Hero to Villain: The Journey of Rick Grimes Continues

Last August, before the start of the sixth season, I wrote a piece concerning whether or not Rick Grimes had become a villain using the definition created by Chuck Klosterman in his book, I Wear the Black Hat.  According to Klosterman a villain is someone who knows the most, but cares the least.  Using that interpretation I went with yes.  Or, at least, “yeah, kinda”.  He had gone from a man who knew little of what was happening in the world, but was deeply disturbed by it, to a man who’d seen way too much and no longer cared about those around him (outside his core group, but even then he would disregard their feelings and thoughts in favor of his own).  I ended on a note of hope that Rick could change, go back to the more heroic guy he once was.

So, with a season passed, has anything changed?  Has Rick been redeemed in the arms of Alexandria?  A little, perhaps, but not really.  While he’s certainly getting along better with others, managed to see the Alexandrians as his people, it took some extreme events to have that happen and he’s generally not any kinder or gentler to those he still considers not “his people”.  The biggest difference, really, is that those around him have (mostly) stopped opposing him.  The original Alexandria citizens have stopped questioning him; when he says “this is how it has to be”, that is how it has to be.  Nowadays Rick might not be considered a villain only because everyone else is just as bad…or there’s someone who’s worse, who knows more and cares even less, like Negan and his Saviors.

Speaking of Negan and The Saviors, they are probably the best comparison to make in showing how Rick is both still a villain and, kind of, a hero...

Negan and The Saviors are a group that “offer” surrounding communities protection from Walkers and other potential threats (presumably like The Wolves) in exchange for food, weapons, and pretty much whatever else they want.  The catch, of course, is that there is no option of refusal.  If a community declines the Saviors attack until they fold and accept the deal or are destroyed.  Even the initial offer comes with a pretty high price as The Saviors are known for introducing themselves by killing a member of the other group in front of everyone.  It is, pretty much, extortion.  A villainous act by definition and obviously not the way Rick and The Alexandrians work, but there are numerous similarities between Rick’s and Negan’s people nevertheless.

Though unplanned, upon meeting those at the Hilltop Colony Rick does end up killing one of them in front of everyone else.  While the act shocks and horrifies those at Hilltop, Rick simply stands up, covered in the man’s blood, looks around, and asks, “What?”.  Even the closest combat and bloodiest murders don’t phase Rick and he doesn’t get why it might bother others.  It was an unfortunate incident, but a justified one, one that had to occur, by Rick’s standards.  And those who rush to defend their fallen community member?  They’re met with guns from Rick and nearly all of his people…it’s Jesus, the seeming behind-the-scenes leader of Hilltop, who ends up having to intervene to prevent further violence.  Intentional or not Negan and Rick’s groups essentially make the same intimidating first impression to their neighboring community.

The deal Maggie negotiates with Hilltop’s leader, Gregory, is basically the same one he made with The Saviors as well.  Protection for supplies.  Rick and his group will kill off Negan and The Saviors in exchange for half of everything Hilltop has.  Now it’s possible that this was setup as a onetime deal, unlike The Saviors’ “subscription plan”, but that seems unlikely...both communities acknowledge Alexandria has little else to offer the Hilltop Colony.  Assuming killing off Negan and The Saviors worked Alexandria would no doubt still want to trade with Hilltop, but would still only have their protection services to provide so, really, Gregory simply replaced one muscle-for-hire with another.  

There are also a few, slightly unnerving, subtleties that point to Rick and the group’s darker tendencies while they’re at Hilltop.  When Gregory initially seems disinterested in doing business Rick tells Jesus that they came all the way there and weren’t about to leave empty handed...something that can be seen as a threat.  I also found it interesting that as Rick’s crew packs up their payment — they apparently got at least a substantial portion, if not all of it, up front — Jesus comments that not even The Saviors took so much straight off.  These two details, combined with the rest of the initial meeting of Alexandrians and Hilltops, show how closely Rick and his people mirror Negan and his.

How Rick chooses to address The Saviors is infinitely clearer in its villainy…So much so there isn’t really much way to defend it.  Based mainly on the word of Hilltop and a single run-in by Daryl, Abraham, and Sasha it’s decided that everyone in Negan’s crew have to be eliminated.  Rick goes to Alexandria’s people, his people, with the explanation that they have to hit first and “kill them all” to be safe; an echo of what The Governor said concerning Rick’s group back at the prison.  Their exact plan is to trick and force their way into a compound where The Saviors reside and systematically kill them in their sleep.  It’s a pretty brutal way to deal with another group, no matter who they are.

When Maggie and Carol are taken by a small group of Saviors one of them, ‘Chelle, tells Maggie: “You’re not the good guys.  You should know that”.  She’s completely right, especially in that moment.  If you view the events from the perspective of The Saviors, Rick and the rest are absolutely the villains.  Unprovoked, they creep into a residence of The Saviors and murder them in their sleep, then ransack the place.  This viciousness continues even after Maggie and Carol escape when, instead of just leaving, they kill those holding them then lie in wait for their backup to kill all of those Saviors as well.

For most of season 6 it seems like Rick is still the person who knows the most and cares the least; he’s got the drop on Negan and The Saviors and he uses it to slaughter Saviors in their sleep.  He does this without a second thought or consideration for the defenseless nature of those within the compound.  Afterwards he’s confident to the point of arrogance as he relaxes and basks in a new relationship sure that he and his people can handle anything.  He’s seen nearly shirking off preparations for a potential attack, clearly unworried that he might be in over his head.  So then what, exactly, might make Rick still a hero?  The arrival of Negan, mostly.  

