We all love a hero. Not only do we want him to win, but we want to be him.But let’s face it, a hero is only as good as the villain is bad. In some stories, heroes and villains may seem like complete antitheses to each other. And in other stories, we can sense some eerie connection between them; something we can’t quite put a finger on.That may be because, instead of representing two different worlds, they are representing two different sides of the same world. This confusion arises when the villain is holding up a mirror to the hero, showing him the darkness that lies within him, what he could have been (or still can be) if that darkness found its footing.That’s essentially the idea behind the storytelling trope known as “dark reflection,” a narrative device that goes beyond the fairytale distinction of good vs. evil and becomes more real, about self vs. self.What is Dark Reflection?Dark reflection is a narrative device in which the antagonist offers a distorted image of the protagonist, shaped from the same fate, desires, and dreads that drive the hero. A villain serving as the dark reflection exposes the flaws the hero has, but is either suppressing or denying. This mirror creates tension by letting the villain portray a picture of what the protagonist could become under different circumstances or if he made different choices.Understanding the Dark Reflection TropeThe Psychological Function: The “What If” ScenarioThe core function of the trope is to expose the...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Today