity of said cutouts to work together for a common goal.
A True Smiling Villain is often taken for a Protector or Wise Counselor exactly how the True Bastard Hero (with its sub-species the Byronic Hero) is taken quite easily for a villain at the start. What makes both those types delightful is the way the author messes with the preconceived notions about how a Friend or a Villain talk (it all boils down to manipulation of semantics, doesn't it? The most horrifying actions are explained in terms of the most syrupy benevolence and the noblest actions are kind of annihilated by the agent's foul mouth) and what makes them scary is how very efficient they are in the pursuit of their aims.
No, I mean, no, truly, look at Small Gods' Vorbis! Granted, he doesn't smile, but he certainly changes people and not for the better. He makes people be like him. He manufactures sociopath-like behaviour in others. He's certainly obsessed by his worldview and the only thing that is not quite typical is that he's beaten by Divine Action. But then it's Small Gods and internal logic must be preserved. Night Watch's Carcer too is a Master of Changing People for the Worse. He almost manages to change Vimes, for fucksake! Like Borgs they could crackle RESISTANCE IS FUTILE. YOU WILL BE ASSIMILATED! Teatime is, IMO, a Smiling Villain Simplex or grunt sociopath.
AND Mr Cheney. DW Jones is not one for Smiling Villains, generally. Her bad people are generally as confused and human as her good people, but Mr Chenney is one chillingly terrifying dude. Of course he embodies a Financial Entity more than a person, but all the same he's the person that makes Financial entities possible and functional.
AND what is possibly TEH True Smiling Villain of all times - well, no, I tell a lie. Of modern times. Hmm. Of a fairly long portion of time casually coincident with the last ten years. Maybe. Or not. Oh fuck who cares, he's perfect - is Gravitation's Seguchi Thoma. He smiles, he's obsessed both with power over the musical business and one person, he appears a friend, a wise counselor a protector... you name a good solid virtue necessary to qualify as 'important secondary character who helps hero/ines' and he seems to be the embodiment of it. His plans are both byzantine and ruthlessly efficient, his knowledge so vast he appears omniscient, his coldblooded disposal of inconvenient or irritating people is akin to swatting flies, his sadism is sweet and cloying like molasses and - which makes him both scary and delightful - he can be thwarted, but never beaten. He can move in and manipulate both the Farce World and the Tragedy World and he corrupts people.
Yoshiki is another True Smiling Villain - she's so grey she's still apparently open to interpretation, though really! Not after Vol 10, people! But, apparently, there are many who view her as one of the Good Guys. *sigh* - but her sadism is more overt, her scope much more narrow and she's a bit over the top, frankly.
AND Loveless' Seimei. The sociopath one loves to loathe, the one who manages to change/corrupt one of the Heroes. Paladin in the Game World, Loving Protector and Brother in Ritsuka's Inner World, Defenseless But Plucky Boy in the Apparent World, Outstanding Strategist in the Magic World and Incestuous Abuser and Murderer in the Real World.
What's nice about Seimei - well, alright, about all of the True Smiling Villains - is that they have some endearing weaknesses (Seimei is seventeen, is a bit OCD about being touched and tires easily after gouging out people's eyes. Seguchi is vain, is a great musician and acts like a loving child with his wife. Mr Cheney likes his son and is refreshingly afraid of his demon. Carcer is stupid. Vorbis... well, Vorbis is an idealist, after all. He truly believes that the world would be a better place if everyone did as they were told, which makes him stupid too, I suppose. ;) And I am sure the Queen of Elfland is still mourning her unicorn.).
Vetinari is a borderline case, in a sense, though not in another. I mean, he's a useful villain and he loves his dog, but he certainly couldn't care less about people as such except perhaps a little for those he finds amusing like Leonard or Vimes. BUT, yeh, borderline. He doesn't mind if people is his city live a better life, provided this won't break the equilibrium that makes Ankh-Morpork work or that they aren't mimes.
