#i say hero x villain but its post redemption and villain hasnt actually been a villain for years

[noxturnallyevermore]

Tw: (Nonexplicit, Implied) Major Character Death. Implied Mass Genocide.

Word count: 1,291 words

A writing I did, kinda a vent piece. It's also an original work, you don't know the characters (neither do I).

Two forces stood at the edge of a cliff. The chilled wind howled harshly around them, yet went ignored in all but necessity to plant feet into long dead grass or be kidnapped by the North Wind.

"What happened to you? I thought you were good now, I thought you changed!" The Hero yelled into the face of their friend, close enough to where it wasn't needed, even over the wind. Standing toe-to-toe, anger on their face evidence of internal unease twisted into ugliness.

The friend, once a villain, stared back at the Hero, known only as the paragon of good. Villain's gaze held no contempt, only confusion and hurt. They've no clue what brought this about, had they really not changed? No, they have. They are no longer that person anymore. The one who hurts others for no reason except so that they don't get hurt themselves, the one who destroys to prevent their own destruction. The Once Villain allows themself to get hurt now. Suppose this will be an addition to the growing list. Will it continue to grow more after this?

"I have changed. I didn't know you did too. I guess one of us can be wrong." Villain whispers in turn, barely audible above the weather. Resignation at the hands of a turn of events so cruel, did this come about due to a misunderstanding?

Winds blow harsher and the two forces grab each other for support, The Hero grabbing Villain's shirt and Villain grabbing hold of The Hero's shoulders. A hand immediately shifts to The Hero's face, cupping a cheek so tenderly it's impossible to mistake it for anything malicious. The Hero knows those hands could level cities in a snap, anyone like that holding something so preciously could never wish to destroy it. And yet. The Hero believes those Villain's hands will never be clean of those misdeeds.

"Of course I've changed, Villain. One doesn't just go through what we have and not come out changed." Rage softens into fondness in the Hero's eyes for just a moment, that intoxicating understanding Villain loves so much, craves with their entire being. "But that's the issue, isn't it? I change and it's imperceivable, nobody cares. But you change and you haven't really, you will always have blood on your hands." Strong hands tightens into fists, twisting into Villain's shirt, their face shifting once again into one of a rage that only further confuses the villain. The hold was as necessary as it was equal to signify their anger.

"I don't understand. What have I done to cause this? Tell me what I've done. Why do you bring up my past?" Villain drops their touch like it burns, despite the freezing wind shaking the world around them. A bitterness rises within their aching heart, sorrowed tears coming to the corners of their eyes, not yet ready to fall and chilled by the air. Pushing away from the Hero's hold, Villain takes a step back towards the edge of the cliff.

"As if you don't know." Scoffing, the Hero drops their death grip with ease to let Villain back away, only to grab Villain's hands crushingly in one of their own and pull them back, away from the treacherous edge. The Hero gestures out to the town below said cliff, a sight of destruction and carnage. It's not the first time Villain is seeing this since they've got here, they watched it happen, and that's what this entire thing is about?

The wind turns to rain, nearly hail, not quite snow. The dirt beneath their soles turns to mud, the view of the town grows opaque. Bitterness turns to anger with the growing obscurity of the town behind sheets of heavy precipitation.

"You think I did that." It is but a simple murmur into the space between them, a statement of fact. Ice in their eyes so cold it burns, their anger was always the quiet kind.

"I know you did, it has your signature on it, I would know it in my sleep. Who else but you, Villain?" The Hero exasperates, their free hand gesturing to the carnage of the town now dragging down their features, marring their flawless features into something scrunched and ugly, even The Paragon of Good has imperfections. Villain would've thought it cute under other circumstances. The Hero's other hand still grasps tight around Villain's wrist.

"I don't know, a copycat? You aren't the only person on this planet who knows my M.O." Villain deadpans. "You catch them all the time."

"It's been years since something like this has happened. Copycats have never even attempted something as wide scale as this, only you would've." The Hero's expression softens in an inkling of nostalgia, their grip going lax once again. "Only you Villain, I-"

"Don't call me Villain! As you just said, it's been years, Hero! Is that all I am to you? Is that all I'll ever be? It's been years and I haven't spilled blood once, not committed a single crime once and yet I am still the one you turn to with nothing but blame!" Villain finally snaps, their quiet rage coming alive like a raging inferno.

It's the Hero's turn to look confused, a shaking finger pointed at their face, just barely brushing their nose. The rain soaks through their clothes now, dousing the fires of the town below but it won't undo the carnage. For a moment, the wind has ceased.

"What do you-" Starts the Hero, only to be cut off once again.

"No! You will let me speak. Did it never occur to you that the one you cast me aside for may very well be the one behind all this? Not even the most paramount of paragons can redeem every villain and yet you seem inclined to try!" Their rage goes quiet once more, firm, even their exclamations are back to barely above a whisper. No need to yell when the storm is breaking, if only for a moment. Villain backs out of the Hero's personal space, gesticulating wildly along their words, as they've always done while trying to make a point. Some habits will always stay the same.

"Villain, will you just-" The Hero tries one more time, worry now crossing their features, reaching for Villain's hand once again.

"Don't call me Villain when you know my name." Their tone drops by the octave, yanking further away from the Hero's reach.

Temperature dropping even further, the winds pick up harshly once more, could now rival a blizzard's. Breaths come in visible puffs. Chests heaving in tandem in the charged pause, quiet if not for the screaming gusts of air slicing the space between them. Heavy snow kisses their dripping hair and freezes their drenched clothes. Mud beneath their feet now proving to be as difficult an adversary as they used to be to each other.

