The Villain Factory

[Kobold King he/him]

"I'll show you, when the chips are down, these—ah—'civilised people'? They'll eat each other. See, I'm not a monster. I'm just ahead of the curve."

 

--The Joker, The Dark Knight

 

 

Sometimes the path of a human life can branch into different directions. One road leads one way, the other leads down quite another. One might lead a man down the path of a hero, while one might lead straight into the depths of villainy.

 

At least, that's the theory of it. So on this thread, let's explore some dark paths that Brandon Sanderson's characters could have ventured down. What would have taken to turn one of our lovable protagonists into a villain? What would have to change in the present to change them from the heroes they end their books as into hardened antagonists? How much would it take to break these characters whose morality we admire so much?

 

 

Remember to use spoiler tags wherever appropriate. With that said, let our dark task of hero-breaking begin.

[TwiLyghtSansSparkles she/her]

It's easy, in Vivenna's case.

Never have her go with Denth and Tonk Fah. Although the points where she meets with slumlords and others low on the Hallandren social totem pole is when we see the majority of her judgmental streak, it's also their actions that lead her to flee, which leads to her pride being broken. Had she never gone with those mercenaries, Vivenna's haughty thoughts would have remained hidden and become more deeply ingrained in her psyche over time.

Now, suppose she became Queen of Idris. Also suppose the long-anticipated war between Idris and Hallandren began. Would Vivenna be inclined to negotiate with the nation that stole and corrupted her sister? Would she listen to Siri's repeated insistence that she was happy with her husband? Or would Vivenna engineer a plot to kill the God-King and utterly devastate Hallandren? Sure, such a war would bankrupt Idris and most likely force the majority of its people into abject poverty and starvation, but a good ruler does anything to defeat their nation's enemy.

Edited July 30, 2015 by TwiLyghtSansSparkles

[+Slowswift]

In regards to the Stormlight Archive...

 

I'm not actually going to go with Adolin here.

 

I'm going to talk about Renarin.

 

Just think what would have happened if he hadn't met Bridge 4, or if the Radiants hadn't returned. If he'd kept all that fear and anxiety bottled up, what would've happened? Feather's probably more qualified to talk on this subject, but he's been hearing screaming Shardblades and he's seeing the future, which is very much blasphemy in Vorinism. With all of that pressure, plus his epilepsy/autism, it's not too far fetched to see him being pushed off the figurative cliff and going rogue.

 

And I think the Reckonerverse speaks for itself.

[Guest]

In regards to the Stormlight Archive...

 

I'm not actually going to go with Adolin here.

 

I'm going to talk about Renarin.

 

Just think what would have happened if he hadn't met Bridge 4, or if the Radiants hadn't returned. If he'd kept all that fear and anxiety bottled up, what would've happened? Feather's probably more qualified to talk on this subject, but he's been hearing screaming Shardblades and he's seeing the future, which is very much blasphemy in Vorinism. With all of that pressure, plus his epilepsy/autism, it's not too far fetched to see him being pushed off the figurative cliff and going rogue.

 

And I think the Reckonerverse speaks for itself.

 

     I love you for not saying Adolin.

 

Adolin is such the one guy everyone keeps on putting up for becoming evil, but the case can be made Renarin is more logical. Why? Because Renarin wants to prove himself, he wants to be worthy and he is willing to do anything to achieve this status. He has repetitively disregard any contribution he may have made to his house besides being a soldier. He is so keen on this objective one could argue he would do anything to reach it, including selling his soul   Renarin's weakness, namely his desire to be valuable and his tunnel vision of what valuable means, could cause his fall and he has nothing to fall back on. 

 

Adolin, Adolin has love and more importantly, he is not after personal glory. He is rather selfless which makes him less probe to fall prey to an evil entity. However, most readers disagree with this one. Still it was fun to read.

[WayneSpren he/him]

Mistborn 3 Spoiler:

Spook could easily have become the villain (at least to the people of Urteau) if he didn't find the Hemalurgic Spike in him. The visions of Kelsier (really Ruin) could have driven him to try to rule the city or become a terrorist.

Edited July 31, 2015 by WayneSlider123

[Titan Arum]

In regards to the Stormlight Archive...

 

I'm not actually going to go with Adolin here.

 

I'm going to talk about Renarin.

