I hate the 'sad mass murderer' trope.

[forli]

I REALLY hate the trope where you have some powerful being that's feeling down for some reason so they start killing innocent people by the thousands because of their sadness/anger. Why should I care about the feelings of a mass-murdering piece of shit? Why should I care if they lost someone close to them when they have killed so many people that were close to others?

It's one thing when this is done for the motivation of a villain, as long as the story makes it clear that this is someone we're supposed to hate and doesn't try to imply that their actions are 'understandable'.

But it becomes insufferable when it's done with a protagonist. In particular the very common 'when they finally find happiness, they'll stop killing people'. These walking shitstains do not deserve happiness, the only thing this type of character is good for is to die horribly like the monsters they are.

Why do people write this crap?

 

[Lloyd]

You wouldn't get it - Joker

 

[NotaNuffian]

 

[TotallyHuman]

I REALLY hate the trope where you have some powerful being that's feeling down for some reason so they start killing innocent people by the thousands because of their sadness/anger. Why should I care about the feelings of a mass-murdering piece of shit? Why should I care if they lost someone close to them when they have killed so many people that were close to others?

It's one thing when this is done for the motivation of a villain, as long as the story makes it clear that this is someone we're supposed to hate and doesn't try to imply that their actions are 'understandable'.

But it becomes insufferable when it's done with a protagonist. In particular the very common 'when they finally find happiness, they'll stop killing people'. These walking shitstains do not deserve happiness, the only thing this type of character is good for is to die horribly like the monsters they are.

Why do people write this crap?

Iliad be like:

 

[BlackKnightX]

You’d be surprised, but some readers like an evil protagonist.

I prefer neutral—the protagonist who’s not afraid of killing or slaughter people (nothing annoys me more than the, “I-I can’t kill people. I-It’s wrong. A-Although these people killed my family, burnt my house down to the ground, put out false rumors to make my life miserable, I-I can’t kill them. I-It’s just wrong” bullshit), but that doesn’t mean that he goes around killing people without any reasons, whatsoever.

Like I said, some people just love an evil protagonist. Why? I bet it’s because it’s so goddamn satisfying. Have you ever played a game and started killing some random NPCs for some reason? It’s the same feeling, I guess.

Or maybe they just got fed up with the same bullshit of a protagonist who’s always on the side of justice, the so-called cliché hero who’s pretty much a hypocrite that’s being oppressed or toyed by the villains without being able to do anything. I lost count of how many times I drop a story simply because I get annoyed by the protagonist. That’s why I prefer web novels more than the mainstream ones, I guess. The typical hero bores me.

 

[CupcakeNinja]

I REALLY hate the trope where you have some powerful being that's feeling down for some reason so they start killing innocent people by the thousands because of their sadness/anger. Why should I care about the feelings of a mass-murdering piece of shit? Why should I care if they lost someone close to them when they have killed so many people that were close to others?

It's one thing when this is done for the motivation of a villain, as long as the story makes it clear that this is someone we're supposed to hate and doesn't try to imply that their actions are 'understandable'.

But it becomes insufferable when it's done with a protagonist. In particular the very common 'when they finally find happiness, they'll stop killing people'. These walking shitstains do not deserve happiness, the only thing this type of character is good for is to die horribly like the monsters they are.

Why do people write this crap?

if you didnt want mass genocide, you shouldn't have taken the last fruit cup

 

[forli]

You’d be surprised, but some readers like an evil protagonist.

I prefer neutral—the protagonist who’s not afraid of killing or slaughter people (nothing annoys me more than the, “I-I can’t kill people. I-It’s wrong. A-Although these people killed my family, burnt my house down to the ground, put out false rumors to make my life miserable, I-I can’t kill them. I-It’s just wrong” bullshit), but that doesn’t mean that he goes around killing people without any reasons, whatsoever.

Like I said, some people just love an evil protagonist. Why? I bet it’s because it’s so goddamn satisfying. Have you ever played a game and started killing some random NPCs for some reason? It’s the same feeling, I guess.

