#protagonists and antagonists
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The sands devoured the landscape in every direction, a gaping yawn of yellows and reds. The protagonist's throat scorched dry. The last drops of their water bottle had been drained two hours ago.
They staggered another step forward on the dunes, squeezing their eyes shut against the breeze that somehow did nothing to alleviate the heat. They raised a hand to shield their face.
When they opened their eyes again, the antagonist stood in front of them. They looked as cool as ever, untouched by blistering day or the surprisingly freezing night.
"How is your great escape going?" the antagonist asked. They flicked their fingers, magic summoning a sweet pool of water into the inviting cup of their palm. "Are you ready to come home yet, darling?"
Option A: The protagonist shoved past the mirage, for it had to be a mirage, in silence. "I'm not your darling," they snapped, all the same. And they knew they could never go home again.
Option B: The protagonist's gaze dropped, despite their best efforts, to the tantalizing promise of water. It was all they could do not to drop to their knees there and then.
The antagonist's smile shimmered across their face, glinting in their eyes. You can have it," the antagonist said. "If you ask nicely."
Option C: The protagonist's hands shot up, drawing up a protective ward. Their heart hammered. It was impossible that the antagonist was standing there, wasn't it? The citadel was barely in sight anymore.
"Oh," the antagonist clicked their tongue. "That badly, huh? Poor thing."
Option D: "How are your desperate attempts to find me going?" the protagonist returned. "Ain't nothing but sand to see."
"If you come back now, I won't be angry."
The protagonist snorted. "I've got my own anger to contend with, after what you did. What do I care about yours?"
Option E: "Do you really think?" The antagonist stepped closer, holding their watery hand up to the protagonist's lips. "That distance alone would be enough to shatter the connection between us? This is silly. You know I don't like to see you suffer."
The protagonist let the antagonist feed them a drop of water. A moment of weakness, perhaps. Or maybe just the familiarity of them, of the bond rattling in their chest. The thirst and the hunger.
"Then close your eyes, love," they replied. "Look away and you won't have to."
#idk what this is#writing#experiment#writing experiment#poll#writing poll#creative writing#hero x villain#antagonist x protagonist#protagonists and antagonists#i wish the poll choices could include more text
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Buffy, Xena and Charmed are the only TV shows that I’ve seen that make you fall in love with the villains/antagonists just as much as you do the heroes/protagonists. They’re written well. Given in-depth backgrounds and lore. I mean, sure, they’re murderers and homicidal maniacs but they’re fun and interesting. They’re not a one-note. They have personality and qualities that you love to watch in them. You know? The writers make them worth the screen time that they actually get within the show.
I just think that’s lost a little in TV shows now where there is a clear heroes VS villains distinction. And okay, yeah, maybe it’s for good reason. You’re not supposed to love or like the ones causing all the chaos and the pain and the tragedy. But I don’t think there’s any real danger when you know the difference. This is what I mean about TV shows treating us like children and not letting us interpret and make our mind up for ourselves on the characters, narratives and themes. We are capable of differentiating from characters we should be rooting for and characters we shouldn’t be.
But still… a fun and interesting villain every once in awhile wouldn’t go amiss. You know what I’m saying?
#buffy the vampire slayer#xena warrior princess#charmed#xena#lucy lawless#callisto#hudson leick#heroes and villains#protagonists and antagonists#tv shows
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The Master could be happy, and it wouldn't even involve fanfic!
This essay is brought to you by caring way too much about the Master because Sacha Dhawan’s superbly psychologized portrayal of the Spymaster presents heartbreaking glimpses into the pain and loneliness motivating the character.
I also feel sorry for the Master, no matter who plays them, because they’re narratively stuck in the role of villain, and they’ll never be happy.
From Roger Delgado’s first appearance, the Master has been defined by the showrunners as the Doctor’s greatest enemy [in competition with Daleks and Cyber people]. The show’s repeated reference to the Master’s past friendship with the Doctor complicates the portrayal of the Master as the Doctor’s enemy. So does New Who’s periodic exploration of the Master’s affinity with the Doctor. However, the Master ultimately functions as the Doctor’s opponent, enemy, and antagonist.
