Avenging the Villain: Difference between revisions

* In ''[[Naruto]]'', {{spoiler|Kabuto}} swears to do this to {{spoiler|Sasuke}} for "killing" {{spoiler|Orochimaru}}.

** Though now it would be arguably difficult with both him and {{spoiler|Sasuke}} being on the same side now. (Sort of)

* Lucia has an offhand comment early in his role in ''[[Rave Master]]'' that makes it seem like part of his motivation is to avenge his father. Really, though, it's more that he's just lashing back at the world.

* In ''[[Nurarihyon no Mago]]'', the Hundred Tales Clan remnants seek vengeance for their leaders death by the Second.

* ''[[Gundam Seed Destiny]]'': Rey Za Burrel's [[Cloning Blues|older brother]], Rau Le Creuset, was a [[Death Seeker]] and [[Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds]] who died while [[Suicidal Cosmic Temper Tantrum|trying to take everyone else with him]]. Rey--a [[Well-Intentioned Extremist]] who wants to make sure that no one ever lives a life like Rau did--spends much of ''SEED Destiny'' trying to off Kira Yamato, the one who killed Rau, typically ranting about how he ''is'' Rau while doing so. It would seem that [[Avenging the Villain]] plays at least some role in Rey's motivations.

* ''[[Rurouni Kenshin]]'': If you want to consider Tomoe a villain, her brother Enishi fits the trope. Also, two of the other people Kenshin killed at the same night Tomoe died were the reason two of Enishi's allies were out for him. The previous group's leader had an apprentice who wanted to defeat Kenshin. Not for revenge as Sanosuke assumed but because killing the one who killed his master [[It's All About Me|was the only way to prove himself stronger than that master]]. The second one, a [[Sissy Villain]], played the trope straight. A friend of his, whith whom he liked to compare who killed more people, was killed by Kenshin.

* ''[[Digimon]]'': After Etemon suffered his final defeat ({{spoiler|he'd later return as Metal Etemon but people didn't know it back then}}), two of his followers briefly discussed this trope but agreed they didn't like him to the point of trying to avenge him.

** This is especially ironic as Kraven, having nothing else to live for after he defeated his ultimate foe, '''killed himself'''! Spider-Man really [[Subverted Trope|was]] innocent.

** This happens to [[Spider-Man (Comic Book)|Spider-Man]] fairly often. Harry Osborn became the Green Goblin to avenge his father's death at Spider-Man's hands. In the Alternate Future in ''Spider-Girl'', ''his'' son does the same, but Spidey's daughter manages to talk him down and break the [[Cycle of Revenge]].

* Nash from James Robinson's ''[[Starman (comics)|Starman]]'' vowed she would destroy everything Jack Knight held dear and him after Jack killed Nash's brother Kyle (who in turn had killed Jack's brother David). Nash believed that because she let Jack go, she was an "accomplice" in her brother's murder (while ignoring the fact she did the exact same thing for David Knight's murder). Nash then became the second Mist and went completely [[Ax Crazy]], becoming her father's equal in villainy. But she topped it when she raped Jack, got pregnant with his child and literally told Jack she was going to raise their child to ''despise'' Jack utterly.

* Elizabeth Hawkesmoore in ''Nikolai Dante'' joined the Russian army for the chance to kill Dante after he killed her father, Sir Richard Hawkesmoore.

 

 

** Unfortunately, [[Revenge Before Reason|that sliver of annoyance turns out to be his downfall]] - he should have realized that if McClane could figure out his brother's plan, his own were no safer. And he taunted him with that stupid aspirin bottle.

** Similarly, in the first film, one of Hans' own henchmen, Karl, spends most of the film trying to kill McClane after the latter kills another of Hans' henchmen, Karl's brother Tony.

* Implied as a [[Sequel Hook]] in ''[[Kill Bill]]''.

* In the film ''[[The Godfather Part II]]'' and the novel ''The Godfather'', [[Averted Trope|averting]] this trope is the reason the Sicilian mobster Don Ciccio gives to the wife of Antonio Andolini, whom he has had killed for not paying tribute to him, for ordering the death both of her older, healthy son Paolo, who has played this trope straight, and also of her young, sickly son Vito. {{spoiler|It doesn't work. In the movie, Signora Andolini is killed in front of her son Vito for trying to defend his life, but Vito manages to escape. Decades later, Vito Andolini returns to Sicily as Vito Corleone and kills the now senile Don Ciccio in exactly the sort of scenario he was trying to avoid.}}

* ''[[The Wizard of Oz (film)|The Wizard of Oz]]'': This is [[Alternative Character Interpretation|another way]] of looking at the Wicked Witch of the West. If somebody smashed your sister with a house, wouldn't ''you'' want to kill them and their little dog too?