Or maybe they just got fed up with the same bullshit of a protagonist who’s always on the side of justice, the so-called cliché hero who’s pretty much a hypocrite that’s being oppressed or toyed by the villains without being able to do anything. I lost count of how many times I drop a story simply because I get annoyed by the protagonist. That’s why I prefer web novels more than the mainstream ones, I guess. The typical hero bores me.

I wasn't talking about evil protagonists, I was talking about a specific trope. But since you mentioned it, yes, evil protagonists are both frustrating and uninteresting.

If you want a MC that does not let themselves be toyed with by the villain, just write an MC that doesn't let themselves be toyed with by the villain, why is it necessary to make them a piece of shit? When you move the villain to the protagonist role, they are still the villain, the only thing you've accomplished is making me spend more time with a character I hate, made worse by the story acting as if I wasn't supposed to hate them. And being the MC I know I won't even get the satisfaction of seeing them lose in the end, making the entire story extremely frustrating.

So yeah, I hate evil protagonists in general, which sucks for me since 95% of web novels have them (even if they are often not labeled as such). It's one of the reasons I no longer read them as much.

 

[Amok]

agree always like my mass murderers to have party hats and winning smiles

 

[Zirrboy]

So yeah, I hate evil protagonists in general, which sucks for me since 95% of web novels have them (even if they are often not labeled as such). It's one of the reasons I no longer read them as much.

What makes an evil protagonist for you?

In general: tagging that is a dilemma. Hardcore fans might flame for applying it to a questionable character who still suffers for higher ideals and you can probably guess the other side.

 

[N0xiety]

Seeing as how you say 95% of the web novels have evil protags, i'm just gonna assume you view any killing as evil and only cinnamon bun protags in slice of life novels can satisfy your aversion to 'evil'. Oh wait, even some cinnamon buns in fantasy setting kill when they must lmao, guess you are out of luck there...

 

[forli]

Seeing as how you say 95% of the web novels have evil protags, i'm just gonna assume you view any killing as evil and only cinnamon bun protags in slice of life novels can satisfy your aversion to 'evil'. Oh wait, even some cinnamon buns in fantasy setting kill when they must lmao, guess you are out of luck there...

I didn't say that.

If we're going to assume things based on nothing, I guess I'll assume that you only like the most eebil protagonists (oh so edgy) because you were bullied in high school and this is your pathetic way of vicariously getting revenge against the world.

 

[BlackKnightX]

It's one of the reasons I no longer read them as much.

You shouldn’t. Web novel is pretty much a niche thing with its own tropes and style of writing. I’m sure there are some rare ones that tickle your fancy, but if you want to read stories with good protagonists, then I suggest you go to the mainstream market. The professionally published books might suit your taste better. Or maybe you can try some from Royal Road. A lot of stories there are very high quality.

 

[forli]

You shouldn’t. Web novel is pretty much a niche thing with its own tropes and style of writing. I’m sure there are some rare ones that tickle your fancy, but if you want to read stories with good protagonists, then I suggest you go to the mainstream market. The professionally published books might suit your taste better. Or maybe you can try some from Royal Road. A lot of stories there are very high quality.

I'm fine with some flawed characters, ruthless protagonists, or even moral ambiguity. I just hate when I see an irredeemable piece of shit that I'm still expected to like.

95% was a bit of an exaggeration, but this website is plagued with stories that treat the slaughter of innocents (or the not truly guilty) as a minor character flaw at best or something to be glossed over at worst. Protagonists that are horribly racist against 'humans' that the author tries to excuse by making all humans unrealistically rude. Hypocrites that will kill at the slightest provocation but will then throw a tantrum when someone they care about is killed for a better reason. And so on...

And I'm really fucking tired of how one-sided this discussion always is. With all the edgy bois always throwing a fit when a MC is not an asshole and calling them a pussy for not murdering everyone in front of them. While stories with evil protagonists are never criticized as if only the edgy bois are allowed to have the protagonists they want.

Oh, and every time a protagonist does something evil they go 'ah, this is so unique and refreshing' when shit like that is freaking everywhere!