Negan knows infinitely more than Rick in the end.  He knows more about the area, the communities, and how best to manipulate this new Walker-filled world to his advantage as his success over Rick (and others) shows.  Negan appears to know a great deal about Rick’s group, certainly more than Rick knew about The Saviors.  More importantly, Negan revels in that knowledge, seemingly delighting in watching Rick and his group’s world crumble before their very eyes.  He enjoys knowing the most, but also clearly cares the least...almost to the point of being sadistic in his torments of Rick’s group both in the buildup to and actual face-to-face meeting.  Rick did some terrible things, he didn’t care, but he wasn’t exactly having a party while doing them...Negan is though.

In truth I’m not sure Rick will ever go back to that truly heroic man he once was; this world seems unwilling, unable, to allow that for him.  I’m not sure the Walker-filled world will allow that for anyone in the end, though I root for the holdouts…those that, no matter how much they know, still care deeply.  Those like Morgan, Glenn, and Tara (who cringed at Rick's "kill them all" declaration and remained unsure throughout their attack on The Saviors).  As far as Rick?  The best that can be hoped for is that he never becomes the worst out there, but that’s not a hope to root for either because, in the end, those are the people Rick and the rest for will no doubt have to deal with.

The Trial of Kylo Ren: Hero or Villain?

First and foremost this post will contain spoilers concerning Star Wars: The Force Awakens.  A lot of spoilers.  MAJOR spoilers.  If you’ve not yet seen the film and wish to remain spoiler-free then I suggest you just save this page and come back to it later.  If you’ve seen the film or simply don’t care about knowing everything keep on reading…

Seriously though, from now on there will be spoilers!

There have been many theories about Star Wars: The Force Awakens concerning the characters, their pasts, and their potential futures.  Everything from “Rey is Obi-Wan's granddaughter” to “Supreme Leader Snoke is actually a tiny man a’la Wizard of Oz” have been bandied about and broken down by countless fans.  All are fairly intriguing possibilities, some I even root for being truth (I’m looking at you Poe and Finn), but none are as intriguing as those surrounding the main villain of the film, Kylo Ren.  Already a fascinating character - a young man on the Dark side feeling himself constantly pulled by the Light - Kylo is made all the more captivating by one of the main theories about him: He’s not the villain, he’s the hero.  Rather than the angry young man turning on his family, Kylo Ren is a brave lad undercover for the Resistance.  Like I said, intriguing.

I have no particular stake in this theory either way, but I am curious enough to take a closer look at it.  Give Kylo Ren a trial, so to speak, to determine if the theory he is a hero holds any water.  So let’s proceed with the evidence for, against, and somewhere in between to see what shakes out.

The Pull of the Light: 

Throughout the film Kylo Ren notes the feeling of being pulled to the Light side of the Force.  It seems to haunt, even torment, him.  The Light side of the Force is all about honesty, compassion, mercy, self-sacrifice, and other heroic concepts.  Given this it immediately suggests that Kylo is not instinctually as evil as his behavior suggests.  It is not in his nature to be cruel, selfish, or aggressive (traits of the Dark side).  If this is the case, if he is going against his nature, then that does suggest he could be playing a part.  Whether he’s playing a part hoping to fake it until he makes it - which is the surface presentation - or for the greater good is hard to tell, but we’ll give this to the “Kylo Is Hero” camp for the moment.

The Murder of a Father:

Kylo Ren is revealed to be Ben Solo, the son of Han Solo and Leia Organa (Skywalker).  With this bit of background you can see why fans might make the argument he could be a hero; between his lineage and Force-power he’d be someone the First Order would want to recruit, but not necessarily suspect of being undercover.  However, it’s just as likely to me that fans want a way around the idea of Han and Leia’s only son turning on them and all they stand for.  It’s terrible and makes the fact that Kylo kills Han completely tragic.

Upon reuniting father and son have an emotional discussion in which Han encourages Ben to come home.  Ben explains that he has a mission that he’s unsure he can complete and asks his father for help.  Han says he’ll do whatever is needed as the young man hands over his lightsaber to his father…then there’s the sound of the weapon coming to life and Han is run through.  Nothing else is seen and directly after there is pandemonium as Rey, Finn, and Chewbacca fire upon Kylo before he escapes.

Naturally this is not a point for Kylo being hero.  There have been some theories that Han was in on it — that he either knew Kylo had to kill him to solidify himself within the First Order or Han actually killed himself with the lightsaber (given it was last shown in his hands) — but I find that a bit of a stretch.  If this was all truly to sell Kylo as on the First Order’s side, why wouldn’t they arrange something more public?  A big capture and public execution before Hux, Snoke, and others who might be watching and making determinations about Ben’s commitment to their side.  Also, public or not, a fair amount of things would have had to fall exactly in the right place at the right time for this agreed upon “murder” to occur.  Then there’s the fact Chewbacca clearly considered this a real murder, a real betrayal, and I’d think Han would let him in on the plan if only to ensure Chewie didn’t hurt Kylo (which he did).

I don’t see any truly logical way around this one…This act falls into the “Kylo is Villain” column.

The Insecurity:

There is one other comparable villain in Star Wars named General Hux.  Like Kylo he is young and working for the First Order, but unlike Kylo he seems utterly sure of what he is doing.  Hux has no moral wavering about what he says, does, or has others do.  He doesn’t waver at all.  He is dispassionate and frequently butts heads with Kylo, even chastising him about letting his personal feelings cloud what needs to be done.  It could just be that Hux has been born and breed to be this sort of militaristic person who doesn’t question orders once given…but then so was Finn and he had so many doubts he defected.