I would like to end this ramble - thank you for not pelting me with rotten tomatoes - with a tribute to the subtlest of the True Smiling Villains: Dumbledore. He smiles! He speaks of love! He actually pontificates (BTW the pope is a good example of the TSV in Real Life) on love! His eyes twinkle! He dresses like a clown! He dances! And he coldly sends a boy to be abused time and time again so to be sure said boy won't balk when he's supposed to die for the common good. Not having enjoyed life, y'know, well, except when he was hurting other people, but most of the time certainly not enjoyed life at all and so leaving a world of pain and misery would be easy... easier... whatever. Do you think La Rowling is a very clever author after all? ^_^
The Smiling Villain is, basically, a sociopath. Sometimes s/he's a grunt sociopath limiting her/his activities to serial killing or raping: scary, but rather flat. You can find her/him in crime stories of all ilks and - though scary enough when written well - s/he's generally only a step up the Universal Unseen Villain in the ladder of good gripping storytelling.
The True Smiling Villain (the facial rictus denoting affability, joy and affection is actually optional) is a functioning sociopath who may, perhaps, engage in a spot of serial killing out of necessity or on a whim, but who'd never let her/his pleasure in the multiple taking of life interfere with her/his plans. Because the True Smiling Villain has a... - wait for it... - vision. S/he knows what the world or people should be and sets about changing said world or people until it or they conform to her/his vision.
S/he may appear benevolent - and s/he is, for a given value of 'benevolence' - s/he may appear happy and carefree - and, ohboy is s/he! - s/he may appear to overflow with the milk of human kindness, to be a protector, a wise counselor, a friend or, in some cases, a stern authority figure exuding efficiency and concern for the common good, in which case s/he won't smile a lot, if at all. The Hero/ine may well be as taken in as the reader for a goodly portion of the story ignoring, or willfully blind to, all the subtle hints to the character real character... heh... sorry about that, I meant the character real personality. Depends on the writer, really.
The biggest hint is generally the fact that a True Smiling (or not, as the case may be) Villain is obsessed by one thing or person. It's all about the power, but it doesn't necessarily have to be the Power Over All Universes, sometimes it's just the Power Over One Poor Wretch. Because if you happen to be the object of desire of a True Smiling Villain, a wretch you are, or shall soon become.
Thus our old friend, the Queen of the Elves in Lord and Ladies is, IMO, a True Smiling Villain. She appears to be the thing that she is not and schemes incessantly to Queen it over the land; she also holds an obsessive grudge against Granny. BTW, the manner of her double downfall is rather typical of the downfall of all True Smiling Villains: they forget that all those expendable cardboard cutouts are in fact three dimensional people and thus are surprised by unforeseen reactions, not to mention by the capacity of said cutouts to work together for a common goal.
A True Smiling Villain is often taken for a Protector or Wise Counselor exactly how the True Bastard Hero (with its sub-species the Byronic Hero) is taken quite easily for a villain at the start. What makes both those types delightful is the way the author messes with the preconceived notions about how a Friend or a Villain talk (it all boils down to manipulation of semantics, doesn't it? The most horrifying actions are explained in terms of the most syrupy benevolence and the noblest actions are kind of annihilated by the agent's foul mouth) and what makes them scary is how very efficient they are in the pursuit of their aims.
No, I mean, no, truly, look at Small Gods' Vorbis! Granted, he doesn't smile, but he certainly changes people and not for the better. He makes people be like him. He manufactures sociopath-like behaviour in others. He's certainly obsessed by his worldview and the only thing that is not quite typical is that he's beaten by Divine Action. But then it's Small Gods and internal logic must be preserved. Night Watch's Carcer too is a Master of Changing People for the Worse. He almost manages to change Vimes, for fucksake! Like Borgs they could crackle RESISTANCE IS FUTILE. YOU WILL BE ASSIMILATED! Teatime is, IMO, a Smiling Villain Simplex or grunt sociopath.
AND Mr Cheney. DW Jones is not one for Smiling Villains, generally. Her bad people are generally as confused and human as her good people, but Mr Chenney is one chillingly terrifying dude. Of course he embodies a Financial Entity more than a person, but all the same he's the person that makes Financial entities possible and functional.
