A Villain Demands to Be Loved
Sometimes a villain demands to be loved because of a subtextual flaw. Such villains are often
a morality pet. Heroic characters are often certain that the villain will not hurt them, so they
protect the villain. Occasionally, this trope can be flipped into a defiant trait. This trope can
lead to several subplots. Listed below are examples. How does this trope work in the context
of subtextual villains.
Subtextual villains
Many films and television shows feature a subtextual villain who demands to be loved. Usually,
this villain has a mental illness, and it is not always explicit, but they are often alluded to by
dialogue, body language, and actions. For example, a character with schizophrenia will listen
to music through headphones to drown out hallucinatory voices. These are all nuances that
amplify the character and add more depth to his or her actions.
A Villain Demands to Be Loved
