The Bad Guy

       

                A few months ago I had to smile when a 5 year old described for me the events of Lincoln's assassination. In his words, the reason John Wilkes Boothe killed the President of the United States was simply "cuz he's the bad guy." When I think back on my 5 year old mind, that's what evil came down to - he's the bad guy. Max was right in a way. After all I don't believe Mr. Boothe had much good in his heart when he pulled trigger. However, I no longer believe that reasons for evil are always because "he's the bad guy."

        I mentioned a few posts back that my friends and I enjoy the British drama "Merlin." The show centered around Merlin and 3 other characters. One was the infamous Morgan Le Fey though in this particular adaption of the legend her name was Morgana Pendragon. The show begins with Merlin, Morgana and their friends Arthur and Gwen working together for the good of the kingdom, but over time Morgana becomes the arch nemesis of Camelot. Merlin, Arthur and Gwen spent their time trying to defeat her. In the end was I happy to see the end to "the bad guy?" No, because I saw what drove her to such madness. Though I never condoned her actions and the character did upset me many many times, I sympathized with her plight in life. She was lied to time and time again, and she was left with nowhere to turn. The only person who offered her comfort in trouble was the person who led her to a path of destruction. My heart ached for this bad guy.

        Several other movies and shows I've seen lately draw the same emotion for me. Many movie goers enjoyed Avengers over the past summer. I must agree that Loki was a bit full of himself, but he did have to live in the shadow of his older brother all of his life. Guy of Gisborne from BBC Robin Hood was never one of my favorites, but you could see the battle in his mind. He wanted to do right by Marian, but he also wanted to make a name for himself after suffering the great loss of his parents as a child. Regina from Once Upon a Time also sunk beneath the weight of her family issues.

      Am I saying there is an excuse for evil? No way! Sin is sin, and sin must be punished. There is a line in a song called "Angel" by Within Temptation that gets me every time. It says, "This world may have failed you, it doesn't give you the reason why. You could have chosen a different path in life." How true this is. Life can really be tough sometimes, and some people seem to have it tougher than others. Really it can be a wonder that more people don't wonder around tearing apart people's lives or coming up with evil plans to take over the world.

      This is why I believe I have come to appreciate good villains in stories. I love when a writer can create a scenario when you sympathize with the bad guy. You may not want to see their plan succeed, but you crave redemption or a second chance for them. I don't want to see them plummeting to their deaths at the end as they did in my favorite childhood Disney movies. These complex characters remind me of the depravity of man. Each one of us is a step a way from self destruction. One common theme you see in villains is they always seem to end worse off then when they began their quest to harm another. By God's grace He has given me a second birth in Him to live a life pleasing to Him. I no longer have to wallow in my sin and self destruction. I can find redemption in Him as is the hope of all who believe in Him. Every human being on the planet is a step away from these dark paths if not for the grace of God. Even when we do fail, He is a God of redemption and second chances.

       Why do I love "the bad guy?" Because they remind me that I would be just as bad without my Savior.