by Cephalo the Pod Thu 06 Sep 2012, 8:46 pm
NOTE: When I consider a villain's death, I consider the impact of just a death. What I mean is, a lot of the time, when a villain is defeated, they're often killed. The death isn't so much an event as much as a consequence. I want to isolate the defeat and look at just the death. In other words, if the scene didn't involve any defeat, would the death still be powerful?
Okay, let's start with Final Fantasy VI.
- Spoiler:
General Leo.
Let me set the stage. The Empire has apparently made a truce with the Returners, working together to calm the incoming swarms of espers. But IT'S A TRAP! Kefka ambushes the heroes, starts slaughtering espers, when General Leo decides to stick it to the sunuvabich.
Now, Leo has constantly been portrayed as a decent guy despite working for the Empire. He looks for the most peaceful solution to disputes and prefers not killing. So when the Returners are out cold, Leo takes Kefka (who's absorbed a bunch of magicite by now) on. Oh, and you're playing as Leo right now. Woo!
Leo seems to take Kefka down, all is good KEFKA STABS LEO IN THE BACK HOLY SHIT! The whole betrayal of the Empire is a terrifyingly great scene, and what better way to end this sort of scene than to have the most monstrous general slay one of the most compassionate members? The Returners even have a funeral for the guy!
And from Infamous, we have..okay, let me set the stage again.
When Cole reaches the 3rd, final island and Kessler (the big bad)'s base of operations, the first mission pits Cole against a series of challenges set up by Kessler; freeing people from bombs while swarms of First Sons attack. After an exhausting (in a good way) struggle, Kessler provides one final test: there are two tall buildings.
- Spoiler:
One has six doctors hanging from the top, the other has Trish, Cole's love interest. You can only reach one tower, the hostage(s) on the other can't be saved. It's meant to be a moral dilemma (and a rather blatant one at that).
The thing is, Kessler (or rather, the game) has rigged it. Kessler has designed this challenge to test Cole's morals. If you choose the doctors, Kessler is pleased. However, if you go for Trish, Kessler turns out to have known that Cole would do this; the lone girl turns out to be a decoy. Trish turns out to be one of the doctors on the other building (to be fair, she is a doctor).
Either way, Trish falls to her death, Cole unable to reach her. Even using his healing powers, he can only bring her back for a few seconds. Just long enough for Trish to praise/scorn (depends on your current moral alignment, not on the choice you made) him for the way he's used his powers. Her death becomes Cole's motivation for the rest of the game.
This is emotional whether you're good or evil. For the hero, it's a comforting message that he's doing good. For the asshole, it's a (righteously-deserved) guilt trip. I'll admit, it's weird for Asshole Cole to save the doctors and see Trish not mention that at all as she scorns him.
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