[UA] Corrupt and Co-opt?

[Royal Minister of Stuff]

--- Greg Stolze <holycrow at mindspring.com> wrote:
> Has anyone run a game (or, less likely, seen a movie
> or, more likely, read
> a book) in which the "villain" comes around? 
> Specifically, I'm picturing a
> plot where...
> 
> 1) Hero encounters villain doing something nefarious
> to gain immense power.
> 2) Hero and villain contend.  Neither is able to
> gain a permanent upper
> hand.  In the process, they come to understand and
> respect each other more
> and more.
> 3) Villain tries to corrupt the hero by pointing out
> how close their real
> motives and values are.  Hero counters by using the
> same argument.
> 4) Having realized that they ARE philosophically
> very close, they
> compromise.  The Hero's great act of heroism turns
> out to be restoring hope
> and decency to someone who had previously thought
> power and control was the
> ne plus ultra.
> 
> I think it could be fun.  "If you can't lick 'em,
> join 'em" done as a
> totally non-cynical plot.
> 

This is pretty much the point of politics, or, at
least, utilitarian politics.  It's only a punishment
mentality that drives us to want to kill or imprison
the villain.  I watch a lot of horror movies and
action movies, where punishment is about the only
theme explored.  The villain must always die a
horrible death at the end or Americans won't like it.

Shakespear has a couple good examples of compromise,
such as "The Tempest," where Prospero forgives the
brother who exiled him and the Duke of Milan comes
around to Prospero's way of thinking.  In fact, most
of his comedies end with a reconciliation (as opposed
to the tragedies which end like action movies.)

=====
-- Rp Bowman, Royal Minister of Stuff
The Electronic Nation of Yokeltania:
http://www.geocities.com/yokeltania/

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