Discussion: Should The Bad Guys Win More Often?
In books and movies, the good guys usually win…but not always.
I was recently listening to a podcast and the two hosts were discussing how in most books, movies, and TV shows, there is a satisfying, if not happy, ending.
They tried to think of a couple of examples where the bad guy wins and really only came up with Thanos at the end of Avengers: Infinity War — which they and I both agree may not count, seeing as that wasn’t the end of that story. The next movie, Avengers: Endgame, resolved a lot of the issues, closed out MCU’s phase 3, and while it ultimately doesn’t shy away from sad moments, it did undo Thanos’s snap (though not without consequences).
Oh man, sorry for the tangent there. I really love superhero movies and have seen every Marvel movie and TV show (and most of DC’s, too).
That discussion really made me think.
My initial response was that most movies and books and shows end happily because it is meant as an escape. We watch movies and shows and read books (usually) to escape into a story. To get lost in a new world. Sometimes we read and watch to learn or to reflect, but there is a reason fiction is vastly more popular.
