What makes villains so great?

There is no good without evil; and there is no hero without a villain.

In every story, the hero and the villain are two opposing forces, fighting against each other to come out on top. In some cases, the villain is the obstruction that the hero must overcome to fulfill his dreams. In other cases, however, the hero exists simply to prevent the villain from achieving their goals.

A great story is defined by a great villain. In most stories, we see that the villains are often much more complicated and developed than the heroes they face. The presence of an underdeveloped villain can completely ruin the experience of the story, no matter how entertaining the rest of the story may be.

So what makes a villain great?

1. Backstory (or lack thereof) : A backstory is the best way to reveal the motives and history of a villain. We understand why the villain is the way he is rather than just having to accept that he is bad for the sake of the plot. Loki Odinson, the villain of the Thor movies and The Avengers, is one of the most engaging villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His backstory shows us how a young, adopted boy, 'living in the shade of [his brother's] greatness', grew up to be resentful and angry towards his father and brother. This sets him off on a quest to prove his worth, wanting to rule the Kingdom of Asgard to show his greatness.However, in certain cases, a lack of backstory may be what works best for a villain. Heath Ledger's interpretation of The Joker in The Dark Knight went down as one of the greatest villains in the history of cinema. In the movie, The Joker appears out of nowhere and goes about doing what he does best - causing chaos. There is no explanation given about the past of the character which makes him all the more mysterious; and threatening.
2. Embodiment of Fear : The villains are not only the polar opposites of the heroes, they are also the embodiment of their deepest, darkest fears and nightmares. The villain is everything the hero despises and fears. But it is not enough that our rebellious, freedom-loving protagonist must face a fascist dictator, the hatred must be profoundly personal. Luke Skywalker does not just want to bring down the Empire, he wants to take revenge on Darth Vader for the death of his loved ones. Great villains are made when things get personal.
3. Sympathy : No one is all bad. Villains are no exception. All the great villains have something good about them, no matter how bad or evil they are. Wilson Fisk, from the Netflix series Daredevil, is a ruthless kingpin who shows no remorse over the people he has killed. However, there is another side to him - he cares deeply for his ill mother, is madly in love with his fiance and only wants to rebuilt the city because he loves it. Every great villain has such a side. And this helps humanize them. This is what makes them deep, complex, three dimensional; real.

Villains are only villains because we haven't heard their side of the story yet. When we do hear a story from the villain's point of view, then they cease to become the villain. They become the anti-hero. So, how well does this translate to real life? Simply with the realization that there is no absolute right or wrong. No absolute good or bad. There are only perspectives. There are two sides to every story. Great villains reflect real life, showing there is good and bad in everyone. That's what makes them memorable, and fascinating. Look around you. There is good and bad in all people. You may be the hero of your own story, but you're the villain in someone else's.

Art imitates life; and life imitates art.

Have a nice day.

Stranger at a museum

I walked into the museum expecting nothing out of the ordinary. It was a school trip to a science and technology museum and I couldn't wait for it to be over so we could all go shopping later. Science was never my strong subject.

I was surprised at how interactive this museum was. Just as we walked in, there was huge dinosaur, complete with moving arms and a loud growl. There was also a full scale model of the Wright Flyer, hanging from the roof. Hey, maybe this wouldn't be so boring after all. 

We moved on to the lever and gear exhibits. I couldn't wait to keep moving because the last thing you want to see while on a trip are the same stuff in your text books that you stare into all year long. But then... I saw him.

He was tall, with gorgeous sandy blond hair. Bright blue eyes behind thick rimmed glasses. Casual clothes; beige shorts and a blue shirt over a grey t-shirt. He held a camera in his hand. He was leaning on the railing, waiting for this noisy group of school girls to pass by. He had a calm resting face, his thin lips pursed into a smile, hardly detectable. I should be ashamed, but I couldn't take my eyes off him. He was a beautiful man, straight out of my wildest dreams, and I stood there, smiling at him like an idiot.

He saw me and smiled back, probably out of politeness. Foreigners in India are often extremely polite. I coolly stepped over and leaned on the railing, while my friends checked out the functioning of gears. I had something much more interesting to check out, right were I was.

I wanted to say Hi. There was so much I wanted to know. Where are you from? What accent do you have? Would I be able to recognize your accent? All I wanted was to hear him talk... just say a word.

But the school group moved along, which means I had to keep moving too. As I looked back, I saw him left alone with the gears, and he proceeded to enthusiastically take photographs of the exhibits. Maybe I'd see him around.

The whole museum had a total of three floors. And for the next two hours, while pretending to be interested in the science of it all, I scoured the entire museum searching for this one man, while dragging my friend along with me. But there was no trace of him. It was like he had vanished. Disappeared completely.

