Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Challenge: Redeem a Villain

This is part of the weekly Blogging Challenge over at Long and Short Reviews. If you'd like to participate, you can find the prompts here. They also put up a post every Wednesday where you go and link your response -- and see everyone else's. Check out their homepage to find it.

The challenge for this week is "A villain that I wish could be redeemed and why" and I can't help but wonder just how many answers are going to boil down to "Kylo Ren" because apparently that's seriously A Thing.

It is not, however, my particular thing. (But if it's your particular thing, I strongly recommend that you immediately go and read Emily Duncan's Something Dark and Holy series, beginning with Wicked Saints. Actually, go read it anyway; it's quite good, with a strong flavor of Russian folktales.)

So, what villain would I like to see redeemed? Well, for starters: Tai Lung, from Kung Fu Panda. I like to think that after his defeat at the hands of the Dragon Warrior, he retired to a small village and took up gardening, got to know his neighbors, and was eventually accepted into the community. I like to think that every once in a while a group of bandits comes into the small valley that holds that village and just... vanishes. And nobody in the village has any idea.

The other one, oddly, is Count Dracula. I like to think that if he hadn't been decapitated, he would have come to regret his deal with the devil and devoted his fortune and considerable lifespan to founding charities, improving the state of medical research, and generally trying to atone. Over the years he'd use his powers less and less, and find that he needed less and less blood; until at last he was mortal again, and could finish out his life and die peacefully in bed -- perhaps even surrounded by family.

So those are the two villains that I'd like to see redeemed. Who are yours?


7 comments:

  1. I love your character arc for Count Dracula! That would make a great book or film.

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  2. Those are two brilliant choices! Dracula is a great one, but I hadn't thought of Tai Lung. He reminds me a little of my pick - we always want to save the people who did their best but went astray. Great post!

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  3. Never considered Count Dracula, but bravo to you. I liked the ARC you provided. LOL As for Tai Lung, I agree. Creative thoughts. I enjoyed the post. Thanks for sharing. Here's mine. https://www.tenastetler.com/lsr-wednesday-weekly-blog-challenge-a-villain-that-i-wish-could-be-redeemed-why/

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  4. Yeah, think if Dracula became the official executioner. He drinks his fill and provides a public service. https://pmprescott.blogspot.com/2020/05/wc-041320.html

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  5. I like redeeming Count Dracula... I've always had a soft spot for Drac. Thanks for coming by!

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  6. Good choices. I hadn't thought about Tai Lung. Yeah, that one should've been redeemed. Good post!

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  7. I'm laughing over your choice of Dracula!!
    I am also appreciative of the Emily Duncan tip. Having LOVED Katherine Arden's Winternight Trilogy I wouldn't mind a return to the land of Russian folklore. Thanks!

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