Nicholas, your simple prompt did take us in many directions, didn't it? Thank you for making us think, consider, and explore.

I heartily agree with this piece. I also have issues with evil fictional characters wrecking havoc before seeing the light and being redeemed. Those stories always seem out of balance. They gloss over the horrendous deeds of the characters and the suffering of the victims to make the evil character seem relatable and universal. Evil is universal, but that doesn't make it acceptable or forgivable.

Real life is not and will never be like those fictional stories. Our characters of evil are real. They are manipulative, cruel, and unrepentant. They have no empathy, are concerned only with self and with power, and they don't EVER deserve a get-out-of-jail-free card. Unfortunately, their despicable behavior has become so commonplace, we rarely notice it anymore, much less become outraged by it.

In real life, when we call out those evil persons, we are often accused of being the ones doing harm, exaggerating, being dramatic, and lacking empathy and forgiveness. Sadly, there are real life characters that don't deserve empathy or forgiveness and who need to be exposed. If the world has forgotten what truth and honor are, we MUST NOT.