I looked for him everywhere, every single floor. Every nook and cranny. Nothing.

After a long search, I gave up. He must have left, in which case, I'll never see him again. I sighed resignedly as  I crawled down the steps. My class mates were waiting near the exit to regroup.

So this is it, I'm leaving too. I'll never see him again. Oh, what I would give to see his perfect features one last time...

I heard footsteps behind me. I turned my head slightly and there he was, coming down the steps, just behind me. I caught a whiff of his cologne. I quickened my pace and got to the bottom of the stairs, then turned around and looked at him.

The soft smile still adorned his face. The school girls were crowding the exit. He walked into the crowd, and brushed right past me.

As I stood in line, waiting for them to take my number, I saw him walk through the door and out of the museum. He paused there, got the feel of his surroundings and then moved on, out into the big city.

This mystery man. This beautiful stranger. Now, I'll never see him again. 

Spoiler Alert

Ever had a major book, movie or TV show spoiled for you? Ever had to fight off the urge to strangle that person who ruined it? Then you'll probably know what I'm talking about...

Spoilers are one of the hardest things to avoid on the internet today. If a major movie comes out, before a week is over, social media is crawling with spoilers in the form of memes and the safest way to avoid seeing something you don't want to see is staying away from the internet altogether, until you've watched the movie. The heartless folks who post spoilers just days after the initial movie release have just one answer when us normal people ask why they would do such a thing - "The movie has been out for a week! Why haven't you seen it yet?" Oh, I don't know... maybe it's because we have a life. -_-

As an avid moviegoer, I want to watch a movie, peacefully, in my own time, without having to worry about anything that would ruin my experience. Maybe that's a little too much to ask, unless you're willing to cut off all human contact for fear of the dreaded spoilers. Because spoilers are more than just accidental little slips of the tongue. They are weapons. Cold, hard weapons; lethal in the wrong hands. "No, I don't want to know what happens at the end of [...]! I have some pretty bad-ass [...] spoilers up my sleeve and I'm not afraid to use them!"

Books and TV shows have it worse than movies because we can't finish them in two hours. A spoiler attack can come midway through and ruin what's left of it. It's very annoying how a small, simple sentence can destroy what would have been a great experience. Something like... He dies at the end...

NO!!!! Why? Why would you do something like that to me?!? The cause for sadness is not just having an entire book ruined. It's also the fact that a character you know and love won't make it. And I'm just not emotionally ready for that.

These are the times when you desperately wish you could un-hear what you just heard. Times when you wish an MiB Neuralyzer actually existed. Times when all you can do is lament over what is lost.

Avoiding spoilers does not work all the time. The surest way is to immunize yourself by watching the movie or reading the book as fast and as soon as possible. By that, you arm yourself with spoilers which you can use when necessary. This is possibly the best and most powerful way to take revenge because spoiler attacks are still legal.

But please, don't do it. It's one of the most cruel and heartless acts you can ever commit. A spoken word cannot be taken back. At least give a fair warning. But sometimes, accidents happen. They just .... come out. I've been there. It's not a good feeling. So, try. Don't deliberately have someone hate you for the rest of their lives. Spoilers can be more dangerous than you think.

Now, here's my fair warning. If you spoil something for me, I will take it as a unforgivable act of betrayal.

So don't. Just... don't. For your own sake.

Have a nice day.

Abandonment

They all walked out, one by one.
There's hardly any trace of them left behind.
I think I always knew this was going to happen.
But, come the day, I was powerless to stop it.

They held such promise. I was proud to call them friends. Even best friends. It's crazy how you can find someone, similar to you in so many ways. There's an instant spark and a connection you never knew before. Before you know it, you can't live without them. They've become a part of your life. They are the whole cause of your happiness. You would do anything to be with them. Because they are awesome, and all you can think is, how did a bum like me get to be friends with someone as cool as them?

And then, just as quickly, they are drifting away. The spark has died down. The connection is lost. And I'm left stranded, wondering where it all went wrong; where I made a mistake. Just as quickly as strangers became friends, friends have become strangers.

It has happened way too many times. And it's still happening. Why? Why do those friends, who make you feel so good to be around them, just pack up and leave one day, out of the blue, with no explanation? I may still see them, but now they are just a few people I've shared some past secrets with. It doesn't matter anymore.

And now I'm afraid. I'm afraid of enjoying hanging out with someone, because of the fear deep down inside me that if I have too much fun with them, they'll pack up and leave like everybody else. I can't go through that anymore. I've had my fair share of friendships with glorious beginnings and abrupt endings.

So if you're a friend of mine, in whom I've confided a decent amount of secrets, and if you know for a fact that I really like hanging out with you, then I implore you. Don't leave like they did. Leave if you must, but not like that. Not without a word. Not after making me feel its all my fault. Because if I like hanging out with you, then I really like you. And I don't want you to be dark patch in my history of relationships. Don't be one of those people who swore they'd be there for me, only to leave when I wasn't cool enough for them.