Kylo, on the other hand, seems continuously torn about what he’s doing.  He speaks to the destroyed helmet of Darth Vader asking for the fortitude to carry on and “finish what [Vader] started”.  It implies that Kylo is not comfortable with the evil’s he doing, that he feels unsure of his motives and guilt over his deeds.  Concerning the murder of his father he confesses aloud he’s unsure he can do it and seems very close to falling apart over even the thought of it; he nearly backs out completely until the last second.

Purely from what’s onscreen, without searching for any hidden meanings, Kylo’s a young man trying to be tougher, more frightening, than he actually is.  This isn’t exactly an unprecedented thing for any male (or female) youth and equally unsurprising would be such a person getting in over their head and deciding they have no option but to keep up the front.  This could certainly be the case with Kylo: He wants to be feared, a badass, and after being manipulated by Snoke he ends up falling to the Dark side where he really doesn’t belong…but rather than backing out and heading home Kylo presses on determined not to be seen as weak. 

Even if he isn’t undercover this insecurity shows he could still become a hero by being honest with himself and doing the right thing in the end so I'll throw this to the “Kylo Is Hero” side .

The Tantrums:

One of the most significant (and sometimes amusing) behaviors Kylo Ren indulges in is tantrums.  I could call these rages or violent outbursts, but they all play out like the tantrums of a toddler.  I’m not certain if this is a matter of having more anger and/or less control than others, but it makes him more dangerous than any other character in the film.  Hux and Snoke are dangerous, but really only to those who stand against them.  They are both controlled individuals, there’s little risk of them flying off the handle and killing those on their side, but that’s not the case with Kylo.  When disappointed he just goes off, destroying the closest thing with his lightsaber and causing nearby Stormtroopers to decide patrolling elsewhere is the wisest move.

In the real world this sort of behavior tends to lead to men (and women) who are in and out of trouble with the law.  Those that fight at the drop of a hat and are abusive within their relationships.  Those that explode only to come back after cooling down to apologize and swear they won’t do it again.  But they usually do it again, over and over, until eventually they kill someone in the heat of passion.

For that reason alone I’d have to say his tantrums point to “Kylo Is Villain”.

The Saves:

Ironically, despite those tantrums, Kylo does tend to avoid killing others.  He destroys consoles and chairs, roughs up First Order soldiers, even beats on himself, but is only clearly shown murdering two people.  One is Han and the other is a man named Lor San Tekka who’s helping the Resistance find Luke and seems to know who Kylo really is.  That’s not as many as one would expect from a guy with uncontrollable anger who wants everyone to think he’s the ultimate badass.  (Side Note: It's implied there are more pre-film, but none are blatantly shown.  Also I’m not counting destroyed planets as that seemed more Snoke and/or Hux’s doing.)

Kylo has plenty of opportunities to kill, but seems to go out of his way to prevent others from being destroyed even when it might be easier (and wiser) to do so.  He takes Poe prisoner, Forces information out of him, then orders him transported to a cell…Why?  Kylo has the needed information; it would be smarter to execute the Resistance’s best pilot and move on, but he doesn't and during transport Finn helps Poe escape.  Kylo even insists that BB-8 be taken unharmed despite Hux pointing out it would be just as beneficial, if not more so, to take the intel from the droid after it has been destroyed.  Rey too seems somewhat spared; even after realizing how strong she is in using the Force Kylo leaves her alone with a single guard from whom she promptly escapes with little trouble.

After touching Luke’s lightsaber for the first time Rey is overwhelmed by visions from the past and future.  Exactly whose they are is a little hard to tell, but many seem to either be hers or Luke Skywalker’s — or, at least, those are the two that make the most sense.   Within these flashes there is one key scene involving Kylo Ren’s apparent attack on Luke’s Jedi students.  In the vision Rey is put in the position of potential victim as one of the Knights of Ren stands over her, seemingly about to kill her, when Kylo’s lightsaber runs the man through.  If this occurred as Rey’s Force-fueled images suggest than it’s the most significant life-saving act Kylo performs.  It suggests that not only will Kylo go out of his way to not kill, he’ll go out of his way to save those he should kill as someone working in the First Order.

Whether it was Rey or Luke - the point-of-view of Rey’s visions are not clear - the Force-fueled image heavily suggests that Kylo killed an ally to save a proclaimed enemy.  This fact along with the other “saves” undoubtedly go into the “Kylo Is Hero” pile.

The Verdict:

First off, I don’t think the theory that Ben Solo is actually just undercover in the First Order as Kylo Ren is true.  It’s a good theory, an interesting one with at least a bit of circumstantial evidence to support it, but it's still incredibly unlikely.  A lot of things would have had to happen just right for things to work out as perfectly as it seems they have…also I think, as the leader of the Resistance, his mother wouldn’t just know, but would have been in charge, of such a delicate plot and there’s no evidence of that at all.

There’s a lot of evidence for Kylo Ren being a hero and a villain.  In some cases it would seem the same information can be read both ways.  So who is this guy?  The villainous Kylo Ren or the heroic Ben Solo?  Neither.  Both.  The most accurate answer is probably that he’s a young guy that’s somewhere in the middle.  He’s not some psychopathic villain, but he’s not really a heroic guy either.  It’s what makes him so fascinating to start.

What’s to come in the next movie(s) is hard to say, but at the moment it seems possible - though not probable - that Kylo Ren could turn out to be a hero.  Possible because he shows signs of compassion along with hesitation and guilt over the more terrible things he does, but not probable given both his explosive rage and how he was left at the end of The Force Awakens - scarred, enraged, and presumably more determined than ever to destroy.