And from the beginning, DW has defined the Master’s antagonism as one in which the Master embodies the opposite of what the Doctor [supposedly] stands for. The Doctor spreads happiness and wonder; the Master spreads misery and suffering. The Doctor explores, creates, and discovers; the Master hides, retreats, and destroys. The Doctor represents good things, which leaves the Master to represent bad things.
The definition of the Master as antagonist/opposite of good/cruel wretch confines the character to a miserable status quo. The show allows the Doctor’s companions, as well as tertiary characters, to experience arcs over which they change and often become more mature and happier. The show even allows various Doctors to learn things over their tenures [for good or for ill]. The Master never has the chance to learn and change and develop as a character in a way that would grant them any insight, maturity, peace, or contentment, however. If they did, they would cease being the Doctor’s evil antagonist, and the show depends on the Master’s perpetual, restricted existence as the Doctor’s mean/bad/wrong counterpoint.
It doesn’t have to be that way, though. The Master could be a dynamic character who experiences arcs of development and change. The character’s role as antagonist would need to be reworked, however.
DW assumes that the Master, as the Doctor’s antagonist, must necessarily be evil, bad, wrong, and miserable in contrast to the Doctor. But that’s wrong. Antagonists aren’t necessarily enemies. A protagonist is the character that the story is about--the Doctor, in this case. An antagonist is merely a character who works against the protagonist. Conflict often arises between protagonist and antagonist because the antagonist is thwarting the protagonist. But that doesn’t mean that the antagonist is an enemy or wrong or unhappy. Nothing about the protagonist/antagonist relationship requires that the protagonist = good guy/moral exemplar/happy person, while antagonist = bad guy/bad example/unhappy loser. The Master/antagonist functions as the villain in opposition to the Doctor/protagonist only because the showrunners have decided that the Master is mad, bad, and sad.
The Master doesn’t have to be a villain, though!
We can imagine many alternative ways for the Master to play antagonist to the Doctor’s protagonist. Perhaps the Doctor makes an impulsive, hearts-based decision to save someone, while the Master, analyzing potential complications, tries to stop and think before acting. Relatedly, maybe the Doctor trusts people and thinks the best of everyone they meet, while the Master prefers to wait and see. Or the Doctor, a staunch pacifist, hates guns, violence, and war, while the Master believes that guns, violence, and war have their place as self-defense. While the Doctor/protagonist and Master/antagonist would be angry at and frustrated with each other in such cases, nothing about these setups dictates that the Doctor has to be happy, morally right, and surrounded by friends, while the Master is unhappy, morally wrong, and lonely.
The Doctor and the Master don’t even need profound philosophical differences to act as counterpoints to each other. The Doctor could be a quiet person who prefers a few close friendships with their companions, while the Master prefers loud parties where they’re the center of attention. That’s a much more comedic framework than the political themes that DW often touches on, but DW has its funny side too. It’s entirely possible for the show to explore different sides of a topic through the Doctor’s and the Master’s divergent viewpoints, while also entertaining us because, say, the Doctor likes fish fingers in custard, and the Master has sensory ICK over custard.
None of these scenarios that I describe are predicated on the protagonist being good and happy and the antagonist being evil and sad. Instead, these scenarios depend on differences, but the differences are neutral. Because the Master’s beliefs and personality differ from the Doctor’s in these cases, the Master has many opportunities to work against the Doctor as an antagonist. Nevertheless, these scenarios say nothing about the Doctor/protagonist being good/happy/right and the Master/antagonist being evil/sad/wrong. By moving beyond a simple binary framework, these scenarios allow the Doctor and the Master the possibility of learning from each other, understanding each other, respecting each other.
And that is how the Master could have a chance at insight, change, and happiness, while still being the Doctor’s antagonist.
@natalunasans @spoonietimelordy @queen-of-meows @sclfmastery @whovianuncle
#the master#sacha dhawan#dhawan master#doctor who#dw meta#HELP I WUVS HIM#why I love Dhawan Master#the power of the doctor#protagonists and antagonists#why the Master is always miserable
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Good & Evil (Opening)
As a writer, I’ve found that there are a lot of different types of protagonists and antagonists out there across all forms of media. Literature, movies, television, video games, comic books, theatre…just anything that tells a story requires a central protagonist, and some sort of antagonistic force. And when it comes to character-based pieces, the different ways one can play with one’s protagonists and antagonists is varied and wonderful.
