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Broadely , I would attribute it to things getting worse. And the increased awareness and reaction to things getting worse.
Sliding it neatly in with the rest of the modern pantheon of stories where, they don’t contest things are bad. It’s just that the villains want to solve the problems in a way that’s worse.

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[-] themeatbridge@lemmy.world 43 points 1 month ago

The trope is named Kick the Dog, and it's really old. Viewers need to hate the villains so that it is satisfying when they become the victims of violence, harassment, or karmic justice. But audiences like compelling, sympathetic villains. A villain who sees themself as the hero gives the storyteller license to challenge conventional thinking and make the counter-argument without alienating people who like the status quo.

[-] ChicoSuave@lemmy.world 15 points 1 month ago

And the inverse is Save the Cat, where a character does something that makes the audience like them.

[-] CrayonRosary@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

Don't forget about the third trope in this triangle: Boof the Hamster.

[-] IMongoose@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

Lemmiwinks! Lemmi, Lemmiwinks! Lemmiwinks!

[-] apfelwoiSchoppen@lemmy.world 33 points 1 month ago

Perhaps because they receive funding and collaboration from the US Department of Defense to define a set political perspective and global position.

[-] grte@lemmy.ca 11 points 1 month ago
[-] huquad@lemmy.ml 20 points 1 month ago

This why the vulture is one of my favorite villains. Guy just trying to provide for his family.

[-] satanmat@lemmy.world 10 points 1 month ago

Yeah. The guy trying to provide for his family and his own employees… damn that rich ass Stark

[-] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 11 points 1 month ago

"The very concept of "revolutionary violence" is somewhat falsely cast, since most of the violence comes from those who attempt to prevent reform, not from those struggling for reform. By focusing on the violent rebellions of the downtrodden, we overlook the much greater repressive force and violence utilized by the ruling oligarchs to maintain the status quo, including armed attacks against peaceful demonstrations, mass arrests, torture, destruction of opposition organizations, suppression of dissident publications, death squad assassinations, the extermination of whole villages, and the like."

-Michael Parenti, Blackshirts and Reds

[-] DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social 10 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

That Riddler was literally a cryptofascist, that's the worst example of this trope they could have chosen. He's not fundamentally different from any 4channer ranting about (((them))) on /pol/

Sure, there's probably going to be some populist rhetoric in that, but he was a very specific archetype of populist.

[-] RizzRustbolt@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago

Also it doesn't help that Gotham is literally cursed.

[-] Nuke_the_whales@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago

Batman in 2024 is full on the bad guy imo. How much good he could do for the city through his fortune and company. He could set up education programs, become a politician and help pass and fund real change. Instead he rather put on armor worth more than most homes, and beats the shit out of low income henchmen who probably keep working for these villains cause they can't get a job elsewhere. Also Batman is a pussy and indirectly responsible for murder for letting all those villains live, as per peacemaker.

[-] BigBananaDealer@lemm.ee 10 points 1 month ago

everytime batman comes up someone mentions this and i always doubt if they ever watched the batman cartoon or watched a batman movie or read a batman comic book

[-] hitwright@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

Is the situation somehow explained there? Since I don't remember the cartoon or movies ever trying to explain this. I guess the only explanation I've heard is that it's for children so some plot holes like that are encouraged.

[-] Duamerthrax@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Different people write Batman differently. Every complaint and praise of Batman is going to be true just by the fact of how many people have written him.

this post was submitted on 06 Oct 2024
163 points (92.7% liked)

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