When Characters Get Real, Audiences Get Mad

Certain characters achieve a level of venom from audiences that can be surprising.  Even when they aren’t the main antagonist, trying to take over the world, or even all that villainous, people loathe them…but why?  Why is it that certain characters garner more hatred than others?  Is it that they aren’t as clever, physically attractive, or entertaining as their more tolerated counterparts?  …Sometimes, but not always.  Usually there is a deeper reason behind the audience’s intense dislike.  It would seem that those characters on TV, film, and in comics who really get our blood boiling are those we’ve met - in one way or another - in real life before.

Dolores Umbridge

Just thinking of her makes me want to curse and throw things at the wall.  She’s the only person (real or fictional) to ever get my curse-averse friend to use the “C-word”.  Ms Umbridge isn’t the Big Bad of the Harry Potter series, she isn’t even a Death Eater henchman, yet more people seem to loathe her than Tom Riddle.  This woman with a love of pink, cutesy, things and a cruel streak towards those she deems “less than” is enough to make one consider using the Killing Curse.  Why?  Because we’ve met her before.  All different versions of her throughout our lives and whether we “beat her” or not, there’s always the possibility of another version cropping up in the future.

Remember that teacher who treated all her students like drooling idiot toddlers and enforced ridiculously harsh punishments for having your own opinion?  That’s Umbridge.  She was also the one calling you a liar or cheat when you weren’t and refused to listen to your side…or let anyone else listen to your side for that matter.  On the outside she was sweet and meek, she probably had others fooled, but you knew better.  You knew she was the worst teacher ever, but could never find a way to prove it.  She left you either playing her game by her rules or with a D average in the class.  You hate her still.

Just because you've moved into the corporate world doesn't mean you’re rid of her type either.  Now she’s the middle-management boss that tows the company line to the detriment of those under her.  Think there’s a problem with the way the company runs things?  Now you’re doing double-overtime whether you spoke up or not because the Umbridge in your office has been spying on you (or had others doing it for her) the whole time.  

She’s not the knife at your throat or even in your back, she’s the splinter just under the skin…unlikely to kill, but a constant irritant you just can’t get rid of.  Add to that Umbridge was a condescending bigot and hypocrite who pretended she wasn’t as terrible as she was so…yeah…it’s little wonder people hated her so much.

Kilgrave

What an asshole, am I right?  He’s the pinnacle of callous as he uses his powers of mind control to make those around him cater to his every whim.  It’s clear he doesn’t care at all about those he forces his will on as he either ignores or minimizes their pain greatly; he even goes so far as to play the victim himself.  He’s symbolic of the worst aspects of white male privilege: snobby, misogynistic, abusive, and self-righteous.  He expects others to feel bad for him as he gets his way consistently.  He enforces his will on protagonist, Jessica Jones, to develop a sexual relationship with her and gets offended when she declares (rightly) that he’s raped her.  As if to make him all the worse he frequently imposes his will for the most selfish and banal reasons: to get cushy digs to hideout in, as petty revenge for being pestered (“pick up that coffee…throw it in your face”), and to get the girl, as it were.  He’s basically a bully with superpowers and no one likes a bully, but everyone’s run into them throughout their lives.

In the schoolyard he was the one taking your money, saying nasty things about you, or getting you to do terrible things (smoking, drinking, cutting class) with/for him…or all three.  Kilgrave’s the man who feels you owe him that smile he wants.  When he buys you a drink, you owe him the act of drinking and then thanking him for it.  You should be flattered by his interest, don’t you know?  He’s the abusive, controlling, boyfriend who doesn’t see date rape as rape because he just took you to a high-end restaurant and bought you a very expensive necklace…you owe him.  If you’re lucky enough to get away, get free of his controlling and abusive behaviors, he fast becomes the stalker.  

People are incensed by Kilgrave because they’ve all met someone like him.  They’ve dated him, been abused and manipulated by him, or at least know someone who has.  He gives other men, good men, a bad name.  He’s rightfully terrifying because women come across various versions of him everyday from the random guy who tells you to “smile” to the abusive ex who raped them to the stalker slowly dismantling their sanity.

Skyler White

Disclaimer on this one: I didn’t hate her, I didn’t really have a problem with her at all given her circumstances.  That said I know the vast majority of Breaking Bad fans hated her with a passion.  They complained about her nagging, attempts to prevent Walt from doing as he wished, and butting into his business.  She went from calling Walt on his lies to refusing to allow him near their children, to becoming his sort of partner in running the carwash he laundered money through.  The only running theme for Skyler was asking Walt when he’d stop being so dishonest.  So the main question is: Why do people hate her so much?  For the same basic reason they hate the other two…familiarity in the real world.

I know a lot of people summarize that Skyler was hated mainly because she was in opposition to Walt being the badass everyone (if only reluctantly towards the end) admired.  I disagree.  There were plenty of others on the series who tried to stop Walt from his foray and rise in the drug business and none seemed to be hated with the same venom as Skyler.  Case in point: Gus Fring.  Not only did he attempt to stop Walt, but actively tried to kill him and Jesse and threatened to do the same to Walt’s entire family.  Still, people liked Gus.  They thought he was cool with his eerily calm demeanor, grandiose schemes, and frequent success despite the odds.  So…yeah, just being an antagonist to Walt is not why Skyler got so much hate.