AND what is possibly TEH True Smiling Villain of all times - well, no, I tell a lie. Of modern times. Hmm. Of a fairly long portion of time casually coincident with the last ten years. Maybe. Or not. Oh fuck who cares, he's perfect - is Gravitation's Seguchi Thoma. He smiles, he's obsessed both with power over the musical business and one person, he appears a friend, a wise counselor a protector... you name a good solid virtue necessary to qualify as 'important secondary character who helps hero/ines' and he seems to be the embodiment of it. His plans are both byzantine and ruthlessly efficient, his knowledge so vast he appears omniscient, his coldblooded disposal of inconvenient or irritating people is akin to swatting flies, his sadism is sweet and cloying like molasses and - which makes him both scary and delightful - he can be thwarted, but never beaten. He can move in and manipulate both the Farce World and the Tragedy World and he corrupts people.
Yoshiki is another True Smiling Villain - she's so grey she's still apparently open to interpretation, though really! Not after Vol 10, people! But, apparently, there are many who view her as one of the Good Guys. *sigh* - but her sadism is more overt, her scope much more narrow and she's a bit over the top, frankly.
AND Loveless' Seimei. The sociopath one loves to loathe, the one who manages to change/corrupt one of the Heroes. Paladin in the Game World, Loving Protector and Brother in Ritsuka's Inner World, Defenseless But Plucky Boy in the Apparent World, Outstanding Strategist in the Magic World and Incestuous Abuser and Murderer in the Real World.
What's nice about Seimei - well, alright, about all of the True Smiling Villains - is that they have some endearing weaknesses (Seimei is seventeen, is a bit OCD about being touched and tires easily after gouging out people's eyes. Seguchi is vain, is a great musician and acts like a loving child with his wife. Mr Cheney likes his son and is refreshingly afraid of his demon. Carcer is stupid. Vorbis... well, Vorbis is an idealist, after all. He truly believes that the world would be a better place if everyone did as they were told, which makes him stupid too, I suppose. ;) And I am sure the Queen of Elfland is still mourning her unicorn.).
Vetinari is a borderline case, in a sense, though not in another. I mean, he's a useful villain and he loves his dog, but he certainly couldn't care less about people as such except perhaps a little for those he finds amusing like Leonard or Vimes. BUT, yeh, borderline. He doesn't mind if people is his city live a better life, provided this won't break the equilibrium that makes Ankh-Morpork work or that they aren't mimes.
I would like to end this ramble - thank you for not pelting me with rotten tomatoes - with a tribute to the subtlest of the True Smiling Villains: Dumbledore. He smiles! He speaks of love! He actually pontificates (BTW the pope is a good example of the TSV in Real Life) on love! His eyes twinkle! He dresses like a clown! He dances! And he coldly sends a boy to be abused time and time again so to be sure said boy won't balk when he's supposed to die for the common good. Not having enjoyed life, y'know, well, except when he was hurting other people, but most of the time certainly not enjoyed life at all and so leaving a world of pain and misery would be easy... easier... whatever. Do you think La Rowling is a very clever author after all? ^_^
no subject
I used to work for Dolores Umbridge, so I think JKR got her exactly right -- definitely the "smile and smile and be a villain" sort. Unfortunately, the rl Umbridge did more damage and escaped than Umbridge ever did.
no subject
Harry has the habit - acquired from his creator - to retcon reality until it becomes what he wants it to be and since the thing he wants most is for things to be all about him him HIM! then the names given to his children - note how there's nothing of his wife in them - are retconning reality with extreme prejudice.
Isn't Vorbis one of the scariest character in literature? And yes, a RL Umbridge does much more damage and is never punished for what she does. Think Thatcher.
Scariest creature
As to Harry -- you're making me want to wriet an entry of how I see Harry. Probably will -- would love to see yours as well. The short version is that I relate to him because I too was abused as a child, and didn't even know it. JKR I think is a better journalist than fiction writer -- she describes her characters well enough that others notice much about them she never did. And Harry really does have all the markings of an abused child and than a survivor of abuse -- including the very strange combination of selflessness and self absorption which is our curse scar. One of the saddest things about abused children is that they're not actually likeable to most people; children raised in happy and protective families are infinitely easier to be around...
