How would you feel?

[Representing_Tromba]

Consider this... you read this book series for years and think the MC you are rooting for is doing the right thing and trying to defeat the villian. However, during what you thought was the climactic ending of the series, it is revealed that the MC is actually the bad guy who manipulates everything while the villian is actually the hero. Because the MC is the narrator and the lense which you view the story, you couldn't see it the entire time. Even the other characters couldn't see it. Now that is has been exposed though, the MCs true villian arc can happen and you get to finally understand things from the one who you thought was the villian. All the breadcrumbs from previous books start to make sense and the story continues with the roles in their proper order so it's not like it came out of nowhere. The heroes saga you thought you were following is actually the villians journey to get the hero to leave them alone.

Would you hate that, love that, or would it make you drop the series entirely? What are your thoughts on this kind of story shift?

 

[Solitary]

If the mc turned out to be a evil bastard all along, then I wouldn't mind it. Only if its written well.

From one point of view, one thing may seem right and from another it may seem wrong. Subjectivity, the mc is a hero. Objectively, he is a villain. I mean, yeah, from the mc point of view he was a hero and that makes him mentally unstable.


Also, I seen a lot of people complain when other characters do evil stuff, but when the mc does it, they support the mc. So they will probably love it.

 

[DonHon]

I would love that, I love plot twists that scratches my brain.

 

[Anemic_Vampire]

I would be surprised, but if the author manages to pull that kind of twist without anyone realizing until the end, then the writing must be very good.

 

[Empress_Omnii]

All the breadcrumbs from previous books start to make sense

So long as there are clues and the story makes sense on a second reading after learning the plot twist. I'd be fine with it, but I doubt I'd enjoy such a severe swap?

It would depend on a lot of factors, but I believe I'd generally prefer a novel without such a severe change

 

[BigBadBoi]

Depends. There are a lot of stories that do this premise well like Metro 2033 and Furi.
Just realized it's the MC being an intentional villain and not unintentional.
It would depend on whether it's well written enough for me to endure such a sudden tone shift.

 

[NotaNuffian]

That really depends.

Attack on Titan unfortunately comes into mind and it is an unfortunate example.

Unless the foreshadowing is properly done, it will only make eye readers confused, frustrated and then drop the work because their brain is not engaged.

I am one of these folks who leave my brain at the door before engaging in reading.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

Kind of makes me think of Ozymandias in The Watchmen. It is cool if done well, but can feel like a flat-out betrayal if done poorly.

 

[TheTrinary]

Consider this... you read this book series for years and think the MC you are rooting for is doing the right thing and trying to defeat the villian. However, during what you thought was the climactic ending of the series, it is revealed that the MC is actually the bad guy who manipulates everything while the villian is actually the hero. Because the MC is the narrator and the lense which you view the story, you couldn't see it the entire time. Even the other characters couldn't see it. Now that is has been exposed though, the MCs true villian arc can happen and you get to finally understand things from the one who you thought was the villian. All the breadcrumbs from previous books start to make sense and the story continues with the roles in their proper order so it's not like it came out of nowhere. The heroes saga you thought you were following is actually the villians journey to get the hero to leave them alone.

Would you hate that, love that, or would it make you drop the series entirely? What are your thoughts on this kind of story shift?

Lol. I have a hundred pages written ofexactly this.

 

[melchi]

Like many others, good if done right.

If done bad then it would make readers feel like they just wasted all their time and the author threw away all of the story's build up on a whim.

(Cough, some of the stuff in the boys, not the series but the comics)

 

[NotaNuffian]

Like many others, good if done right.

If done bad then it would make readers feel like they just wasted all their time and the author threw away all of the story's build up on a whim.

(Cough, some of the stuff in the boys, not the series but the comics)

If you mean the blond hair ending, yes.

I hated that.

It felt like a left hook out of nowhere.

 

[Bartun]

Honestly, it could work.

 

[Valmond]

How could I not notice it? That is the better question.

Oh, goblin is in chat.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

How could I not notice it? That is the better question.

Oh, goblin is in chat.

I would assume that the MC doesn't necessarily do anything evil in the eyes of the reader, but rather, their goal eventually ends up being the evil one.

 

[Valmond]

I would assume that the MC doesn't necessarily do anything evil in the eyes of the reader, but rather, their goal eventually ends up being the evil one.

In that case, it would be morally gray. Might not agree with it, but doesn’t mean it is inherently evil.

 

[SternenklarenRitter]

I don't like any protagonist who will kill an incapacitated opponent. I also am not interested in a protagonist who likes to watch his opponents struggle or suffer, nor one who lives for fiery vengeance. What kind of evil is the protagonist holding? If they are cruel or merciless I do not like them, but such traits are not exactly evil.

 

[Bartun]

It could be like in Watchmen, where the villain sacrificed millions to save billions. Still questionable, but ultimately for the better.

And I'm no goblin

 

[Cipiteca396]

I have a hard time imagining this working out. If it was done perfectly, I might go into shock at such a brilliant twist.

Most likely though, I would either see it coming or feel let down / disgusted. Unreliable narrators are also a no no.

Anyways, it would be really hard for a villain to slip under the radar, I think. Like, in order to hide the truth, they would have to be heroic and never do anything villainous- which would make them not a villain at all.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

I have a hard time imagining this working out. If it was done perfectly, I might go into shock at such a brilliant twist.

The first time I saw this done was in a movie, 1998's Fallen
IIRC, the first line, said by the detective MC, John Hobbs, is "This is the story of the time I almost died..."
And in the final scene, the villain finishes that line in his voice "...at the hands of Detective John Hobbes" and shows how he survived.

 

[Elevens_Listener]

Consider this... you read this book series for years and think the MC you are rooting for is doing the right thing and trying to defeat the villian. However, during what you thought was the climactic ending of the series, it is revealed that the MC is actually the bad guy who manipulates everything while the villian is actually the hero. Because the MC is the narrator and the lense which you view the story, you couldn't see it the entire time. Even the other characters couldn't see it. Now that is has been exposed though, the MCs true villian arc can happen and you get to finally understand things from the one who you thought was the villian. All the breadcrumbs from previous books start to make sense and the story continues with the roles in their proper order so it's not like it came out of nowhere. The heroes saga you thought you were following is actually the villians journey to get the hero to leave them alone.

Would you hate that, love that, or would it make you drop the series entirely? What are your thoughts on this kind of story shift?

I'd read for all the more reasons.