Something else I’ve discovered is that not everyone classifies their characters properly, or else exhibits confusion as to what constitutes a certain type versus another. I decided, just for a lark, it would be fun to do a series where I go into different types of protagonists and antagonists, discussing what makes them what they are, and giving a few examples of each one for reference. Now, this won’t be an especially deep, layered, complex or analytical discussion, I’m not here to be a literature teacher. XD Don’t expect phrases like “Byronic Hero” or any of the super specific forms of villains to appear here. Just to make it clear in fact, I’ll be looking at 14 different very basic types of heroes and villains. These 14 are…
Heroes
Villains
Flawed Heroes
Sympathetic Villains
Anti-Heroes
Anti-Villains
Villain Protagonist
Heroic Antagonist
Redeemed Villains
Fallen Heroes
Misunderstood Heroes
Misunderstood Villains
Twist Villains
Twist Heroes
For each of these types, I will provide five character examples from various places. (Technically seven, actually; you’ll see what I mean there when the event begins.) Keep in mind, the examples I provide will by no means be my FAVORITE versions of those types of characters, they’re just ones I felt made for good writing and explanation. For those who want to learn (or just judge my pithy attempts at analysis), I hope you’ll find the entries interesting. As we go through, I’ll also show that there are root ideas that unite all these different archetypes: though they all express the concepts differently, every form of heroic or villainous character has a certain similar ideal at heart.
I will be covering these types in the above order, one a day, starting tomorrow. This is a simple series I like to call…Good & Evil: A Study of Heroes and Villains! Hope you all will join me! ;)
#good and evil#a study of heroes and villains#protagonists and antagonists#heroes#villains#protagonists#antagonists#characters#archetypes#character types#writing#literature#movies#tv#video games#theatre#the works
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free conversation ender for people who continue to willfully misunderstand source material and start inane arguments about it
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"Euphrasie unfreezes the King" postcanon stuff is so funny to me because like
#loop and siffrin meet the happiest man in vaugarde#the reason this is in ms paint is because sam and i were joking about the king and then i put far too much effort in#the fucking. mop-headed tank top flower crown king is sam's joke not mine LMAO#isat spoilers#in stars and time spoilers#isat king#isat fanart#isat siffrin#isat loop#anyway funny as it is to have neutralised antagonists one-sidedly see protagonists as their friends despite it all#siffrin is way too strong for that by the end . that man is fucking mincemeat
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014 - first meeting
#mp100#mob psycho 100#teruki hanazawa#shigeo kageyama#terumob#mod 1#i love character development I love antagonists becoming protagonists I love unhinged characters learning humility and love
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psa that the day there are no jgy stans left on tumblr dot com is the day i am dead
but rest assured i'll go to my grave exactly as i lived: obnoxiously proclaiming to everyone within earshot how great lianfang-zun is. narratively, metaphorically, spiritually. sexually, too, like why limit myself. i like to keep my options open
#the spirit of su minshan possessed me for a minute there but like. i'm fine with it#jin guangyao#he did crimes??? good for him 😌#editing this post to add that while the tone here is clearly joking#i really am fundamentally still engaged with this fandom#and with this book#almost exlcusively because of my enjoyment of jgy#even xiyao is secondary for me like i love it and i'm ride or die for it obvs#but jgy as a character is the main draw for me. and he would have me by the throat even if there was no zewu-jun#(tho i think jgy's life would be more depressing for his absence obviously)#but he is just. /clenches my fists!!!#THE most compelling character in the story and i cannot stop thinking about him!! cannot will not!!#who else in this book has his range? who else can be the doe-eyed idealist AND the spy with blood on his hands who ends a war?#who else is two different greek tragedies and at least two separate shakespearean tragedies rolled into one antagonist#an antagonist who but for the POV of the novel could very easily have been the protagonist#whose moral event horizon is so deeply entwined with his own trauma and abuse that there is no way to meaningfully separate#the violence he does to others from the systemic violence that was done to him for his whole life?#who else in this book manages to get five separate sect leaders utterly obsessed with him no matter how you choose#to interpret that obsession?#no one!!! that's who!!#ain't no one else in the jianghu doing it like lianfang-zun and that's just a goddamn fact
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...may we see sumire meeting sophie..... red haired girls... i think they'd like each other perhaps
the girls!!! the They
#persona 5#p5#sumire yoshizawa#sophia persona 5#my favourite bless users with red hair... that is worn in a ponytail when theyre fighting but not necessarily worn that way otherwise...#that have a special personal relationship with the twist antagonist who is trying to take over the world for sympathetic reasons...#and fight the protagonist once its revealed that said antagonist has tampered with their memory somehow... and have a special second#awakening to their persona as a result of that...#kasumi yoshizawa#p5s sophia#persona 5 sophia#p5r#i will fill the p5s tag my fucking self if i have to#sophiesumi#asks & requests#comics
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I know some fans were hoping for a quill kipps closer to book canon, but I for one really appreciate jack bandeira’s ability to go from James Bond to Pathetic Loser Boy.
