Location is Everything
I’ve been watching a lot of Walt Disney cartoons of late with my little dude. While I’ve always been aware that the hero never kills the villain in that kind of movie (or television program), and that the villain will usually be offered one final chance to walk away or redeem themselves only to instead seek revenge and be killed as a result. As an English teacher friend put it, they are punished by the universe. Instant karma. But the how is interesting. They fall. A lot. So much it’s actually a TV Trope. (Which isn’t *that* surprising because what isn’t a TV Trope these days?)
I’m not opposed to the idea. Even the Doctor gets in on the game. But it’s surprising how often falling is involved. They aren’t crushed, or killed by a ricochet, or poisoned by their own envenomed blade. They fall to an unseen and messy fate. Considering how in that material good is meant to triumph over evil, you’d think redemption would be shown once. The villain is beaten and humbled, defeated and humiliated. But they’re shown mercy they would never have given and realize that maybe they’ve been going about things wrong.