Ah, Pontificating. ttyl.
Re: Scariest creature
DO write an entry on how you see Harry! For me the problem lies in the writing, not the character. I mean, JKR never addresses the abuse. It's just there in a sort of emo-fanbrat h/c fic, but readers are supposed to see Harry as the moral compass of the whole mess and he ain't. How could he be? Besides JKR seems to be saying that it was the tiny Riddle in him - our Harry being a horcrux and all - that was prompting him to acts of violence and sadism and not the fact that the boy is a fucked-up mess because Dumbledore saw fit to bring him up abused.
What I mean is that the books never aknowledge that Harry is a fucked-up mess and this is what irks me. I mean Kouga Yun does nothing but acknowledging her main characters are fucked-up messes who can't, at times, find their own arse with both hands. I like that in an author, you see?
And, a propos of Harry, have you read Sarah
And look, so sorry about your past. Many many HUGS which are poor comfort at best, but they come from the heart.
Re: Scariest creature
TOTALLY AGREE (and love the description) of emo-fanbrat!Harry and the failure to be a moral compass. I love Harry dearly, but not the way JKR wants me to. I and a friend almost stopped reading the series after Phoenix, but fortunately he improved a bit in HBP.
I have read every one of Sarah's fics, and in fact she's the only WIP I'm willing to follow without guilty or anxiety. She does write a Harry who's a lovable mess. Actually, that's my goal too, except some day I'm going to write fics where he slowly grows into a happy human being. I suppose that's why H/D is my OTP: they're both so fucked up, they deserve each other.
Haven't read Kouga Yun. But flawed characters are the only ones fun to write.
I look forward to talking to you more after the RNC leaves town. I seem to be coming and going unexpectedly this week...
Re: Scariest creature
Sorry, I thought you knew Kouga Yun because of your reaction to my icon which I made about Loveless. It's a great manga if you like layered storytelling in which one never quite knows if what is told (and drawn) is reality, illusion or a computer RPG. Practically all of her characters are majorly fucked-up so that when 'normal' people appear the reader is always shocked by them. VERY good writing, that woman.
Your unexpected visits are always very welcome, luv.
Re: Scariest creature, PS
Re: Scariest creature, PS
You have all my admiration, you know? A very dear friend of mine, who was horribly abused in childhood, is in an institution now. He's as well as he can be, but can't cope with life anymore. You have an incredible amount of inner strength and all my respect. Also more hugs. It should NEVER have happened, neither to you or anyone and it should have been stopped; but this society of ours is shit for children.
Re: Scariest creature
What about poor Tom Riddle? What the fuck is up with that backstory in which Dumbles comes out as a really sadistic bastard? Isn't the abuse he reveived at that Dickensian orphanage, plus the hatred he got from what could have been his saviour, more than enough to justify his descent into psychopathic dementia? What would have happened if Dumbles had shown compassion and love to the boy? What if he had treated him like Harry at Hogwarts? What about all the blathering about love and second chances?
Nono, JKR says loud and clear, Riddle was BORN evil. Nothing that happens to you as child matters in the least, if you're born GOOD then all you do is good and that's it; if you're born EVIL... well... then Righteous People Who Are Born GOOD can leave your tiny baby self abandoned and crying to rot in hell.
In other words I have issues with JKR's non-existent writing skills, not the characters in themselves.
Re: Scariest creature
Re: Scariest creature
But, to reply to this:
Actually, that's my goal too, except some day I'm going to write fics where he slowly grows into a happy human being. I suppose that's why H/D is my OTP: they're both so fucked up, they deserve each other.
I think that would be a very good fic, actually. It'd be nice to see Harry grow into a real person and learn to live in a society, thus opening the door to real happiness, or maybe better serenity which allows both for happiness and sadness and doesn't destroy the person. Harry and Draco are fucked up in different ways, but D, at least, seems to have better social virtues. I'd think he'd spend a goodly portion of his time yelling at Harry: "NO! You don't hex people because you feel like it! It's wrong, do you hear me Potter? WRONG!" :-D