It’s that every other guy out there has met or dated someone like Skyler…someone who won’t just sit back dumbly, take the bullshit they’re told at face value, and let their significant other do whatever they like without complaint.  Skyler really isn’t that different from other wives and girlfriends out there; she wants an honest, decent, man who doesn’t lie and (of course) isn’t a danger to her and her children.  That being said, when circumstances call for it, she’s willing to break the law to protect those she cares about.  It’s not a “ride or die” thing, it’s a “protect my family from the madness my husband’s created” thing…if Walt falls, they all do, and she won’t allow that for her children.

Of course, men weren’t the only ones to hate Skyler White.  Women did too.  They gave the same complaints (nagging, whiney, etc), but it still wasn’t the real problem.  While I feel the reasoning is slightly different from the men, it was still related to the realism of Skyler, just...different.  It was that, rather than make a clear choice, Skyler found herself a terrible, trapped, middle.  She didn't sit back and do nothing or happily go along, but she didn’t outright turn Walt in either.  Most would like to think they’d choose one or the either.  They would go along as Walt’s willing partner-in-crime or they’d do the legally right thing and turn him in outright.  They don’t want to think they’d end up just as trapped as Skyler did - working alongside a man she once loved hoping only to keep herself and children safe until he dies.

These three characters are all quite different on the surface.  Umbridge is a viciously saccharine woman who bullies anyone she feels she can, Kilgrave is a misogynistic abuser, and Skyler’s the wife of a drug dealer she hates more every day she finds herself with him…but they still all have a key characteristic to them.  Realism.  It’s this realism, this ability to find real life versions of these characters in everyday life (even within one's self), that brings up the heated, aggressive, feelings.  Many audiences use films and TV series as a form of escapism, but those characters all remind them that reality still exists.  They represent the more negative, irritating, and tedious aspects of life as well; the ones we’re trying to escape.  It’s hardly a surprise these characters tend to be the most hated and frequent subjects of our wrath, whether they deserve it or not.

Sinister is Sexy

Onscreen sinister is sexy, whether we care to admit it or not.  Villains in TV and movies are fascinating to watch; you can’t take your eyes off them.  (Casting may help, true, but Hannibal Lector is entrancing played by Mads Mikkelsen, Anthony Hopkins, Brian Cox, or Gaspard Ulliel.)  But why?  Why do so many of us fall for the villain even when he or she is so...well...villainous?

Please note: I’m not talking about the villains in slasher films like Jason Voorhees or Freddie Kruger, but the ones that lean towards sane, sober, and sociopathic; the ones that could actually exist, in one form or another, in the real world.

Cleverness: Never seen a good old-fashioned villain without a great amount of intelligence.  Makes sense, sociopaths tend to test above average on IQ tests and have a unique read on situations and people that can make them seem like geniuses.  On screens big and small villains are shown exercising their brilliance whether by orchestrating murders, forcing heroes to solve multiple puzzles to save others, or even getting people to question their own sanity.  It isn’t so much the things they do that we enjoy, but that they can do them…they’re clever enough to organize and execute these grand schemes.  In Nightcrawler the protagonist (but no less villainous) Louis Bloom is able to cleverly navigate his way from thief and amateur videographer to the leader of a fast-growing freelance videoing company for L.A.’s local news…the things he does to get there are pretty awful, but one can’t help but admire the skill with which he does them. 

Showmanship: What’s the use of intelligence if you don’t show it off?  Steal the Crown Jewels, have high society come to a dinner of your victims, get away with multiple murders, or just blow some shit up!  Even the more subtle types have their moments: Game of Thrones’ Littlefinger goes bold in pulling his knife on Ned Stark and shoving Lysa Arryan to her death.  Villains do some outrageous things, sometimes successfully and other times not so much, but either way the audience gets a great show.  In the words of Batman Forever’s The Riddler “[Two-Face’s] entrance was good, [Batman’s] was better.  The difference?  Showmanship!”

No Fear: Pretty much everyone feels fear, it’s part of human nature.  It’s what kept us alive when we were running around the wild in nothing except fur pelts and still keeps us safe now.  It’s also something sociopathic villains tend not to experience or hold strictly in check if they do.  No running around screaming in panic for these ladies and gents; they face danger, even death, with their middle fingers raised high and a smirk on their face.  When pinned precariously at the railing of a bridge in BBC’s Luther Alice Morgan responds in an almost placid voice: “So go on…Kiss me.  Kill me.  Do something."  And then there’s Jim Moriarty who, after realizing what he must do to win, blows his own head off.  He’s not scared of death, he accepts it and uses it as a final move in his battle of wits against Sherlock - an act that startles the typically unflappable Holmes.

Wish Fulfillment: Ever wanted to punch your boss, key your ex’s car, or tell some obnoxious loudmouth in a theatre to shut up?  If you’re like most you ultimately backed out, but these villains wouldn’t…or, if they did, it's only because there's something far worse/more aggressive planned - like Hannibal who kills and eats those who offend his sensibilities.  Most people care about appearances, the legality of acts, or (if nothing else) their own safety and keep their impulses in check.  Sociopaths don’t really have that same sense of care and villains certainly don’t.  So the Average Joe or Jane can watch a show or film and revel in a villain cutting someone down - whether verbally, psychologically, socially, physically, or a variant of the four - without any risk to themselves or their reputation.  They get the vicarious thrill of power, winning, and revenge as they watch; they see Khan crush an enemy’s skull and, however subconsciously and briefly, imagine the skull of their own enemy.