How many more times must it happen again, before I can laugh with someone without the fear of desertion? Here's hoping, never again....
 

Bouncing back

It's not everyday you get told that the script you worked on till 1 o'clock in the morning is a piece of shit and can't be used as anything other than toilet paper.

Okay, that's not exactly what happened. But there isn't much of a difference. I worked on the script late into the night, only to be told the next day to start from scratch. And that too by a teacher I admire and respect. Not a good impression.

But the thing is, I've never been rejected on such a large scale before. It's a first time failure. And it's different this time because all my life, I've only been writing for myself. It was just for my personal satisfaction. I never had to meet anyone's expectations but my own. I never had deadlines to meet or people to please. But now, its all different.

The teachers and my comrades have really high expectations. And we have a deadline. The pressure is even higher because this whole thing is a competition. There's a lot riding on me.

The thing about writing that attracted me was that I could do what I want, when I want. Not in this case. This is very different from what I usually do. And I gotta work harder.

I'm not pissed about being turned down. I know I shouldn't be. I kind of knew the script was pretty bad when I finished it. I wasn't satisfied with it. It was not my best work. But I guess, I thought they'd give me ideas and ask me to improve it. I never dreamed they would ask me to get my butt back to Square 1.

If I am serious about following my passion, then this is probably the first of the many failures I would come across. And there's no use coming home and whining about it. I gotta bounce right back and keep trying until I get there.

There's my ego screaming inside that there was nothing wrong with my work. But I know that's not true. It was massively flawed.

I need a break. I need to take a day off. Get away from the stress, and write just for pleasure. Hmm. Sounds good. I should get back to my book. Pick up where I left off. I have to go listen to some music. Or take a walk around the neighborhood. I've been inside the house for too long.

So, no big deal. I just need a break, and I'll bounce back. I always do. One script turns out bad? I just make another. After all, every failure is a step towards success. 

I'm getting there. I'll get there. Don't freak out. It's all good.

Vanellope over the years

Vanellope was always special. I knew it from the start. I knew it from the moment I picked her off the streets.

It felt like love at first sight. I couldn't take my eyes off her. I couldn't leave her there. I picked her up and brought her home, against all opposition. Best decision I ever made.

Who can say no to that face?

Every time I picked her up, she would climb up to my shoulder. She claimed that as her territory. I liked the touch of her soft grey fur against my cheeks. But then, she got too big to be sitting on my shoulder. 

We had our moments. On Saturday mornings, when I overslept, she would jump onto my bed and try to wake up. But most of the time, she just ended up sleeping next to me.

Like most cats, she is curious. But maybe a bit more than the others. One night, she just hopped into the car and refused to get out. She ended up taking a road trip with us.

I can't believe my baby is all grown up. My house has been home to dozens of cats but she is the one that stands out. She's the one that holds that special place in my heart. Vanellope... is the best.

The Year Ahead Of Me

I stepped into Eleventh Grade today. Same school. Different classmates. Teachers who have never taught me before. And text books the size of truck tires. I guess it's no wonder I'm overwhelmed.

Very overwhelmed.

Everything is so different. It's all new and strange to me. It drives me crazy trying to wrap my head around everything I have to study and everything I have to do. Sigh. Time to contemplate me life choices.

Day one, and I'm already starting to regret choosing Bio-Maths as my main subjects. Not that there was much of a choice in the first place. I keep telling myself it's for the best. It has to be.

There was no shortage of the usual resolutions I take at the beginning of every academic year. Study the daily portions, do your home work, try not to hate any subjects; the list goes on and on. Every year I tell myself, you have to stick to these promises till the end of the year!! So far it has never worked. That's why this year I keep telling myself, It's not like last time. You can not break these promises to yourself. 

But I know all this "study everyday" stuff won't last until July. It is, unfortunately, inevitable.

I guess what I really should be telling myself, is that this is just another school year like all the others. I got through all of those; I can get though this. Maybe a little bit more effort. Maybe work a little harder. And I might actually make it.

It can't be that hard, right? Right? People have survived before...

Anyway, my life doesn't revolve around this. There's so much more going on outside school. I can't let all that go. I know this is important. But not the most important thing going on in my life.

Besides, I got this. I totally got this. Piece of cake. Just like 10th was a piece of cake. Not utterly terrifying at all!

This is a new beginning. A new phase. And no matter what happens; even if Life brings me nose-deep in trouble, there's always a way out. There's always hope. And I just gotta have faith, and a smile that never fades. 

It's a new dawn, 
It's a new day, 
It's a new life...
And I'm feeling... good...