How do you redeem a villian?

First, they have to make several bad decisions. They hurt other people and themself. Then, they have a realization. They shift priorities and begin to try to help others. Sometimes, in a good arc, they make mistakes and while trying to be good, mess up. Two steps forward, one step backward.

It reminds me a lot of this quote from Siddhartha:

“He, who was indeed like someone who had just woken up or like a newborn baby, he had to start his life anew and start again at the very beginning.”

Siddhartha isn’t the villain, but he does go through a sort of redemption arc. It’s more of a hill followed by a valley, rather. He begins a deeply spiritual person, unsatisfied with his life and wanting to escape his village. Then, he turns into the one thing he had actively avoided and becomes greedy and obsessed with material goods. His realization that his life is going downhill marks the transition into the lowest part of this “valley,” and he feels there is nothing more to do with his life. He then meets a humble friend, who teaches him that achieving happiness in life can be quite simple, and the story ends thus.

This Instagram post relates a lot to me because its message is that you can make several mistakes in your life, but you can always pick yourself up and make some effort toward self development.

I often struggle with this idea. Whenever I make a mistake, no matter how insignificant, my thoughts spiral until they convince me that once I’ve erred, there is no return, and that I’ve already peaked in life.

Quotes and stories like the above remind me that I can always brush myself off and learn from my mistakes so I can accomplish more with the many opportunities in my life. Making errors and then building yourself up is the most human experience I can imagine. To quote The Queen’s Gambit, a remarkable Netflix show about chess: “I never lose. I win, or I learn.”

I don’t think anyone is truly a villain. Everyone, no matter how misguided, can attempt to right their wrongs and try to make up for any suffering they’ve caused. They must live with the consequences of their decisions, but self awareness is the first step.

So go out there and redeem yourself. After all, meeting enemies in video games is a good indication that you’re on the right track.