#it is a vital quality in the antagonist-to-protagonist character imo#lockwood and co#lockwood & co#quill kipps
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shigaraki being like “I’m killing you bc you’re izuku midoriya’s baby girl and it’ll send him into the rage” is SO LOVE INTEREST it’s so YOURE HIS PRECIOUS SOMEONE if something happens to YOU he’s gonna LOSE IT if you wanna go for izuku’s HEART you TAKE HIS KACCHAN
#bakudeku#bkdk#manga spoilers#I’m getting caught up in the manga and katsuki being izuku’s damsel is so#he’s so the love interest coded he’s explicitly izuku’s precious someone#how is bkdk up for debate when the MAIN ANTAGONISTS ARE LIKE it’s you you’re his baby girl get him#it’s so CHARGED ITS SO ROMANTIC ITS SO!!!!#no one means as much to izuku as katsuki does no one else has his love so intensely!!#like guys the author would NOT be doing this unless it was true#no sane author is gonna have just pick anyone to send the mc into a rage#at the CLIMAX his DARKEST HOUR#YOU DONT JUST PICK ANYONE TO KILL OFF DRAMATICALLY IN FRONT OF THE PROTAGONIST#YOU KILL OFF THE ONE THATS GONNA HIT HARDEST#anyway bkdk canon argue with the wall
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Encouragement: your prose has such a physical, tangible element that is so rare and immersive and incredible! Your descriptions don’t just feel real, they make me feel like I am real inside the story (if that makes any sense haha). Thanks for sharing your talent so generously!
Prompt request: a sword fight between the protagonist and antagonist, including all the witty banter and sexual tension, that ends with the protagonist on their knees, sword under their chin, pretending not to be terrified - and whatever you think should come next :)
"It's been a while since we've done this," the antagonist murmured. Their intent gaze tracked every step, every breath, that the protagonist made around them on the arena sand. "I was starting to think I wouldn't get the pleasure again."
"You like being cut to ribbons and knocked on your arse, sire?"
"Well, you do it beautifully." The cruel monarch's eyes gleamed in the sun. "What can I say? It's inspiring."
It wasn't what the protagonist had expected. The last time the protagonist had challenged them and won - bargaining for the safety of their entire village - the antagonist had been livid. They'd never lost before.
There was no lie in the antagonist's eyes though. Only a strange admiration that made something in the protagonist's stomach bottom out.
The antagonist lunged in the brief distraction that comment caused.
The protagonist parried just in time - then they were off. The air rang with the clash of their swords, with the sound of their panting breaths and pounding hearts.
The crowd roared hungry behind it all. It was a long-awaited rematch after all. A talented tyrant and the only upstart to ever beat them on the field. A nobody.
The protagonist was swiftly made aware of the fact that the antagonist had vastly improved since their last match. Everything about them was sharpened to a deadly purpose. The protagonist's heartbeat quickened.
It struck them, for the first time, that they might not win again.