 

Just think what would have happened if he hadn't met Bridge 4, or if the Radiants hadn't returned. If he'd kept all that fear and anxiety bottled up, what would've happened? Feather's probably more qualified to talk on this subject, but he's been hearing screaming Shardblades and he's seeing the future, which is very much blasphemy in Vorinism. With all of that pressure, plus his epilepsy/autism, it's not too far fetched to see him being pushed off the figurative cliff and going rogue.

 

With regards to Renarin, given what you describe: 

That cliff may not be figurative. It could be literal. Renarin may have pulled a Kaladin, but actually gone through with it, jumping into the chasm.

[Mailliw73 he/him]

WoR Spoilers:

Moash.

 

Stormlight:

It'll be easier to tell once we get the third book, but from what little we've seen and heard of Dalinar's past, he wasn't a very good man in his youth. Brandon himself tweeted(which I can no longer find) that he wasn't the honorable man we see in the current two books(I believe his language was stronger, but I can't find the reference.). After Book 3, we'll be able to see the moment that set Dalinar on his current path, but I believe that he could very easily have gone corrupt.

[Quiver he/him]

WoR Spoilers

 

Rysn's babsk had betrayed her.

 

In her more lucid moment's, she could forgive him for it. After all, he meant the Reishi Isles as a test, a trial of her negotiation abilities. He hadn't told her to confront the Island's god, hadn't pushed her off the ledge. She had done that all on her own, and the consequences were her's to bare.

 

But those thoughts came to her only in her lucid times, and those were fleeting these days. These day's, her thoughts felt more... clouded. Her thoughts about her babsk most of all, like a dark, odious cloud had fallen over them.

 

Or perhaps that was just how she wanted to feel. It was easy to look at the war's and storm's twisting over Roshar and blame some invisible, all-powerful god for how she felt. 

Perhaps the twisting she felt in her stomach at the thought of Vstim came from herself. Perhap's the loathing she felt for those surgebinders -those 'Knight Radiants'- for walking away from battle unscathed was a loathing of an all too human -and selfish- origin.

 

Perhaps. But perhaps she didn't care anymore. She surveyed the senseless carnage below impassively from her chair. Rocks torn from the earth and come to life; shard weapons -not merely blades, but all manner of tool- flashing and cutting, their foes eyes steaming. Surges resonating over the battlefield. It was a horror show and, in some twisted way, beautiful.

 

Rysn had seen the way her larkin drained stormlight. She stroked it gently, then pointed at the Radiants below.

 

"Feed," she said.

 

Odium Reigns, she thought as it winged towards the battlefield. She tried to believe it.

But while she soemtimes felt hatred, more often than not, Rysn felt nothing at all...

Edited July 31, 2015 by Quiver

[Robinski he/him]

Spook...

There's an interesting chat by Brandon in WE Season 8, Ep. 30-something about subsidiary characters increasing in prominence where he talks about Spook being upgraded.

[Adamir he/him]

Mistborn: The Final Empire Spoilers

 

The Lord Ruler had proud, defined cheekbones and a haughty air about him. His clothing was a patchwork of black and white that succeeded better at appearing regal than most colored clothing. He was everything Kelsier hated about the nobility.

 

"I am what you can never kill," Kelsier said with uncertainty, though he projected confidence. "I am hope." Don't stutter, you've rehearsed this...

 

He knew what was to come. The Lord Ruler would slam that spear into his chest, he would choke to death on his own blood, and OreSeur would take his bones to ignite a revolution. But... could he die and just let events take their place? The revolution would need a guiding hand, someone to direct it, to quell resistance...

 

To kill the nobility.

 

Yes, someone would have to direct it. Kelsier would not just stand his ground, he would fight back.

 

The Lord Ruler thrust the spear forwards, and Kelsier Pushed against a carriage across the road, flying backwards. He Pulled on an axe, then sent it flying at his opponent.

 

It was as if the idea that he could be killed was amusing to the Lord Ruler. He just stood in the weapon's way, not even Pushing it. With its current course, it would strike him in the shoulder; but he didn't know just how good Kelsier was when it came to Allomancy.

 

Kelsier gave it the slightest nudge, and an additional kick with Steel. The axe spun, re-angling its course...

 

And cut off the Lord Ruler's left arm.

 

Atium bracers clattered to the ground.

 

___

 

Kelsier stood watch over the square. Hundreds of skaa had gathered to see their new god speak.

