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Post by lowtacks86 on Sept 1, 2020 1:11:07 GMT
Another post kind made me wonder about what exactly constitutes as "evil" and here's some to consider:
Terminator: It tries to kill Sarah Connor, but is it really "evil"? I mean it's not an actual independent thinking being, it's just a machine programmed to kill, can it really be "evil" if it has no actual free will/independent thinking? Imagine if you hypnotized someone into killing, can you really call that person "evil"?
Xenomorphs: While they do kill indiscrimnately, they're eseentially just going off animal instinct, not really that different from say a pack of wolves. Is that really "evil"?
Darth Vader: It might be easy to just say yes, but how much of his horrible acts is actually his own independent decisions rather than his judgement being clouded by the dark side? If someone develops a brain tumor and starts engaging in violent, murderous behavior we wouldn't really call that person "evil" but rather a victim of external circumstances. Couldn't you argue the same for Vader?
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Post by shannondegroot on Sept 1, 2020 1:28:57 GMT
I think Terminator is programmed to be evil so I may refer to him as an evil robot.
Darth Vader turned to evil, but is not wholly wicked as is the Emperor, Dart Vader resorts to evil because of his short temper.
The Xenomorphs are supposedly designed as a weapon, but I guess they are just like animals as you say. Something to be feared and respected and to just stay out of its way. I guess I wouldn't say a spider is evil, but it's natural ways seem very cruel.
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Post by kolchak92 on Sept 1, 2020 1:41:58 GMT
Asking if the Xenomorphs are evil is basically like asking if the shark in Jaws is evil. They're just creatures who are doing what they do, without malicious intent.
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Post by moviemouth on Sept 1, 2020 2:05:14 GMT
Terminator: It tries to kill Sarah Connor, but is it really "evil"? I mean it's not an actual independent thinking being, it's just a machine programmed to kill, can it really be "evil" if it has no actual free will/independent thinking? Imagine if you hypnotized someone into killing, can you really call that person "evil"? Xenomorphs: While they do kill indiscrimnately, they're eseentially just going off animal instinct, not really that different from say a pack of wolves. Is that really "evil"? Darth Vader: It might be easy to just say yes, but how much of his horrible acts is actually his own independent decisions rather than his judgement being clouded by the dark side? If someone develops a brain tumor and starts engaging in violent, murderous behavior we wouldn't really call that person "evil" but rather a victim of external circumstances. Couldn't you argue the same for Vader? Darth Vader is evil, though I understand the point you are making. He was seduced by the dark side, but he is in control of his behavior as far as I'm concerned. This is why he was able to come back to the good side eventually, because Luke appealed to that part of good that is still in him. The Terminator certainly isn't evil. Xenomorphs are basically animals, so they act on survival instinct only and that can't be considered evil imo.
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Post by twothousandonemark on Sept 1, 2020 2:38:06 GMT
Skynet is evil. They launched ICBMs against the Russians who retaliated, wrongly, in kind to the west yes?
Militaristically evil. Like Vader.
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Post by moviebuffbrad on Sept 1, 2020 2:39:32 GMT
The Terminator - no. Case in point, he's reprogrammed to be good in the sequel.
Xenomorph - no more evil than a honey bee.
Darth Vader - also no. Every film emphasizes he was once a good man, there's still good in him, his redemption, or all of the above. Though in light of everything, especially carving up kids in the prequels, he got off kinda easy. If Mussolini threw Adolf down an elevator shaft to save his own son, not sure all is forgiven.
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Post by BATouttaheck on Sept 1, 2020 2:42:20 GMT
What about  ? |
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Post by darkreviewer2013 on Sept 1, 2020 3:51:28 GMT
The Terminator - Not evil. It's a machine with no free will of its own that's simply following its programming. About as evil as a hungry lion.
Xenomorph - Nope. Terrifying super-predator, but again the lion analogy applies.
Darth Vader - I'd argue he's essentially criminally insane as a result of what happened to him in Revenge of the Sith. He lost the love of his life (believing himself to have killed her) and was horrifically mutilated and left for dead by his closest friend and mentor. However, he did commit evil deeds prior to those occurances, so he is clearly driven by hate. Him one could class as evil.
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avocadojoe
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Post by avocadojoe on Sept 1, 2020 6:38:23 GMT
I think Maleficent (1959) is evil. She wasn't mentally ill. She enjoys seeing people suffer and jealousy rules her heart.
I also think that Mrs. Ba'alock (1976) is evil.
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avocadojoe
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Post by avocadojoe on Sept 1, 2020 6:41:58 GMT
What about ?I never thought of him as evil. I always just thought he was cooped up too long. |
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Post by Vits on Sept 1, 2020 10:08:54 GMT
As said by the O.P. the Xenomorphs are just acting by instinct. Robots usually can't be evil, since they act based on their programming. However, Terminators (in general) show personality traits. They don't have complete free will, but they do make their own decisions on the spot at times. Therefore, I'd argue that they can be evil. It's hard to say in regards to Darth Vader, since we don't know all the details of the Dark Side. I mean, characters are said to have been "seduced" by it, but how? Is it an invisible force that convinces people bad deeds are actually good? Or is it a full-on hypnosis? How did Vader break that? He still had a good side somewhere inside that gained enough strength at the last minute? Was it just because he saw his son was about to die? After all, Obi-Wan said that Anakin was dead and Vader was a separate being who was more machine than man. Did he say that only because he was burned and re-built, or would he have said the same thing about anyone who had turned to the Dark Side? |
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Post by Marv on Sept 1, 2020 11:25:03 GMT
Yes to all 3.
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Post by moviemouth on Sept 1, 2020 11:56:42 GMT
Skynet is evil. They launched ICBMs against the Russians who retaliated, wrongly, in kind to the west yes? Militaristically evil. Like Vader. Skynet is evil, but the T-800 is just a weapon. There is no sign that the T-800 or the T-1000 are self-aware.
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Post by Xcalatë on Sept 1, 2020 12:28:05 GMT
Like others have said Terminator (Machine) Aliens (Animals) are not evil.
Vader on the other hand is (despite all he went through)
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Post by CoolJGS☺ on Sept 1, 2020 14:33:37 GMT
I don;t consider robots evil. They just are programmed to do what they do which is proven by Terminator.
Xenomorphs are no more evil than us killing a cow or growing an ear on a rat. The thing that created them may be evil though.
Darth Vader is evil. His judgement was tested no more than everyone else's and he failed at it and then embrace it and his good and dark sides were always based on a tendency to selfishness.
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Post by BATouttaheck on Sept 1, 2020 15:27:19 GMT
Another post kind made me wonder about what exactly constitutes as "evil" and here's some to consider: cool thread idea ... can other "are they really evil ? " characters be introduced into the thread for similar discussion ?
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Jason143
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Post by Jason143 on Sept 1, 2020 15:31:49 GMT
None of those are evil. A argument can be made for Predator though. Hunting intelligent sentient beings for sport can be considered evil. But then again the sport they are hunting are often evil/murderers themselves like the cartel members in Predator 2.
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Post by lowtacks86 on Sept 1, 2020 16:12:43 GMT
Another post kind made me wonder about what exactly constitutes as "evil" and here's some to consider: cool thread idea ... can other "are they really evil ? " characters be introduced into the thread for similar discussion ? Sure
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Post by kolchak92 on Sept 1, 2020 17:04:52 GMT
What about ?Evil? Movie yes Book no
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Post by BATouttaheck on Sept 1, 2020 17:06:06 GMT
What about ?Evil? Movie yes Book no I see him as a flawed man easily taken over by "the dark side" !
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