They paused many minutes later with both of their blades locked in place, their faces inches apart. Sweat stung the protagonist's eyes.
The antagonist grinned. "As I said, inspiring. I'm so glad you came back."
"You made it hard not to."
"You made it hard not to spend the last three years thinking about you."
The protagonist swallowed.
The improvement was impressive. The antagonist was as gorgeous to watch in action as they were horrifying to fight against.
"You're still not winning," the protagonist said. "Go back and train for another three years. Then, maybe."
"Your arms are trembling."
The protagonist wrenched back, at that, and lunged anew. The problem was that their arms were shaky with the effort of blocking and evading the antagonist's blows.
The two of them had always had different styles. The protagonist was fast, light on their feet. They'd mostly trained for multiple opponents. The antagonist had trained for this. They were far stronger than the protagonist was in the force of their blows. Before, they'd been much slower. Now, they were still slower - but only just. There was no respite.
The longer it dragged on, the more the fight tipped into the antagonist's favour. The protagonist had always won by dispatching their opponents as swiftly as possible, but the antagonist was a siege weapon. They didn't even seem tired.
"Would you like to get on your knees for me now," the antagonist asked, "or would you like me to knock you to them? I don't mind either way, when it's you."
The protagonist snarled, too breathless for words.
They'd managed to draw first blood, just like last time, but since then...
The antagonist tipped their head, a mocking incline of acknowledgement. Then they were bearing on the protagonist again.
The protagonist didn't remember hitting their knees, some time later. They were too concerned with their sword wrenching out of their hand, landing out of reach, for the dull pain of it to register.
Cold, unyielding metal pressed cold against the flushed skin at their throat.
The protagonist finally went still. They had one hand planted on the sand to catch themselves, head bowed where they'd frozen. Beneath the cover of their hair, their gaze flicked around desperately for an angle they could use.
Could they tackle the antagonist's legs? Make a dash for their blade again? A grab for the antagonist's sword instead?
Not with that blade held so firmly, so confident, against their jugular.
The antagonist nudged the sword up against the protagonist's chin. The protagonist tipped their head back up, careful not to make any sudden moves.
"Hands behind your head," the antagonist said.
The protagonist met their eyes, then slowly did as they were told. Their chest heaved.
The crowd, for all of their baying racket, felt distant. Inconsequential.
Nobody would challenge the antagonist if they slit the protagonist's neck. They probably wouldn't even be surprised. Fear licked up the protagonist's spine.
"Tell me you surrender," the antagonist said, softly.
"I don't."
"You don't want to do this nicely?"
The protagonist said nothing.
"Tell me I'm a better fighter," the antagonist said. "Tell me I'm the best you've ever fought."
They absolutely were the best the protagonist had fought in a very long time, but that was also absolutely besides the point.
"We've both won one." The protagonist's jaw clenched. "We'd have to go a third round to decide that."
"Mm." Something shifted on the antagonist's face, there and gone in an instant. "By all means. Can you get up?" They tapped the protagonist's chin with the sword again, that time breaking skin. The protagonist felt blood trickle down their neck.
The protagonist started to rise. They crumpled just as quickly, with a startled hitch of breath. Their tired legs abruptly felt like jelly. They'd no idea how they'd got so exhausted. They-
"Your blade," the protagonist said, in accusing disbelief. "What did you-?" The antagonist's talent was by no means fake, but they'd also clearly had no intention of leaving a rematch and their reputation to chance. Their blade, and the thin cut on the protagonist's neck, was tainted by something.
"Oh dear oh dear," the antagonist said. "It seems you've pushed yourself too far. You should have yielded with dignity."
"Bastard."
"Surrender."
"Or what?"
"Or I'll give you enough of a dose that you can never pick up a sword with those impressive hands again. I respect you greatly. You will give me the respect I deserve in return."
The protagonist stared at them. They shouldn't have been stunned. They knew the antagonist's reputation.
The smirk had vanished from the antagonist's face. So had the flirting, if it could be called that.
"I surrender," the protagonist said. Their vision hazed.
The antagonist dropped the blade from the protagonist's throat, sheafed their sword, and offered a hand.
