wynneinrome reblogged
I think it’s really important to talk about how different people have different power fantasies.
For example:
- For some people, the idea of someone redeeming a villain is a power fantasy.
- For other people, the idea of a villain being defeated is a power fantasy.
- And for other people, the idea of a character owning their villainy is a power fantasy.
I would argue a lot of fandom conflicts re: villains come from people being unable to see that their fantasies, which put them in control of a narrative (and all three of these are designed to give the author or reader control of the narrative in different ways) are someone else’s horror stories.
….this explains SO MUCH.
This breakdown works equally well for the Problematic Love Interest.
- Saving/Fixing the Problematic Love Interest is absolutely a power fantasy.
- So is kicking them to the curb and saying that they are wrong, they were always wrong, and are not your responsibility.
- And allowing the Problematic Love Interest to stay messy and flawed (but worthy of love anyway) is a power fantasy too.