I couldn’t make it through the A to Z challenge without discussing one Bond supervillain.
As the criminal mastermind who created SPECTRE, the Special Executive for Counterintelligience, Terrorism, Revenge, and Extortion, Ernst Blofeld was the perfect choice.
Obsessed with global domination and remaking the world in his image, Ernst is evil extraordinaire with apparently no redeeming human qualities. So why was I willing to include him in my complex villain list?
The cat, of course. Ernst is never seen without a large, furry in his arms that he is always caressing. Even Mr. Evil, needs a pet.
More than that, he has vision. He is not indiscriminately destroying things, but trying to move the world to another place. Misguided, of course. But its also a mark of the complex villain. Driven, with goals and a clear vision, like any good CEO, but without a moral compass or shred of empathy.
And the final kicker. Blofeld had the same birthday as Ian Fleming, who wrote the Bond books. May 28, 1908. The job of the author and the villain is drive the hero to either reach new heights or fall to his/her. Bond was obsessed with Blofeld’s destruction. Ernst did hs job.
Have a favorite Bond hero? Tell me who and why? I still have the rest of the alphabet to go.
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I read all of the Fleming Bond books … and you’re right. While Blofeld is kind of a cardboard character, he is driven.
Thanks for sharing this.
Sharon E. Cathcart
Award-winning Author of Fiction Featuring Atypical Characters
#atozchallenge
Most of the Bond villains are not multi-dimensional but the cat is a great prop, and I had to have one Bond villain. Thanks for dropping by.
Ooh, what makes a villain is often the little details. The petting of a cat is a great example of something that sets this villain apart. It’s a great tip for writers looking for ways to differentiate their characterization of villains.
It really is about the details for all good characters. Thanks for dropping by.
I have not read or watch any of the Bond books/films. I see the movies streaming on Amazon Prime all the time and I keep thinking I should watch one, but I don’t know where to start. Donna from Girl Who Reads
It is hard to know where to start. Its probably worth seeing the very first one with Sean Connery which is Dr. No. Thanks for dropping by.