 

[BigBadBoi]

bruh just stop reading garbage fics it's that easy

 

[NitroxDarks]

There's two reasons* why would that happen to the protagonist; it's either easily exposing his nature, and whether or not your okay with it doesn't matter, the author doesn't write his story because of you. That, or the author is trying to make you feel annoyed, bothered by such an act, hence making you hate that protagonist or character even.

 

[BlackKnightX]

Oh, and every time a protagonist does something evil they go 'ah, this is so unique and refreshing' when shit like that is freaking everywhere!

You should read Japanese light novels and web novels and you’ll get the edgy bois~ lol

 

[TroubleFait]

You all should really just go read Worm

agree always like my mass murderers to have party hats and winning smiles

And you should read Ajin, because the main antagonist is just the perfect character for you!

 

[Love4NovelGuy]

I think many are misinterpreting something. The person posting this doesn’t have a problem with ‘evil protagonists’ or villains as the protagonist. Forli just wants to know why ‘good protagonist’ go on killing sprees and get redemption via love.

It’s not like murdering a fictional character is wrong in any way. The problem is that the murder is usually portrayed as sympathetic, while those he kills are faceless nobodies.

The mass murderer gets an extensive backstory about how he can be redeemed, all while ignoring those who lost everything because of him. Imagine if everyone accepted Bojack Horseman after he said sorry after a while.

Wouldn’t that be following drama logic?

Even if you redeem yourself by becoming someone better, you can’t fix what you broke.

You can’t ‘fix’ someone from the ground up.

 

[LordJoyde]

You sound like one of those mayflies that reads a story knowing full well how much they despise the premise and leave behind a 0.5 review because its somehow the authors fault that they forced themselves to read a novel full of themes they hate.

Mass murderer may be going a little far, though. Personally, that's just about as ridiculous as saying that a god checked your protags soul and marked it as "really good person", but for the opposite side of the spectrum. Its just a deus ex machina to explain the 'evil' of your main character.

But evil protagonists are frustrating and boring? Your opinion, mate. Don't know about you, but I personally enjoy being invested in a story I'm reading.
Happy go lucky, pure and wholesome protagonists with bricks for brains, those possessing the legendary talk-no-jutsu or even worse, formerly bullied people unrealistically becoming heroes instead of villains, is just pathetically unrealistic wish fulfillment. I require the cold, hard, reality of the situation.
At the end of the day, 'evil' protagonists will always be more realistic and viable than their fantastically single-minded counterparts.

I think many are misinterpreting something. The person posting this doesn’t have a problem with ‘evil protagonists’ or villains as the protagonist. Forli just wants to know why ‘good protagonist’ go on killing sprees and get redemption via love.

It’s not like murdering a fictional character is wrong in any way. The problem is that the murder is usually portrayed as sympathetic, while those he kills are faceless nobodies.

The mass murderer gets an extensive backstory about how he can be redeemed, all while ignoring those who lost everything because of him. Imagine if everyone accepted Bojack Horseman after he said sorry after a while.

Wouldn’t that be following drama logic?

Even if you redeem yourself by becoming someone better, you can’t fix what you broke.

You can’t ‘fix’ someone from the ground up.

If that is what the op is trying to say, well they have a very weird way of showing it, lmao.

 

[LORD_SHAXX]

I REALLY hate the trope where you have some powerful being that's feeling down for some reason so they start killing innocent people by the thousands because of their sadness/anger. Why should I care about the feelings of a mass-murdering piece of shit? Why should I care if they lost someone close to them when they have killed so many people that were close to others?

It's one thing when this is done for the motivation of a villain, as long as the story makes it clear that this is someone we're supposed to hate and doesn't try to imply that their actions are 'understandable'.

But it becomes insufferable when it's done with a protagonist. In particular the very common 'when they finally find happiness, they'll stop killing people'. These walking shitstains do not deserve happiness, the only thing this type of character is good for is to die horribly like the monsters they are.

Why do people write this crap?

Main reason I couldn't get into redo of the healer or shield hero. Why can't we have more characters like the punisher