>> It's harder to build up sympathy for characters like that not just because their actions are a lot worse, but because they mask anything that could create it either consciously or subconsciously. Add them up together and you get vastly unsympathetic characters that are severely messed up and potentially utterly irredeemable. <<
That's true. On the other hoof, Hector was that clueless until his new superpower ripped him wide open and made it impossible to deny (though he's still trying). Probably the most sympathetic thing about Haboob is his origin story with American soldiers killing his family and almost killing him. His hatred of foreigners isn't baseless, just directionless. He hates them all and makes no effort to distinguish details. I can't think of anything sympathetic about the Mandible. Far as I know everyone -- even other supervillains -- went "Yay!" when he died.
>> 'twould. Hector seems the kind of person who'd deny having a problem he needs helps with without considering how he feels about soups whilst dealing with being one. <<
First Hector doesn't want to admit he has a problem, even when he's throwing up.
Then he doesn't want to admit that the nature of the problem involves superpowers, tries to convince himself it's anything else but.
Then he insists that he is fine and can cope by himself, while still throwing up because he can't control his power and has no idea how to compensate for it. (It probably won't turn off, but he could learn to frequent low-discrimination areas.)
Then he refuses to admit that his own actions had any bearing on what happened to him and why he's currently having trouble, or that his hatred of soups is now reflecting to hurt himself.
Let alone that the only significant chance of improvement he has is to go through the massive psychological work to stop being bigoted about superpowers so he can stop hating himself, and get some help to deal with the superpower.
He's foolish and desperate enough to try repression therapy, which would make things SO much worse.
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dancing_serpent
Re: Well...
Date: 2014-11-10 09:11 am (UTC)That's true. On the other hoof, Hector was that clueless until his new superpower ripped him wide open and made it impossible to deny (though he's still trying). Probably the most sympathetic thing about Haboob is his origin story with American soldiers killing his family and almost killing him. His hatred of foreigners isn't baseless, just directionless. He hates them all and makes no effort to distinguish details. I can't think of anything sympathetic about the Mandible. Far as I know everyone -- even other supervillains -- went "Yay!" when he died.
>> 'twould. Hector seems the kind of person who'd deny having a problem he needs helps with without considering how he feels about soups whilst dealing with being one. <<
First Hector doesn't want to admit he has a problem, even when he's throwing up.
Then he doesn't want to admit that the nature of the problem involves superpowers, tries to convince himself it's anything else but.
Then he insists that he is fine and can cope by himself, while still throwing up because he can't control his power and has no idea how to compensate for it. (It probably won't turn off, but he could learn to frequent low-discrimination areas.)
Then he refuses to admit that his own actions had any bearing on what happened to him and why he's currently having trouble, or that his hatred of soups is now reflecting to hurt himself.
Let alone that the only significant chance of improvement he has is to go through the massive psychological work to stop being bigoted about superpowers so he can stop hating himself, and get some help to deal with the superpower.
He's foolish and desperate enough to try repression therapy, which would make things SO much worse.