What villain actually had a good point?
My immediate response is that although villains appear in fiction—books, plays, films—they reflect a truth in our fallen reality.
A villain, whether fictional or real, is someone who deliberately harms others or breaks the law. Yet such characters may serve a good purpose: they teach us not to become like them—because no one escapes the law of righteousness, which culminates in the final judgement of the righteous Lord Christ Jesus.
As a child, I adored heroes—both in stories and in life. They were celebrated and admired. But today, if you play the hero, the primary antagonist may not be an obvious villain, but those who once opposed villains and have since grown selfish. Kindness turns to indifference; the impulse to catch a robber becomes the impulse to film the scene for online traffic. So who is the real villain—the robber, or the bystander?
Scripture warns that all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). All are destined to pay the price of sin—eternal death—yet by grace we find eternal life in Christ (Romans 6:23).
Who then can claim superiority—the upper classes? Jesus says: “All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Luke 14:11). Who are called “uncultured” or “low-class”? He says: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8).
So neither Black Panther nor the Avengers in Infinity War are who I follow. Nor do I aspire to the X-Men, though they act on compelling, rational motivations—for even they may reflect on the ultimate consequences of eye-for-an-eye vengeance.
True, villains may act to conquer threats to humanity, may serve their own version of righteousness, or may even believe their destructive deeds are acts of love. But true love seeks the greater good of all humanity—not merely the satisfaction of one group’s perceived justice. True love is sacrificial love. That is the actual “good point” this prompt should bring to our hearts and minds.
May my poem shed light on the Way and the Truth that shines upon your path of life.
—
✨The Way Has Its Way✨
Since ancient times, right and wrong divide—
Yet who says good is pure, and evil one-sided?
The upright stands firm in original grace,
Yet originality spurns its own face.
Humility scorned, pride is learned instead,
Wisdom discarded—folly crowns the head.
Heads lifted high—yet not towards the sky,
Feet firm on earth—yet unwilling to stand by.
Rebellious children trace their crooked road—
The straight path left for a heavier load.
Within the Way, no Way is ever defied—
Who walks against it walks until they die,
And in that death, the Way is testified.
—
en yan hua fang 