HOME | DD

Description
Chugging along...

I always wonder about the evil... or bad characters in stories and shows. What happened to them, what made them this way. I like to believe that most everyone is born good (or, at least, the normal family atmosphere incubates a good personality). Therefore, it must be life experiences that create the bad in people. A good villain isn't purely evil, but with shades of darkness inside them. The perfect villain believes that what they are doing is morally right.

With that in mind, look at Jet. Charming, charismatic, focussed on his cause; the perfect qualities to be a good leader... but he has a troubled past. He lost his family when the Fire Nation burned down his village, forcing him to find his own way to survive. These struggles have scarred his judgment, making him cold and calculating, willing to sacrifice anything (including others) for the what he thinks is the greater good.

Compare him to Sokka. He's keen, quick and courageous. While he lacks the charisma and public speaking of greater leaders, he is equally effective by leading through example. But Sokka's past is troubled too. He lost his mother when he was young, lost his father soon after when he went off to war, and was thrust into a leadership role as the oldest male left in his tribe. While he too hates the Fire Nation, he cherishes life and is more willing to sacrifice himself then others for the greater good.

What separates them? At which point did their moral focus diverge? What makes Sokka the selfless friend and Jet the selfless enemy?

I can only point to the degree of loss. While Sokka did lose a great deal to the Fire Nation, he always still had his sister and tribe, and the comfort of belongingness. Jet, on the other hand, lost everything... and was forced to provide for himself without the comfort of family or friends (until he formed the Freedom Fighters). For a while after the fire... he was able to stew over his loss, and build his hatred in a way that can only be achieved through loneliness.

This hatred, though at first seemingly justified, has grown to a level that tempts evil, and reminds me of Anakin Skywalker (in Star Wars). If Jet had succeeded in flooding the village, as he had hoped, I think he would have crossed a line that he could not have returned from.

Fortunately, he was stopped. And just this check of morality -I believe- set him on a path to reassess his morality. I don't think he ever truly heals from the scars of his past, but he becomes a better person along the way.

Picture suggested by:

Grass in the foreground used a few brushes in this awesome pack: [link] by

Avatar belongs to Mike, Bryan and Nick. Art belongs to me.

See More of my Avatar Fanart here: [link]

Thanks for looking
-Matt

Description
Chugging along...

I always wonder about the evil... or bad characters in stories and shows. What happened to them, what made them this way. I like to believe that most everyone is born good (or, at least, the normal family atmosphere incubates a good personality). Therefore, it must be life experiences that create the bad in people. A good villain isn't purely evil, but with shades of darkness inside them. The perfect villain believes that what they are doing is morally right.

With that in mind, look at Jet. Charming, charismatic, focussed on his cause; the perfect qualities to be a good leader... but he has a troubled past. He lost his family when the Fire Nation burned down his village, forcing him to find his own way to survive. These struggles have scarred his judgment, making him cold and calculating, willing to sacrifice anything (including others) for the what he thinks is the greater good.

Compare him to Sokka. He's keen, quick and courageous. While he lacks the charisma and public speaking of greater leaders, he is equally effective by leading through example. But Sokka's past is troubled too. He lost his mother when he was young, lost his father soon after when he went off to war, and was thrust into a leadership role as the oldest male left in his tribe. While he too hates the Fire Nation, he cherishes life and is more willing to sacrifice himself then others for the greater good.

What separates them? At which point did their moral focus diverge? What makes Sokka the selfless friend and Jet the selfless enemy?

I can only point to the degree of loss. While Sokka did lose a great deal to the Fire Nation, he always still had his sister and tribe, and the comfort of belongingness. Jet, on the other hand, lost everything... and was forced to provide for himself without the comfort of family or friends (until he formed the Freedom Fighters). For a while after the fire... he was able to stew over his loss, and build his hatred in a way that can only be achieved through loneliness.

This hatred, though at first seemingly justified, has grown to a level that tempts evil, and reminds me of Anakin Skywalker (in Star Wars). If Jet had succeeded in flooding the village, as he had hoped, I think he would have crossed a line that he could not have returned from.

Fortunately, he was stopped. And just this check of morality -I believe- set him on a path to reassess his morality. I don't think he ever truly heals from the scars of his past, but he becomes a better person along the way.

Picture suggested by:

Grass in the foreground used a few brushes in this awesome pack: [link] by

Avatar belongs to Mike, Bryan and Nick. Art belongs to me.

See More of my Avatar Fanart here: [link]

Thanks for looking
-Matt