With everyone watching, the protagonist took it.
The antagonist hauled them up. The protagonist's vision tunneled.
"Good match," the antagonist said, sounding sincere. "You really are incredible." They yanked the protagonist in close, to press their lips to the protagonist's ear. "If you can walk out of this arena without collapsing, I'll even let you go. I just had to prove I could win, you see. People talk. They get ideas."
The protagonist made a small, involuntarily strangled sound.
The antagonist's thumb caressed their racing pulse. "My god, though." Their voice dropped. "You look even more enticing than I imagined beaten. You really shouldn't have been interesting. I thought you'd cave like everyone does."
The antagonist clapped their shoulder and stepped back, beaming.
The protagonist made it all of three, stubborn steps before they hit the dust.
#sword fighting#antagonists#antagonist x protagonist#protagonists and antagonists#writing#short story#fiction#sword fight#enemies
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just a quick thing bc it bothers me and i wanna get this off my chest
*pulls down presentation screen*
yes, both Miguel O’Hara and the Spot are antagonists to Miles
how-ever,
Miguel is an antagonist and a hero while the Spot is an antagonist and villain
that is all, thank you
#atsv#atsv spoilers#spiderman atsv#across the spiderverse#miguel o'hara#spiderman 2099#the spot#miles morales#this has been fluffy’s mini lecture about literary narrative terms#Antagonist and villain are NOT the same thing#can they be? yes but that is all dependent on the narrative and who the protagonist is#Protagonists and heroes are NOT the same thing#Can they be? Yes but like with antagonists it is all dependent on the perspective of the narrative#we are USED to seeing protagonists be heroes because many stories are in the PERSPECTIVE of heroes not villains#thank you for coming to me Ted talk#if you disagree with me go take it up with your lit teacher
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Montresor is the Bad Ending of White Raven
So Montresor has a religious trauma. And from what little we know of the flashback to his death, the man was apparently a corrupt preacher.
What that tells me about his life made me crack my knuckles, because holy shit, this guy is an even better villain than I expected. And not for the reasons I thought at first.
Montresor's possible backstory
A fun fact: "unholy men" used to be called "sons of Belial". Same as Monty's Spectre type, so there's the initial connection, but with what we saw in chapter 87, this phrase from his mother resonates quite a bit:
Montresor was most likely a bastard (literally), and if he was raised in a religious community, that immediately made him and his mother outcasts. Possibly his mother hated him for "ruining her life". Whether this is true or not, the implication is that he grew up a victim of a system that decided he was sucked by the devil from birth.
In this light, Montresor's attitude towards the world is actually a logical consequence: he has decided that abuse is the only way to relate, and you can either be the victim or the victimizer. Of course, he is now the victimizer.
But he decided that because life taught him two lessons that were important enough to make him the person he is now.
"I know this game better than anybody"
We know from the clothes and hat in his flashback, and the cross around his neck, that Montresor was a preacher. And I would venture to say an excellent one: he has heard all his life that he is a demon, he knows better than anyone what terror hell produces in people, so he knows exactly what to say (or not say) to manipulate others through that fear.
Montresor, like Annabel, is someone who exploits his own traumas.
Annabel has been almost conditioned to behave like the perfect high-society lady, and that includes going to impressive extremes if it means getting something in return. She has engineered her way through life by identifying the currency of the people around her and knowing exactly what to give them so that they will, in her words "kissing her rings".
Loyalty gained through fear vs. loyalty gained through pretended sympathy.
Same goal.
If the world has made them that way, both Annabel and Montresor will use every last footnote of knowledge gained through trauma to get what they want.
But then there's something else they have in common: this deep knowledge of the rules of the game has also made them both know that the odds are too stacked against them to ever win. In the past, we've seen Annabel throw in the towel on her arranged marriage, but Montresor took a different path, much more along the lines of…
"So I'm not afraid to cheat."
Montresor decided that if people wanted a demon. He would give them one. The worst demon of all, because this one knows the rules: he knows how to play the game, he knows how to cheat and get away with it. We don't know the extent of his atrocities, but given what happened in the flashback and the fact that his idea of a sleepover is stuffing someone behind a wall to slowly suffocate, this guy must have a long rap sheet.