Your Fear: Biological reactions to fear and sexual activity have some overlap: Increased pulse, labored breathing, wide eyes, open mouth…the description covers both.  Two chemical releases - norepinephrinee and dopamine - occur in both resulting in an adrenaline rush.  It’s why we go on roller coasters and in haunted houses, to get that rush, because sometimes fear is fun.  Why do you think a scary movie is suggested for date night by those trying to get lucky?  It’s not just that the date might jump into their arms or lap.  Villains do the same; when they make a sudden attack or hold people hostage in a tense kidnapping or standoff they give us that rush of excited fear without any actual risk to our safety.

Charm: If you are charming it pretty much means you’re likable.  Good, evil, or somewhere in between, others tend to want to be around the person who’s friendly and complimentary.  Even when certain people seem fake about their kindness they’re more tolerable than the pessimistic grump.  Along with charming many of the onscreen villains tend to be amusing - whether intentionally or simply by being their own twisted selves.  Between a serious, stern, hero and happy-go-lucky, warped, villain people might just go with the villain.  

Secret Psychopath: The Dark Knight's Joker

Psychopaths are not easy to spot; in no small part because they are masters of disguise, skilled at fitting in even when they stand out.  With the ability to read a room and the expectations of those within it they can follow social norms to fly under the radar or openly defy them to whatever advantages there might be.  Whichever they choose though rarely are psychopaths spotted for what they are.  It’s only if you look closely, dissect with a rational mind, that you can see beyond the surface behaviors to the true person beneath.  It holds in real life and it holds in the fictional world…there are a number of characters in TV, film, and comics that hide themselves behind either subdued or over-the-top behavior so that you don’t notice who, what, they really are.

The most likely to be missed are actually the ones that present as outrageous.  Those so wildly over-the-top that you can’t help but presume they have some severe mental issues.  Those like the Joker, who’s been labeled with everything from schizophrenia to general psychosis to just plain crazy without any diagnosis.  While understandable given the clown get-up, cackles of laughter, and tendency to really enjoy causing chaos whenever he can none of these diagnoses are accurate.  The truth is the Joker’s a psychopath.  A cunning, happy to subvert the status quo, creatively violent, remorseless, psychopath.  He knows the things he does are wrong, he just doesn’t care.  Murdering others, blowing up places, and generally terrorizing an entire city aren’t things that bother him and neither is the concept of any potential consequences for his actions.

Of course the Joker could do everything he does without the “crazy” clown get-up and giggles, but I think that’s where he’s actually the most cunning.  For starters it’s a built-in defense should he get caught and brought to court on charges - “I can’t be held accountable, look at me, I’m clearly insane!”  This defense is used even outside the courts when the Joker visits Harvey Dent after the explosions he caused that mutilated Dent and killed Dent’s love, Rachel Dawes.  When Dent declares that, physically there or not, the Joker is responsible as it was his plan the Joker replies: “Do I really look like a guy with a plan?  You know what I am?  I'm a dog chasing cars.  I wouldn't know what to do with one if I caught it!  You know, I just... *do* things.”  On the surface it’s a good argument because the Joker genuinely doesn’t look like he’d be capable of any sort of plan.  The truth is though the Joker is more than capable of incredibly complex plans as evidenced by the opening sequence of the film as well as the ferry “experiment” he set up pitting criminals against everyday citizens.  (Even while that one didn’t work it wasn’t an issue with a faulty setup, but instead the Joker underestimating the humanity of those in Gotham, law-abiding or not.)

The Joker’s surface appearance and behavior frequently leads to misconceptions by those around him that he can then use to his advantage.  The mobsters of the city don’t take him seriously to start, dismissing him as a nobody, a wack-job, and a freak.  They see him as useful in hiding their illegally obtained funds, but not as a threat.  Because of this the Joker is allowed to live, plot, and scheme for a significant period of time before any of the mob bosses decide he is more threat than asset and by then it’s too late.  By then the Joker’s obtained significant influence over the criminal underlings so that they turn on their bosses.  Even Batman initially makes the simplistic categorizing of the Joker as a just another criminal, one that’ll be easily captured once he figures out what the Joker wants.  Alfred has to point out that the Joker is not that sort of criminal, he’s not someone with a clear or even logical motive that can be manipulated to catch him.

Interestingly though, not even Alfred is completely correct.  He suspects that the Joker might be doing what he’s doing because he considers it “good sport”, which isn’t entirely accurate.  The Joker himself explains that he wishes to upset the order of society, to cause chaos, in order to prove (he presumes) people are only as good as their surroundings allow.  It’s still not the usual, still an intangible, thus still not something that Batman can easily exploit to stop Joker, but it is a motive beyond just some twisted fun.  The Joker is unlike any of the other criminals Batman has gone up against up to that point - he is intelligent, determined, unpredictable, and delights in the terrible results of the things he does.

There is also a more metaphorical reason for the Joker’s bizarre costume and behavior…it both calls attention to and subverts Batman as an icon.  It’s unlikely anyone or anything will get Batman’s attention faster than a “crazy clown” cackling as he terrorizes the city and it’s equally unlikely that said crazy clown will make people think of anything other than that other costumed citizen of Gotham.  Both men are hiding their true identities, both use theatrics to shock, and both are physically aggressive so that the only true difference between them is motive; the Joker to deconstruct the city and promote chaos and Batman to try to keep order and safety.  A key difference, but one potentially overlooked by terrorized citizens.