 

"The people below you," he gestured to the fifty noblemen before him, "have committed the greatest sin of all. They have the blood of nobility. They have Allomancy, they had the potential for Allomancy, but they misused it. Some of them opposed me, some of them oppressed skaa, but none of them are fit to live in our new world. You." Ham and another Pewterarm dragged one of the kneeling men up. "What is your name?"

 

"E-E-Elend," the boy stuttered.

 

"So tell me, Elend," Kelsier replied. "Have you ever been to the brothels?" A second's wait, before Kelsier replied to his own question. "The guilt in his eyes is enough. Kill him."

 

Ham dragged the screaming lordling over to a waiting executioner. Kelsier glanced at the man's axe, the same one he had used to kill the Lord Ruler.

 

"Next," Kelsier intoned. His guards had been told who to bring next.

 

"You are accused of crimes against the Survivor," he repeated. "A skaa who betrays her own. Do you have any defense?" A part of him wished she would defend herself. A larger part knew what must be done. But no, she was too stubborn...

 

"Guilty," Vin whispered. "I plead guilty to opposing a tyrant."

Edited July 31, 2015 by Adamir

[FeatherWriter she/her]

In regards to the Stormlight Archive...

 

I'm not actually going to go with Adolin here.

 

I'm going to talk about Renarin.

 

Just think what would have happened if he hadn't met Bridge 4, or if the Radiants hadn't returned. If he'd kept all that fear and anxiety bottled up, what would've happened? Feather's probably more qualified to talk on this subject, but he's been hearing screaming Shardblades and he's seeing the future, which is very much blasphemy in Vorinism. With all of that pressure, plus his epilepsy/autism, it's not too far fetched to see him being pushed off the figurative cliff and going rogue.

 

And I think the Reckonerverse speaks for itself.

 

Funny that you say I might have some ideas about them. I... kinda wrote the fic. And a follow-up after some people mentioned that it wasn't villianous enough. 

[Slater he/him]

Elend

His father never forces him to lose his virginity to a Skaa girl and then kills her afterward. Thus he is never brought to the realize there is something fundamentally wrong with his society and he never delves into philosophy to try and figure out how to fix it. Uses his intelligence to help his father and becomes another noble that Vin meets and can't stand. Dies unceremoniously in either the initial Rebellion or when the Citizen takes over.

[Alfa he/him]

Vasher.

"My life to yours, my breath become yours", said the woman. Vasher grinned, as her breath joined the thousands over thousands of others inside of him. Her child was hold by a D'Denir statue. The child was already a drab. It was so easy to get breath by helding hostages. Probably it was on the time to try something new. But not now. He looked at the women and took her scarf. The bright red turned to the colour of blood in his hands.
"Choke everything", he said. Only one minute later he left.

Were them evil?, asked a joyful voice in his head.

Shut up, he said. Nightblood was annoying lately.

He passed twenty more Kalad's Phantoms, who were marching through the burning ruin of something what probably was a temple. He was not sure. The buildings of T'Telir looked all alike, when they were destroyed. Basically, all destroyed buildings looked similar, no matter where. And this sight was...refreshing.

Screams sounded from the hill, where the regular army was fighting a useless fight. Nobody could even stand against the Phantoms, even with the support of ordinary lifeless...Vasher assumed, that he would dine in the Palace tonight.

Assuming the palace will stand them.

Look at that black building, he said to Nightblood.

Yes?

You don't have eyes and even no Idea what black is. That building is the symbol of all what is evil in Hallandren. He unsheathed Nightblood. He ignored the voice somewhere in the back of his head that reminded him about the fact, that he gave the order to build the giant black pyramide.
 

One hour later he stood in the middle of a destroyed palace. About a dozen "gods" were lying dead at his feet, the Phantoms towering over their bodies. The god king was around them, his breath replacing the one used to power Nightblood. It was to easy. The god-king's wife, eyes filled with tears, hairs in a not natural ash-grey colour looked at him and shouted and weeped at the same time. He ignored her. T'Tenir was now burning from the sea to the jungle. Beautifull. Even Shashara had not created so much destruction.

The young woman looked like someone he knew a time ago. He was not sure whom. This girl, which asked him the question "why?", probably. Yes. The girl, whom he killed first.
"Why?", asked the crying woman "Why did you killed him? Why...all this destruction?"

Evil must be destroyed, said Nightblood.

Vasher grinned: "You're wrong, Nightblood. Not evil. Not only evil. Everything. Everything must be destroyed"

With a quick stroke Warbreaker beheaded the woman and left.