The Victories Of Villains

Entertainment both reflects the status of a culture and shapes that culture all at once.  It is hardly surprising that the norms of a society make regular appearances in cinema, gaming, and literature, nor is it surprising that the entertainment in turn reinforces those norms.  As a result, a work that deviates from certain thematic expectations can hold a unique power.

One such expectation is that protagonists will triumph over villains.  While there are works of entertainment where protagonists do not ultimately gain the upper hand (Saw and Game of Thrones are easy examples), they are in a very small minority.  The consumption of entertainment where villains win can be a haunting experience because of its rarity.  These kinds of stories are contrary to the norms of entertainment at large, and because of this they can force people to confront the fact that being a genuinely good person does not guarantee victory in life, nor does it guarantee that one will not suffer immensely.

There is a need for more stories of this type, for they remind people of sobering truths that they might otherwise turn away from.  Indeed, one of entertainment's greatest abilities is to hold up a mirror that highlights unpleasant or precise truths that people in general avoid.  Even some who initially reject an idea upon considering it might find themselves willing to reexamine a concept that is integrated into a well-crafted work of entertainment.  Many people seem eager to ask questions about why malevolent, selfish people can walk around without any seeming divine or (sometimes) human opposition, yet there are few stories that portray this phenomenon in some of its most extreme forms.

The victories of villains are some of the most realistic things that could be included in a narrative, and yet they are often excluded.  If Western entertainment featured these victories more frequently, perhaps the emotion-based expectation that depraved people will inevitably be scorned or defeated during their lifetimes would lose prominence.  Not everyone has this expectation--but it is rooted into Western culture enough to dominate much of its entertainment.