What Makes a Good Villain? — Intentionally Blank Ep. 166

9 snips

Aug 7, 2024

The hosts kick off with a hilarious tale of avocado thieves, blending comedy with serious themes. They then dive into what truly makes a compelling villain, analyzing iconic characters like Gollum and Captain Hook. Visual design and character depth take center stage, as they dissect monsters from movies and discuss how their design can sometimes overshadow narrative. The conversation flows through the evolution of beloved villains, exploring their origins and cultural impact while maintaining a witty and engaging tone throughout.

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ANECDOTE

Avocado Desperados

In Mexico, armed men stole 20 tons of avocados twice in the state of Michoacán.
This is where avocados are heavily produced, and cartels often target avocado growers.

ANECDOTE

Villain Conference Skit

Brandon and Dan discuss a Saturday Night Live skit featuring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.
The skit humorously portrays a villain conference where comical supervillains encounter true evil.

ADVICE

Ranking Villains

Rank villains based on design and character, considering if they are visually interesting and narratively complex.
Use four categories: good design/good character, good design/flat character, poor design/good character, and poor design/flat character.

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Harry Potter

J.K. Rowling

The Harry Potter series, written by J.K. Rowling, follows the journey of Harry Potter, an orphan boy who discovers he is a wizard. The series spans seven novels, each corresponding to one year of Harry's life at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry, along with his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, navigates the magical world, confronts various challenges, and ultimately faces off against the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, who murdered Harry's parents and seeks to dominate the wizarding world. The series explores themes of friendship, love, and the struggle between good and evil.

The Lord of the Rings

J.R.R Tolkien

The Lord of the Rings, written by J.R.R. Tolkien, is an epic high fantasy novel set in Middle-earth. The story follows Frodo Baggins, a hobbit who inherits the One Ring from his uncle Bilbo. The Ring, forged by Sauron, holds the power to control all other Rings of Power and must be destroyed in the fires of Mount Doom to prevent Sauron's return. Frodo is joined by a fellowship of other characters, including Gandalf the Grey, Samwise Gamgee, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Boromir, as they embark on a dangerous quest across Middle-earth. The novel explores themes of good vs. evil, the corrupting influence of power, and the struggle between fate and free will[3][4][5].

The Silmarillion

J. R. R. Tolkien

The Silmarillion is a comprehensive narrative that details the creation of Tolkien's universe, Eä, and the history of the First Age. It includes the legend of the Silmarils, jewels crafted by Fëanor that contain the essence of the Two Trees of Valinor. The book covers the creation of the world, the history of the Elves and Men, the wars against Morgoth, and the legendary love story of Beren and Lúthien. Edited and published posthumously by Christopher Tolkien with the assistance of Guy Gavriel Kay, it is a foundational work that underpins the stories of 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings'[3][4][5].

The Killing Joke

Anthony Horowitz

The story follows Guy Fletcher, an actor who overhears a joke about his famous mother and decides to find its origin. His investigation leads him to a mysterious group and a company called Sphinx, which creates and distributes jokes to keep people from taking serious issues too seriously. Along the way, he falls in love with a woman named Sally, and together they face various challenges and dangers as they delve deeper into the mystery.