So long, in fact, that he was tied to the tracks of a train to be torn to shreds without even a trial.
Because if the rules are just there to screw you, then screw them: the only option left is to cheat.
Which is exactly what Lenore did when she burned down her house and pretended to be a man to go after Annabel. Lenore jeopardized everything Annabel said was important to her.
And she got away with it. At least until they were both killed (or, if those of us with our chips on Annabel's childhood friend, they may have both died without anyone knowing).
Now, in Nevermore, Lenore is still doing that, as we can see in her reluctance to kill or destroy Montresor: she refuses to play the game, refuses to follow the rules.
She will look for ways to cheat here, as she did before (something Annabel actually expects her to do). The woman is too stubborn to bend, and so far she seems to have the wind at her back (the question is, for how long?).
The bad ending
These elements make Montresor a complete exhibition of the ultimate consequences of taking Annabel and Lenore's attitudes to the extreme: a person who instrumentalizes her own traumas to unravel and try to inflict them on others, and who is not afraid to cheat for her own benefit if it means getting what she wants.
The only thing that separates Annabel and Lenore from Montresor is that they both still use these attitudes in the name of other people: Annabel for Lenore herself, and Lenore for the people she cares about. That both of them (still) seem to have their hearts in the right place.
But if Annabel continues to use her vast knowledge of this twisted game to work her way through people without caring, and Lenore still believes she's above all rules, here's Montresor to show them (and us) what's waiting for them at the end of the road.
#nevermore webtoon#annabel lee nevermore#lenore nevermore#lenore vandernacht#annabel lee whitlock#montresor nevermore#By the way#I don't want this to be read as me defending Montresor#Just because I believe that his attitudes follow a logic does not make them good or excusable#But that's how good antagonists are written#as a reflection of protagonists#And perhaps we should take whatever happens to him as a dark omen for Annabel and Lenore#And speaking of antagonizing Morella where the fuck are you? Your spectre is the opposite of this guy's
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Charles Leclerc & Max Verstappen | pre-race | 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix
🎥: F1TV
#charles leclerc#max verstappen#lestappen#pre-race#*#f1#my edit#f1edit#i LOVE this shot in the outtro#kind of has protagonist/antagonist energy... where they are both#mexico city gp 2023#cinematic
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24
"Hold this for me." Before the hero had a chance to object, the villain shoved the bloodied axe into their hands and dropped to rifle through their bag.
The hero squeezed their eyes shut and took a shaky breath, trying not to think about the smell. Oh God, they were holding the villain's axe. The blood was probably still warm. The hero's chest tightened. The stench was overwhelming. They thought they might faint.
"It's not going to bite you," the villain said.
The hero's lower lip trembled. "P-please take it back."
The villain sighed. The hero felt the axe lift from their outstretched hands. They opened their eyes.
The villain was looking at them, a mix of understanding and impatience in their eyes. "If you're going to vomit, let's get it over with," they said, "but don't faint on me. You're no good to me unconscious."
They started to cry instead.
The villain let out an exasperated sigh and stooped to pick up their bag. "Cut that out, I don't have time for that." They hoisted their axe over their shoulder. "If you're not going to vomit, let's go."
"Why are you doing this?" the hero choked out.
The villain looked them up and down. They had already noticed the hero was small; it was why the villain chose to spare them. But there was more that the villain hadn't realized immediately... they looked frail. Shellshocked. And, frankly, too young for this kind of setting. They had a feeling the hero wasn't too loyal to their team's cause, or at least that's how the villain wanted them to feel. It would be easier to earn the hero's trust if their morals weren't in the way.
The villain blinked. Were they going soft?
"It's business," the villain said finally, furrowing their eyebrows, mildly irked at how protective they suddenly felt. "And it should be for you, too."
They grabbed the hero by the shirt collar and pulled them face to face, startling them. They'd be damned if they went soft on the hero already.
"Because I'm your best shot at getting out of here alive."
#writing#fiction#snippet#writeblr#hero#villain#hero x villain#protagonist#antagonist#protagonist x antagonist#villain x hero
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