* A hallucination of [[Norman Osborn]] rather strongly insisted upon this in ''[[Spider-Man (film)|Spider-Man]] 2''.

* Part of a [[Sequel Hook]] for ''[[Kick-Ass (film)|Kick Ass]],'' when {{spoiler|Red Mist seems to imply he's going to become a super-villain for all the new superheroes to fight.}}

* Averted in ''[[Tomica Hero Rescue Force]]'', because when the [[Big Bad]] Daen did a [[Heel Face Turn]], and thought that [[Redemption Equals Death]], his 'daughter' Maen (really a sentient computer program who resembles him) awakes. But in reality his daughter was {{spoiler|a millions years old super advanced Nanocomputer capable of shapeshifting. It was actually the one who turned Daen evil in the first place, wanting to use him to eradicate humanity, because it calculated that humanity would be a threat to earth.}}

* At the end of ''[[NCIS]]'' Season 7, Gibbs' back-story comes back to haunt him: A Mexican druglord had killed his wife and daughter many years ago, whom Gibbs avenged by killing him with a sniper rifle. Now the boss's daughter, who has taken over the cartel, abducts Gibbs in order to exact her vengeance. {{spoiler|She is aided by her brother, the Mexican government official fighting the drug war.}}

* ''[[Breaking Bad]]'' has {{spoiler|[[Ax Crazy|The Cousins]] come up to Albuquerque to kill Walter in revenge for killing Tuco}}.

 

** However, this was subverted in ''Cybeast Gregar'' with the character of Ann Zap, the wife of Count Zap, who Lan defeated way back in the first game. She doesn't know who Lan is when she meets him, but when she figures it out, she actually ''thanks'' Lan for sending him to jail to pay for his crimes. Also, in ''Team Proto Man'', Mr Gauss' daughter Tesla starts off overjoyed at the fact that she can avenge her father, but quickly forgets about it and even joins the protagonists.

* Played straight, then subverted in ''[[Robopon]] 2'', Dr. Zeke is the previously unseen brother of the [[Big Bad]], Dr. Zero, from the first game. But rather than vowing to avenge his death, he goes back in time to save Zero so they can both destroy the hero.

* In the ''[[World of Warcraft]]'' expansion ''Cataclysm'', Vanessa Vancleef replaces her father Edwin Vancleef as the leader of the Defias Brotherhood, as well as the final boss of the Dead Mines. Revenge for her father's death is one of her primary goals.

** And while Deathwing didn't need much of an excuse to ravage the world, the fact that his daughter's head hung from the gates of Stormwind did draw that city his special attention.

* In ''[[Mitsumete Knight]]'', this is how you'll get to fight one of the Eight Generals of Valpha-Valaharian, Rinanore of the Ice and Fire : she's in love with fellow general Borankio the Unshakable, and if you manage to kill him during the second war battle, {{spoiler|one month later}}, she'll defect from Valpha-Valaharian just to challenge you in a duel to death and try to avenge his death.

* In ''[[Dragon Age]]'', you kill [[Complete Monster|Arl Howe]]. In the expansion ''Awakening'', his son Nathaniel sneaks into your castle to assassinate your [[Player Character]]. This doesn't go well for him, and {{spoiler|he can be recruited into your party himself if you wish when you visit him in jail.}}

* Seen repeatedly in the latter half of ''[[Fire Emblem]] 4'' where many good people fight your army only because you killed their parents earlier in the game.

== Real Life ==

* Part of the Viking people's code of honour was that if a family member is killed, you should avenge him, even if the killing was sorely provoked. There were exceptions to this, but not many. Troublemakers could be a serious problem for their more sensible relatives because of this. Not surprisingly, there was many a blood feud due to the [[Cycle of Revenge]] that would inevitably arise.

*** Malcom Gladwell theorizes that the culture of honor that persists in the American south is directly descended from the area's ancestry in the Scottish highlands. To this day, insulting a southerner is a good way to get yourself beaten.