Board Thread:Fun and Games/@comment-2175012-20171205173216/@comment-3364901-20171205184251

put it this way - the way some media treats redemption of villains is akin to going back to an abusive partner because "they can change" - that's why it is poisonous.. media needs to remember that young viewers especially may actually think that they can "fix" people who are cruel to them and while you should always encourage peaceful amends there is no way you can have everyone agree and be friends, especially if someone is a bully or so on..

a bully may have reasons and may grow out of it, or they may just be geniunely cruel and bigotted jerks - trying to say that evil characters are all misunderstood or can be made into neutral allies is just dangerous.

this trend is, admittedly, usually in TV and children's media over movies - in movies they tend to kill off the villain (however they may be bringing Hans in as a neutral / ally in sequels to Frozen so I see this trend may be spreading to cinema too).

complex villains don't have to have a good side to them at all, there are many legit and "realistic" ways to portray a completely hideous character and it is important to teach viewers not everyone in the world can be redeemed and some people will continue to be horrible people no matter what you may do.. that's human nature : most of us are good, some of us can change to be better but a small minority are just plain bad.. they have reasons, sure, but that small minority will not and often do not *want* to be better, they have resigned themselves to being mean and that's how they stay.