An explosion shakes the ground, the Hero looking away from Villain to see the aforementioned Replacement step out of a cloud of smoke with a vile grin and arms spread wide; an almost manic look to their eye, trained only on the Hero.

"I knew I would find you here. But what's strange is that you are alone. Oh well, do you like what I've done for you? It was all for you! All for you." But the words fall on unhearing ears, the Hero looking back to the empty space where Villain once stood. At the edge of the cliff.

The Hero scrambles to the edge, locking eyes with a plummeting Villain. A hoarse, broken scream of the Villain's name into the storm and Villain mouths one phrase, closing their eyes, the tears finally falling.

"I told you so."

#hero x villain #angst #short story #creative writing #original work #hurt no comfort #i say hero x villain but its post redemption and villain hasnt actually been a villain for years #hero has issues #major issues #i don't know how to tag #i've never had to tag before #i can't believe this is my first post on my new account #how do you insert the line break thingy #the hero and villain definitely have ~romantic~ tension #i figured out how to add read more 🥰

[helbertinelli]

mako was a hero and zuko was a villain being a hero doesnt equal never making a mistakes being flawless or ever being a bit of a jerk ( hasnt there ever been a time where you got frustrated and a bit snippy ( the example was done by bryke in regards to a scene mako did in b1 ) the attempts to treat mako like he was some sort of villain who needed punishment is bs I have seen people phrase it like atonement but it makes me roll my eyes he owes asami an apology that is it atonement is for something like what zuko has done . heroes are allowed to be flawed and make mistakes mako was a tame anti hero when pushed ( threatening that equalist but he didnt do any actual villainous things he was just a tad bit of a jerk romantically and spineless dealing with it as remembrances put it he was so afraid of disappointing people he disappointed everyone ( he couldnt say no to asami ) and the b2 breakup was due to both of their flaws neither of them would have worked with anyone but especially korra and bryke written that they both overcame those flaws and figured out conflict resolution and got along great in b4 with korra and asami barely interacting little to no relationnship development and nothing that hinted at romantic relationship while makorra got teased with the narrative build up to it since b2 finale which came off as very romantic and made breakup come off as a temporary one with makorra getting way more relationship development while the buildup to korrasami was nonexistent you have to twist facts to get idea of buildup like ignoring that korra blushed due to bolin before or trying to make korra sending asami one letter because she felt she would understand more ( sending asami a letter not mako or bolin doesnt mean their relationship is stronger ) or ignoring how mako got a speech about how korra the person meant to him inspired him . makorra relationship is a gender flip to roy X riza . with some differences asami in contrast failed to help korra and just went korra youre the avatar while tenzin came in and helped

there seems to be this idea that a character making a mistake not being specifically punished for it and having good things happen to him its being rewarded for his mistake when no the narrative always acknowledged his mistakes even if the last minute retcon korrasami didnt happen and they ended it with korra being in character and say a hint to makorra getting back together eventually ( no spirit trip vacations which was ooc for korra given how she was devoted to her duty and to be frank korrasami required korra being ooc for korra and asami are incompatible with their needs . personalities what they would want and ways to solve conflict korra thrives off conflict while asami is so conflict averse she never called out mako except a few times) I imagine the mako haters would try to spout mako sue or creators pet bs mako was never any of those things in order to claim he is that you need to have a lack of understanding of makos character or what those terms mean. korra is every rbit responsible for love triangle as mako so if people try to claim mako had to end show single as karma for mishandling the love triangle which is bs love triangles are messy buisness and mako doesnt deserve punishment via ending up with no love interest for not handling a love triangle perfectly for mistakes this reminds me of a post about villain redemption and how people dont want villains to be given redemption because they associate things that come after redemption like love so when they say that “this character doesn’t deserve a redemption arc” what they mean is “this character doesn’t deserve to be loved. they don’t deserve happiness, peace, or companionship”. it’s pretty disturbing tbh, to treat basic things that every human needs (like being loved) as a “reward” that you get for good behavior. or more accurately: never being bad in the first place. that once you fall from grace you’re damned for eternity.

its gets especially annoying because mako wasnt even a villain who did villainous things he was a good person who was just flawed in a way that cant be romanticized or justified away he made mistakes due to his flaws in not wanting to dissapoint people and not figuring out his own emotions or knowing ending something doesnt mean burning bridges entirely his flaw was just not meeting expectations of how an admirable romantic lead should act narrative never pretended his flaws werent flaws

I would say asami should have ended the show single not mako for asami didnt really have any teasing with anyone in b3 or b4 and too be frank she was just used in b1 and b2 for some nonsense

I've already answered why people like Zuko despite being a villain at first and don't like Mako despite being a hero. My friend also added stuff and went into detail of how the story treated them differently and that greatly affected the audience's view of them and their characters.

A flaw would be like if a character is hot-headed. Mako was a cheater. That's not a flaw. It's a bad quality. It makes Mako a bad person. Flaws are okay on heroes, some bad qualities are ok too only if they're treated as bad qualities by the story. Mako being a cheater was not treated like a bad thing by the story and he never had to apologize for it or do anything to rectify the harm he did to Asami. Rather he cheated on her again.

There's really no point in sending me the same ask over and over again because my answer will always be the same.

#anonymous #ask #anti lok #anti bryke #anti mako