Up until the Joker appears in the Gotham of the Nolan trilogy the man in the costume was the hero while criminals stuck to either mob suits or functional, bland, outfits.  With the introduction of the proverbial Crowned Prince of Chaos that’s no longer the case; now the one hiding behind a cartoonish alias and mask can also be a terrorist.  This leads to Batman’s hero status being questioned: What do we really know about the Bat-Man?  Wasn’t he involved in a number of destructive and dangerous events around the city?  If this man’s presence can cause someone like the Joker to appear, do we really want him in our city?  Suddenly the few who’d been questioning Batman’s presence - both in need and helpfulness - become the many.  He’s no longer an unchallenged icon of vigilante heroism after the Joker…now he’s something darker, more suspect, and ultimately the one being hunted for multiple murders.

After doing enough damage that the golden boy and white knight of Gotham, DA Harvey Dent, must be killed by Batman after going murderously mad and Batman himself becoming public enemy number one the Joker is finally caught.  If identified as a psychopath he’d be deemed legally sane and thus responsible for all the crimes he committed…at the very least this would mean life in prison.  But because of his presentation, because of his bright clothing, wild makeup, and delighted giggles at terrible events in humanity, the Joker does not present as sane.  As such he is wrongly found insane and instead of prison is sent to the mental institution, Arkham Asylum.  Some might argue that the asylum is the worse place, but given how frequently people escape from there it seems the better to me.  So, again, the outrageous presentation works for the Joker.  He knows this.  It’s why he almost never shows his true self - a cunning, manipulative, psychopath completely aware of himself, his actions, and the consequences of those actions.

Hero to Villain: The Journey of Rick Grimes?

In his book I Wear the Black Hat Chuck Klosterman defines a villain as someone who "knows the most, but cares the least".  Makes sense.  The hero often knows only a fraction of what the villain does and one already assumes the hero cares the most while the villain cares little if at all.  As a story progresses the hero may learn more, but usually that only pushes him or her to care all the more.  This definition can also become rather dynamic if, by the end, it is the hero that knows the most, but cares the least.  Has hero become villain?  For example: Could Walking Dead's Rick Grimes be considered a villain at the end of Season 5??  ...Perhaps...

In the beginning there is no argument that Sheriff's Deputy Rick Grimes is a hero.  The hero.  An honorable man who falls into a coma after being shot while performing his honorable job.  A man thrown into the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse without any idea of what's going on or what to do about it when he wakes up.  He sees gore and chaos everywhere without understanding why and, in an attempt to grasp what's happening, gets a little too close to a hospital door that warns "DON'T OPEN DEAD INSIDE" before Walker fingers start to reach out for him.  Rick's knowledge really doesn't increase as he manages to get out of the hospital and in the direction of his home.  He's so naive he waves to a Walker slouching towards him thinking it a regular person.  Ultimately fellow survivor Morgan has to help him orient himself to Walkers and what's happened to the world as a result of their appearance.  Basically, Rick Grimes knows the least.

Because this is all horrifically new to him, Rick Grimes also cares the most.  He cares about all the signs of violence, about each of the innumerable dead covering the streets, about what people have done in their panic, and about what might have happened to his town and those in it.  He cares that those who witnessed the dissolution of society seem to not care; that they are so willing to turn their backs on and even attack others.  And of course he cares about what might've happened to his loved ones...his wife (Lori), son (Carl), and friends.  

Even after he gets situated in this new world - reuniting with his family and settling into the eclectic group that also includes his former partner and friend, Shane - Rick remains somewhat behind compared to the rest.  He's playing catchup both on information and processing what he learns while everyone else has moved on and are looking ahead.

This is never clearer when he is compared to Shane.  Shane who saw society break down, people turn on each other, kill each other without consideration, right in front of him.  Shane who no doubt witnessed so much chaos in those weeks/months Rick was out that by the time they see each other again he's numbed to it.  He's already had to survive in this new Walker-ridden world long enough he's used it.  He's moved on to pure, animalistic, survival instincts.  So much so when (presumed-dead) Rick's reappearance threatens Shane's set-up as leader of the group and new patriarch of the Grimes family he has little trouble making the decision that his old friend and partner has to go.

Truth is, when it comes to who lives and dies Shane never seems to have much trouble deciding.  He will always pick himself first.  He is more than willing to leave behind or outright kill others.  Should others die so that he can live, so that he can get what's needed, is fine with him.  He's not about to risk his life and the lives of those he cares for (Lori and Carl).  Shane wants to burn Hershel's barn full of Walkers, he wants to kill a youth leftover from a gunfight, and he doesn't see the need for debate.  A Wallker-filled barn and kid who can lead less-reputable/more-dangerous men to the group are threats and threats have to be eliminated.  No question.  No debate.  Just do it and move on.

For that same period of time, virtually the whole first two seasons, Rick has the opposite of this mindset.  Rick is still a sheriff's deputy at heart.  He wants to save everyone he can.  He'll leave no man, woman, or child behind.  He gives the vast majority of people the benefit of the doubt, even when it might risk his group's safety.  Rick might dislike Hershel's rules, might disagree with his belief that Walkers are merely sick people, but Rick respects the man's wishes while at his farm.  When disagreements occur he is open to discussion and debate; he believes the group should run as a democracy and actions should not be taken until there's at least a majority consensus.  Even threats should, if possible, be peacefully removed as opposed to violently eliminated.

As time passes a LOT of shit happens actually...a lot of crazy shit.  There are countless losses in the continuously growing and shrinking group: Ed (Carol's husband), Amy (Andrea's sister), Jim (bitten and left on side of the road), Jacqui (blew up with CDC building), Sophia (Carol's daughter), Dale, Shane, T-Dog (an original member), Lori, Merle, Andrea, Karen (Carol killed and set on fire), Hershel, Mika and Lizzie (girls Carol cared for), Bob ("tainted meat!!"), Beth, Tyreese, and Noah...and I'm not including those tangentially related to the group, but who still had an affect on them.

