Inside the Mind of a Villain

Born in wreckage

It haunts me everywhere I go

Raised in destruction

It is the only friend I know

Am I truly a villain

Or a victim who died inside ages ago?

What moves a person to become a villain? Do people who perform evil actions do so because of flaws in their character, or are they just victims of an evil system that corrupts the innocent?

Rage

Where is it coming from?

My head is spinning, thoughts are racing

I see a whirlwind - of words and emotions

I reach out my hand to find the words

"You are the most powerful"

Yet I sigh

I want what they have, I want what I don't have

Rothbart is a manipulative and powerful sorcerer who casts a spell on Princess Odette that turns her into a swan every day and returns her to human form at night. The refusal of his hand in marriage was a response that his mind refused to accept. So he traps her, along with her maidens, in a curse that robs them of their autonomy. He expected that in captivity, she would eventually consent to marry him. He is obsessed with getting what he wants to fill the barren wasteland that was his heart. The villain displays an inflated view of himself – thinking he's destined for greatness, only to be doomed for failure.

I am trapped, alone

In the fog of my own consciousness

Is the word moving faster?

Or am I getting slower?

I can't keep up with the pacing of my heart

Yet I know I must have greatness

'This the one I seek

In the real world, minus the exaggerations of fiction, many are like Rothbart. They will not come in the form of a sorcerer with a magic wand, but they will come in different sizes and statuses, someone we would never expect. However, do not confuse yourselves with the misconception that mental illness is linked to violent behavior. Rothbart may have acquired his toxic behavior growing up but he could have chosen to take a different path – one that's less abusive and oppressive.

After all, villains are victims of circumstances but are never victims of their own crimes.

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Written by Elline Casinillo

Visual by Glydel Maneja

Layout by Kyla Mondejar