User blog:BeholderofStuff/Pure Evil Removal Proposal: The Beast (Over the Garden Wall)


 * Original: https://villains.fandom.com/f/p/3179493162221867017

Alright he's been on my mind a while and honestly I find it hard to see him count. Yes he's cruel and sadistic but it's a requirement towards his survival. For those who are unfamiliar with this character:

Beast is a mysterious Demon who is motivated by his survival which requires him to have others succumb to despair within his woods located in The Unknown so that they turn into a special tree. This tree produces a special type of oil with which he can use to keep a lantern containing his soul lit and presumably the only thing that can keep it going. We know absolutely nothing of Beast evolving his origins or past other than years ago The Woodsman was able to take the lantern, knowing he was in danger he tricked Woodsman into believing his missing daughter's soul is trapped in the lantern. No longer able to directly fuel his lantern himself, Beast, tricks the Woodsman into fueling it through said lie without telling him of all the details. Near the finale Beast attempts to steal back the lantern when given the opportunity only for Wirt (one of the protagonists) to take the lantern, with Wirt's brother falling into despair Beast claims he can't be saved but he can keep his soul alive by putting it in the lantern. Wirt quickly realizes that wouldn't do anyone any good and that Beast is obsessed so much it's likely that only his soul is in it. A moment later Beast dies when Wirt leaves the lantern with the Woodsman who blows it out in revenge for the manipulation.

In short my argument is Beast has moral agency issues. He's a Demon that in order to survive has to make others to loose hope, with no evidence of any alternative to survival I can't say I agree with his inclusion. Now before anyone tries to point at others some Pure Evil characters who are motivated by a desire for survival / immortality such as Voldemort: Beast isn't given a backstory that indicates he was ever a mortal or anything other than what he is, again the only known way to live is by doing what he does. Given that he outright admits in one comic keeping the lantern lit isn't easy, I'm fairly sure if there was another way to live he would do it even if for pragmatic reasons. Why do I think this? As mentioned previously his lantern was taken away forcing him to rely on another person which based on the finale he clearly hated and only tries to con Wirt at that moment due to him being vulnerable to even a child blowing out his lantern which equals an instant death. He's a vile creature no doubt but can't see Beast having any other choice with what's given in series.