The group also comes across a great many different adversaries and all of them make Shane seem like a pretty reasonable fellow.  From The Governor and his followers to The Claimers to the cannibals of Terminus to a dysfunctional hospital run by Officer Dawn Lerner...each alone is enough to lose one's faith in humanity.  Each have their own version of madness and dangerousness that reflects the now Walker-filled world.  Each one teaches Rick that the concepts of fairness, decency, and altruism are lost.  So lost as to be dangerous if one still follows them blindly.  His old ways of doing things are over and he needs to adapt or die.  The laws he built his whole life on are gone, now it's the laws of nature that rule and they are brutal.

Given all this it's little surprise that Rick Grimes grows increasingly darker over the seasons.   Less likely to trust even after some standard vetting - "How many Walkers have you killed?  How many people have you killed?  Why?".  Less likely to respect everyone's opinion both outside and within his group - the phrase Ricktatorship popping up with increasing frequency amongst fans as seasons progress.  What Rick does grow more of is quick and brutal in acting against a threat.  Potentially dangerous individuals are, at best, given the chance to leave the group's presence with agreements not to approach again, but if that offer is refused or otherwise disregarded Rick and crew are sure to completely eliminate them.  Rick also grows more jaded.  The horrors that shocked him before barely register and leaving no one behind is an antiquated notion.

(This last fact is best shown when Rick, Carl, and Michonne drive past a man with a backpack screaming for help without even considering picking him up and when they pass him again, dead and half-eaten by Walkers, they have no reaction.  Picking up a stranger is high risk and a half-eaten guy is the same as trash on the side of the road...so common it goes unnoticed.)

Yet it isn't until he and his group meet Aaron and the other Alexandrians that Rick Grimes starts to truly slip into Klosterman's definition of a villain.

After over a year out in the Walker-entrenched world Rick knows a great deal more than when he woke up in his hospital bed.  He knows how Walkers "live", how they can be killed, and how people become them.  He's learned the best and safest places to get supplies, how to avoid Walkers when killing them would be the greater risk, and the type of person that needs to be eliminated before they become too great a threat.  He knows that staying alive means being willing to kill, that people will take advantage of another's weakness, and that while you shouldn't link up with just anyone out there you shouldn't be all on your own either.  Rick Grimes knows this new world all too well and that's one of the main reasons the Alexandrians are so interested in having him and his crew join them.  It's for all those reasons (and a spotted kind gesture by Daryl towards the rest of the group) that Aaron first approaches him.

When Aaron initially shows himself to the group he's knocked out by Rick within the first few minutes.  Rick isn't interested in the latest "stay with us, it'll be great, so safe!" pitch about a community - the last one tried to eat him.  Greeting Aaron this way is rather unfair given he made no threatening actions, but that doesn't seem to cross Rick's mind.  (Even if it did, he clearly didn't care.)  And while Aaron knows a bit from his recognizance he's still uncertain what'll happen when he comes to them with his offer of Alexandria while Rick and the others seem to have at least a basic plan already in place if anyone approaches with such an offer.   ...In this first meeting of Aaron and the group Rick's the bad guy, even if understandably.

Rick doesn't exactly improve his behavior or mindset once in Alexandria either.  While the group takes up empty houses and seems to accept the offer of staying they are all still on edge.  Untrusting.  Again, understandably.  What's interesting though is when Rick is questioned as to what the group will do if the Alexandrians don't listen to them and things go south he bluntly states: "...then we'll just take this place".   Sounds more like something Shane would say.  As does the speech Rick gives all of Alexandria mid-fight with Pete (a.k.a. Porch Dick).  A speech that, ultimately, proclaims he doesn't give a single fuck what anyone else thinks, feels, or wants...his way is THE ONLY way.  Alexandria should, will, be that fan-popular phrase...a Ricktatorship.

Compared to the Alexandrians, Rick is almost the definition of a villain.  He knows infinitely more and while they care deeply about democracy, decency, fairness, and are shaken by every death...Rick not so much.

Now it's easy to balk and say: well OF COURSE he'd fit the Klosterman definition, who wouldn't after that long out in the Walker world?!  To that I respond: Morgan and Daryl.  Both men have been through similar - if not the same - experiences as Rick and both seem to still care a great deal more.  Morgan believes all life is valuable and therefore refuses to kill any of The Wolves that attack him and even honks a horn to ensure no Walkers are around when he leaves them unconscious in a car.  When Morgan comes upon Rick as he kills Pete his face is one of confusion and horror.  Meanwhile Daryl came into the group with his brother, Merle, planning to rob them and dash, but he grew to care for them...by Season 5 it is an act of caring from him that signals to Aaron the group would be a good fit for Alexandria.  Daryl, unlike Rick, seems to have grown to care more instead of less.

Even beyond the Klosterman definition Rick's still pretty villainous by the end of Season 5.  He's got no interest in others opinions, feelings, morals, or even rights.  He's violent and volatile.  He gets so out-of-control aggressive that his own people knock him out lest he get himself (and possibly the rest of them) kicked out of Alexandria.

That being said I have little doubt that deep down Rick is still a good man.  That he does still care and not just about his own family - biological and adopted both - but about humanity as a whole.  That, if they let him, he will protect those in Alexandria as fiercely as he does his group.  Whether or not this will happen remains to be seen, but we as viewers can hope.  ...Hope he's given the chance to show he can change and be the hero once again.